Deadbat
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Sheffield United lost for the second successive away game as they lost out to in form Brentford at a wet and windy Griffin Park. The home side sped out of the blocks and scored inside three minutes. Further chances came for the home side and they doubled their advantage thanks to a superb individual effort. After this United were really up against it and easily could have conceded further goals as the home side threatened to overrun the Blades. After the break things had to improve and they did as United were the dominant force. However despite having a number of chances, good keeping and defending and a touch of ill fortune ensure the goal they so badly needed to make a contest of it never came and in the end the home side held on relatively comfortably. Overall, Brentford were good value for the win and although United were a little unfortunate not to get a goal back; their abject first half performance meant they had in essence tossed the game away.
The Blades began with McMahon and Hill restored to the line up at the expense of Williams and Westlake and also Flynn and Miller shrugged off knocks to start. Nick Blackman continued out wide but there was still no place for injured Dave Kitson.
Diagouraga went past McMahon and his low cross was met by DONALDSON who turned in from just outside the 6 yard box with no defender even close to him. The ball went in off the near post as the keeper Long had been badly exposed.
After this chance Brentford came again and won a series of corners as Diagouraga was the chief threat as the home side looked to get him on the ball at every opportunity. The United midfield pairing of Doyle and McDonald had barely had a kick as the quicker and sharper Bees literally befitting their nickname buzzed around picking up all the loose scraps.
United did have a chance on 10 minutes in a rare break as Flynn headed McDonald’s cross across the box and Millers reaction header was tipped over by Moore. This had been a rare attack though and the home side were back in the ascendancy soon after as Trotta stung Long’s palms with a shot from distance as the defence backed off. Forrester then had a shot that Long had to tip over before from a corner the ball was nodded narrowly wide.
McMahon scythed down Diagouraga right on the edge of the box with the defender probably fearing the worst but fortunately for him it was not in the box and somehow he escaped a booking. United could not get in the game and it was no surprise when the second came.
FORRESTER ran unopposed and no challenge came in, nor was a midfielder in sight of him. As Maguire and Collins backed off, the midfielder let rip from fully 25 yards and the ball fairly flew past Long into the net. United were now two down and looked in danger of getting a good old hammering as the home side had completely bossed the game.
United simply could not get on the ball and Brentford were dominating winning loose balls and then turning it forward. McMahon continued to struggle with the pace of Diagouraga who beat him again down the left before the ball was cleared for yet another corner.
Another effort, this time from Forshaw went just wide and as the half came to an end, United were defending once again and probably glad of a break after such a poor performance.
The second half saw United begin with some urgency and Porter and Miller started to link up but much of the threat came from the previously quiet Blackman.
Miller got in but his shot deflected and off Moore for a corner and then after a neat move, Porter shot wide when he probably had more time. The next effort was from a superb individual effort from Blackman who danced round three defenders came inside and curled an effort that Moore palmed away. If it had gone in, it would have bettered even Forrester’s effort.
Hayes and Saunders came on for Forshaw and Bidwell as the home side tried to gain control again. Blackman continued to probe and beat his man again before his shot went narrowly wide. United replaced McMahon who had been given a real going over all game; with Westlake but his replacement fared little better slicing his first touch out of play.
United brought on Cresswell for Porter in another change as they somehow tried to get a foothold back in the game and they nearly did from a corner as Maguire headed at the keeper who held well and it was now one way traffic but the visitors could not get that vital goal back. Indeed on the break Brentford nearly sealed the game after Long spilt a long shot and Trotta tapped home but the linesman flag was up. Despite a much better performance a series of corners United could not get back into the game and time was running out.
Moore was now taking an eternity to take his goal kicks but D’Urso did not even have words and thus he continued with this tactic for the remainder of the game.
In the last 5 minutes United had a series of remarkably close calls as Cresswell dummied to put Miller in the clear but he took too long and from the corner McDonald’s shot was cleared from under the goal line and then Maguire’s header was also cleared off the line. United players appealed it had gone over but no one could be sure in the away end from the angle we had. Several United players confronted D’Urso and he compounded matters for the Blades when somehow he gave a goal kick despite a clear deflection off a Brentford player. United’s frustration threatened to boil over and Collins and McDonald were booked for their protestations.
The final chance came when Blackman darted into the box and appeared to be blocked off but the officials waved play on and this was the signal for many Blades fans to head for the exits and the murky, rain sodden West London streets.
The additional time was played out with no more chances for the Blades who trooped off disappointed that their improvements in the second half had failed to gain them any reward but probably regretting such an abject opening to the game that had seen the game gone before it had even properly started.
The Blades began with McMahon and Hill restored to the line up at the expense of Williams and Westlake and also Flynn and Miller shrugged off knocks to start. Nick Blackman continued out wide but there was still no place for injured Dave Kitson.
Diagouraga went past McMahon and his low cross was met by DONALDSON who turned in from just outside the 6 yard box with no defender even close to him. The ball went in off the near post as the keeper Long had been badly exposed.
After this chance Brentford came again and won a series of corners as Diagouraga was the chief threat as the home side looked to get him on the ball at every opportunity. The United midfield pairing of Doyle and McDonald had barely had a kick as the quicker and sharper Bees literally befitting their nickname buzzed around picking up all the loose scraps.
United did have a chance on 10 minutes in a rare break as Flynn headed McDonald’s cross across the box and Millers reaction header was tipped over by Moore. This had been a rare attack though and the home side were back in the ascendancy soon after as Trotta stung Long’s palms with a shot from distance as the defence backed off. Forrester then had a shot that Long had to tip over before from a corner the ball was nodded narrowly wide.
McMahon scythed down Diagouraga right on the edge of the box with the defender probably fearing the worst but fortunately for him it was not in the box and somehow he escaped a booking. United could not get in the game and it was no surprise when the second came.
FORRESTER ran unopposed and no challenge came in, nor was a midfielder in sight of him. As Maguire and Collins backed off, the midfielder let rip from fully 25 yards and the ball fairly flew past Long into the net. United were now two down and looked in danger of getting a good old hammering as the home side had completely bossed the game.
United simply could not get on the ball and Brentford were dominating winning loose balls and then turning it forward. McMahon continued to struggle with the pace of Diagouraga who beat him again down the left before the ball was cleared for yet another corner.
Another effort, this time from Forshaw went just wide and as the half came to an end, United were defending once again and probably glad of a break after such a poor performance.
The second half saw United begin with some urgency and Porter and Miller started to link up but much of the threat came from the previously quiet Blackman.
Miller got in but his shot deflected and off Moore for a corner and then after a neat move, Porter shot wide when he probably had more time. The next effort was from a superb individual effort from Blackman who danced round three defenders came inside and curled an effort that Moore palmed away. If it had gone in, it would have bettered even Forrester’s effort.
Hayes and Saunders came on for Forshaw and Bidwell as the home side tried to gain control again. Blackman continued to probe and beat his man again before his shot went narrowly wide. United replaced McMahon who had been given a real going over all game; with Westlake but his replacement fared little better slicing his first touch out of play.
United brought on Cresswell for Porter in another change as they somehow tried to get a foothold back in the game and they nearly did from a corner as Maguire headed at the keeper who held well and it was now one way traffic but the visitors could not get that vital goal back. Indeed on the break Brentford nearly sealed the game after Long spilt a long shot and Trotta tapped home but the linesman flag was up. Despite a much better performance a series of corners United could not get back into the game and time was running out.
Moore was now taking an eternity to take his goal kicks but D’Urso did not even have words and thus he continued with this tactic for the remainder of the game.
In the last 5 minutes United had a series of remarkably close calls as Cresswell dummied to put Miller in the clear but he took too long and from the corner McDonald’s shot was cleared from under the goal line and then Maguire’s header was also cleared off the line. United players appealed it had gone over but no one could be sure in the away end from the angle we had. Several United players confronted D’Urso and he compounded matters for the Blades when somehow he gave a goal kick despite a clear deflection off a Brentford player. United’s frustration threatened to boil over and Collins and McDonald were booked for their protestations.
The final chance came when Blackman darted into the box and appeared to be blocked off but the officials waved play on and this was the signal for many Blades fans to head for the exits and the murky, rain sodden West London streets.
The additional time was played out with no more chances for the Blades who trooped off disappointed that their improvements in the second half had failed to gain them any reward but probably regretting such an abject opening to the game that had seen the game gone before it had even properly started.