It was the perfect start for the Blades as they made the trip to the wrong side of the Pennines for their first visit to Boundary Park in nearly 15 years.

Making up nearly half of the overall attendance, 3597 Blades fans packed the away end eager to see a more positive performance than those endured during last season’s relegation.

Danny Wilson, in his first competitive game in charge of the team, opted to go with a 4-4-2 formation with new boys Lecsinel Jean-Francois, Ryan Flynn and Chris Porter all making their league debuts for United. Having joined the club Friday morning, winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing had to be content with a place on the bench.

The game started fairly frantically, with players on both sides eager to get back into the swing of things after the summer break, the Blades winning a couple of early corners and Oldham looking to press forward positively with a number of probing runs with the ball.

Ex-Latic Porter fizzed in a cross towards his strike partner Cresswell, then minutes later Cresswell returned the favour, sadly neither could make contact and steer the ball goalwards.

The closest the Blades were to come in the early stages was a stinging, speculative Jean-Francois effort from distance which clipped the top of the crossbar. The Latics had a decent chance of their own not long after with M’Voto powerfully heading over a corner which he should have done better with.

It was becoming clear to the Blades players that League One was a slightly different kettle of fish when it came to officiating, with challenges that would have normally been punished evidentially part and parcel of life in the division. With this in mind, it was a little perplexing that Jean-Francois was first into the book for seemingly heading the ball too enthusiastically, the officials having previously ignored a forearm smash to the face of Cresswell, numerous late lunges and kicking out after the ball had gone.

It was another Blade next to be carded shortly after, when Lowton was booked for tangling with Taylor. In fairness to the young Blade, he didn’t do a lot wrong; the Oldham man effectively pulled him to the floor by the shirt and then lashed out at him. The travelling army of Blades, incensed by this, fired expletives the way of the frustrating midfielder and chants of “we don’t even know your name!” rang out from the Rochdale Road end in his general direction. Between attempts at winding up the crowd, Taylor found space in the middle, but his shot from around 20 yards was well over the crossbar.

So the Blades ended their first 45 minutes of the season with the scores level, having had a decent start, but lacking in creative spark.

Perhaps this was also Wilson’s assessment, as the Blades started the second half with a renewed urgency, closing the ball well from the front. It was an example of this hard work that created the first real chance of the half and an opening goal. Cresswell forced M’Voto into conceding a corner, putting the Latic’s defender under pressure in front of the Blades support. Stephen Quinn, a bright spark in United’s midfield provided a great delivery for young centre back Harry Maguire to gain space on his man and head powerfully past Cisak for the first league goal of his career.

Maguire jogged in front of the delirious Blades followers and dropped to his knees before being mobbed by his team mates. The Blades campaign was off the mark.
Stephen Quinn was booked for his display of passion during the celebrations, the corner flag being involved as he epitomised the feelings of the 3500+ just the other side of the advertising boards.

With United on the front foot and Oldham nervous, the Blades were immediately back on the attack with Montgomery, Cresswell and again Quinn involved in creating a chance that was cleared at the far post with new man Porter eagerly waiting to pounce. Having a quiet game on the attacking side, Ryan Flynn had an attempt saved by Cisek as Oldham struggled to deal with a pass from Quinn.

The impressive Quinn was then heavily involved once again, Porter controlled the ball out wide and noticed Quinn’s determined run down the left, between them leaving a couple of Latics defenders stranded. The energetic Irishman carried the ball forwards before calmly waiting for the opportune moment to thread a perfectly weighted ball across goal for the onrushing Richard Cresswell to turn home, sliding between the attentions of a couple of Oldham defenders. The Blades fans knew they were on their way to an opening day victory and duly celebrated with the players; one Blade being led out of the stadium after getting slightly too involved in the players celebrations on the pitch.

Whilst not creating a lot anyway, Oldham had had the stuffing knocked out of them and didn’t create another opportunity until Furman put an effort high and wide with less than 20 minutes of the game remaining. The home side would have felt disappointed not to have bagged a goal from a Lund corner; Smith won the initial header but then from just infront of the Blades goal, the unmarked Diamond somehow deflected the ball onto the roof of the net when it looked easier to score.

The Blades continued to look dangerous, if a little less urgent. Lowton went close when on one of his trademark surges forward he played the ball to Cresswell who held off his marker and played an inch perfect and well timed back heel to complete the one-two, sadly the right back’s effort went just wide of Cisak’s goal.

Matt Lowton was then to be involved again, but this time at the other end of the field clearing M’Voto’s goal bound effort off the line. The Blades could have made it three when Cisak stuggled with another ball forward spilling the ball to substitute Daniel Boganovic. The keeper just did enough though, scrambling to his feet to perhaps fortuitously block the ball with his legs and the Maltese striker tried to help it towards goal.

The Blades played out the final minutes fairly comfortably to ensure they started the season with maximum points. The players and management made a point of thanking the travelling supporters at the final whistle.

Oldham Athletic 0 – 2 Sheffield United

Oldham Athletic: Cisak, M’Voto, Black, Diamond, Furman, Reid (Parker 60), Smith, Taylor, Lee, Lund, Winchester (Millar 66).
Unused: Gerrard, Brooke, Mellor.

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Lowton, Jean-Francois, Montgomery, Doyle, Flynn (Williamson 73), Collins, Cresswell, Maguire, Porter (Bogdanovic 78), Quinn.
Unused: Mendez-Laing, Slew, Long.

Attendance: 8032

Player Ratings: (please feel free to vote if you attended!)

Please note: Ratings are displayed from the average of all votes cast and are not necessarily the views of the article author

Match Thread: Click Here to discuss this match on the forum

Image & Video Gallery