William Henry Foulkes
Big Member
PUBLISHED
16:00 12th February 2016
United's U21s made it eleven games unbeaten in the Professional Development League with a draw against Leeds United on Friday afternoon.
David Brooks fired a youthful home side in front at the Look Local Stadium, home of Stocksbridge Park Steels, but Eoghan Stokes netted a late leveller for the visitors, who included the likes of Alex Mowatt and Lee Erwin.
The game was an open affair from the off and Eastwood had to make a smart save to deny Erwin from Botaka's cross.
And the home side responded by taking the lead with their first attack in the 9th minute, BROOKS hit an effort from long-range and it beat Grimes.
The Championship side responded with Mowatt and Mulhern trying their luck, before Eastwood was called into action twice in consecutive attacks to deny Botaka and Phillips.
But with half-time approaching only an excellent last-gasp intervention from Grimes denied young striker Hall from doubling the Blades advantage.
The second-half was very much nip and tuck, before Leeds got an equaliser when substitute STOKES fired home an inch perfect effort from 25 yards that gave Eastwood no chance.
In the end, the inexperienced Blades were holding on for point and had scares as Sloth and Erwin came close to cruelly denying the home side a deserved point to make it a four-point haul this week.
The U21s are in action again on Monday, when Barnsley provide the opposition at Stocksbridge, kick-off 1pm.
Coach Travis Binnion was full of praise for his youngsters after the game, he remarked: "That is 11 games unbeaten now and we have proved that we have some really talented young players, who have got ability but also that spirit and desire about themselves.
"Of late we have blooded the younger players in these games against some good experienced sides, many of which are Championship clubs, but we have done ourselves justice and maintained the unbeaten run which now stretches to 11 games in the league.
"We have a real energy about ourselves and the players deserve an awful lot of credit because they are learning on the move and their developments are accelerating by being tested regularly."
Blades: Eastwood, Gordon, K. Wallace (Adebowale 45), Gilmour, Semple, Kelly, Mallon (Wilkin 59), Whiteman, Hall (Crofts 78). Brooks, K. Smith.
Unused: Ramsdale, Hallam.
Read more at http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/...leeds-united-2952022.aspx#2Fx2z2SZoOUUwjM2.99
