Deadbat
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A break from the losing monotony of the Premier League saw United travel South West to Bristol taking on League One Rovers at the Memorial Ground. The FA Cup was hoped to give Chris Wilder’s beleaguered side some respite from the miserable season that they have suffered so far. So, it proved as a strong side put out was able to win a five-goal thriller in a game United dominated for long periods and had 22 attempts (30 in total for both sides) and led three times but sloppy defending at set plays threatened to undo some really good attacking play at the other end. McGoldrick, Bogle, Osborn and sub-Burke impressed in the win and United will hope this will give them some confidence for the game at the Lane against Newcastle on Tuesday evening/teatime.
The Blades had a number of issues with injury and Coronavirus related problems and Wilder had stated pre game that he potentially only had 16 players to choose from. United started with a strong line up with McGoldrick and Mousset up top, Fleck, Lundstram and Norwood in midfield, McGoldrick and at the back they had Ramsdale, Basham, Egan and Ampadu. Only possibly the wing backs could be deemed not to be the strongest with Bogle and Osborn starting in place of the injured Baldock and Stevens. United only named 8 subs out of 9 with still no place for McBurnie either. Young defender Kyron Gordon, cousin of striker Tyler Smith, getting his first outing in the first team squad following on from another youngster Antonine Hackford, who was not included today after his taster last week.
Rovers named a side that featured former Blades nemesis Erhan Otzhumer who was on loan from Charlton and had a new keeper in Joe Day, also on loan, from Cardiff City. They were managed by the debonaire Paul Tisdale.
The first minute saw United on the attack and McGoldrick fed Osborn whose cross was excellent and Lundstram flicked it on at point blank range but Da made a great save. The fast start from the Blades saw Mousset down the right-hand side but his cross was straight at the keeper.
Rovers first attack saw Egan alert to head away before a goal came on 7 minutes. Lundstram was involved with a great crossfield ball and Osborn was in again down the left. His cross still had a lot to do but Mousset headed it goalward powerfully. The ball was flicked onto the bar by DAY and then came back and hit the keeper and bounced into his own net. Despite his celebrations Mousset would not be able to claim the goal.
McGoldrick then showed lovely skill to flick on for himself and away but the ball aimed for Mousset was cut out. United had been very good and in total control with Mousset in again but his hold up to Lundstram saw the midfielder crowded out as he tried to dribble through.
The home side had not been in the game really at all but totally against the run of play they levelled. McGoldrick gave away a soft foul but unnecessary all the same. The ball was whipped in from Westbroke and KILGOUR was too strong for Basham and headed powerfully into the corner giving Ramsdale no chance.
This surprise leveller saw Rovers buoyed and Hanlan’s pace won a corner. The ball was cleared and Mousset broke but after seeming to get away from his man, McCormick got back to make the tackle. It was more even now after the dominant United start with the goal changing things. Ozthumer then got in and sent the ball back but Ayunga made a back on Ramsdale and a foul was given.
A break down the right saw appeals for a penalty when Mousset fed Bogle and Leahy appeared to bring him down but the replays showed referee Stroud was right not to give it as he got a slight toe on the ball.
Nice play from United in their own corner flag saw them calmly play it out and after several passes McGoldrick was in yards of space but took too long and opted to shoot with better options. The ball deflected out for a corner. The set play saw a scramble as Egan twice tried to help it back into the danger area and the second time, he found Lundstram but his shot on the turn was saved well by Day at his near post leading to another corner.
United then found another chance from the main source of opportunities with Osborn down the left putting in another superb cross which Egan headed back and Mousset smashed home from close range but the referee adjudged that Egan had climbed over his man and disallowed it. Crucial decisions once again had gone against United summing up the type of season they were having.
The next 5 minutes saw a bit of a scrappier period of play ensue with Upson having a shot at Ramsdale. The League One side were more than holding their own and now it was a fairly even contest in possession even if the Blades had created more and looked more dangerous as an attacking side. Egan headed over in the final chance of the half.
Rovers began the second half better with a Leahy shot blocked and then an attack down the left. United’s second half fadeouts may have escaped censure in such a poor season when they have lost every game almost but it has been a feature. United did have a flurry of chances to begin the half. McGoldrick’s cross found Bogle but Leahy did well to block the shot as it appeared to be goalbound. Burke came on for Mousset just 5 minutes into the second half and this signalled for the Blades to really up things attacking wise as he had an instant impact.
More lovely work from McGoldrick saw his individual skill drift across the field and find Osborn who linked well with Fleck. The cross back from the left-wing back was perfect and Burke surely had to score but skewed his shot badly and it went out for a throw in.
McGoldrick continued to be the architect with the creative play and laid it back to Lundstram who fired a powerful shot that was flicked over by Day. McGoldrick then nearly got away from Kilgour but the defender got back to make the tackle.
Bristol Rovers had not really threatened at the other end but Ramsdale found himself outside the box and lost the ball and united were fortunate it bounced to a pink shirt to clear.
BURKE made amends on the hour mark as he netted his first United goal. There were appeals for a foul as Bristol Rovers attacked but United came away with it and Fleck played the striker through and he used his searing pace to get away. This time he made no mistake and calmly rolled it past Day to give the Blades the lead.
Rovers made a double change with Barrett and Grant on for Ozthumer and Ayunga. Manager Tisdale has wanted to make this change for a while but had not been able to do it until the goal went in. On 63 minutes though parity was restored again. It was another goal from a set play with more sloppy defending. The chance came when Hanlan’s pace got away from Basham to win a corner. The delivery came in and was headed back by Leahy who got away from his man and no one went with EHMER who crept in unmarked to score from close range. Norwood appealed but he probably was playing him onside!
23 seconds later it was incredibly in the net again as United took the lead for the third time. McGoldrick put the ball through and as Burke dummied, BOGLE got in and calmly side footed home from close range. It was a remarkable game and one that had been full on incident and goals!
United looked to make sure now and Burke was in again but whilst his pace took him away from his man, his clipped finish rolled agonisingly off the post with Day beaten. Another opportunity came when Norwood hit a fantastic cross that Osborn met on the angle but volleyed into the side netting.
Bryan came on for Lundstram as the game became stretched but United looked the more likely to score again and Burke came inside and whipped a shot just over. This was just after Basham had nearly got in on goal after the ball over from the left-hand side.
McGoldrick then also got in on goal but maybe took too long and the keeper made the save in a chance reminiscent and in a similar position, to the Bogle goal. The game ticked into the final 5 minutes and maybe naturally after so long without a win, United sat back a bit and Barrett pulled a shot wide. Lowe came on for Fleck in another defensive more. There was to be 4 minutes of stoppage time but a McCormick shot at Ramsdale was as close as Rovers got and United saw out the time to finally have that winning feeling after around 6 months; albeit in a cup competition.
United – It does feel like a massive relief. Just to win a game after so long. WE deservedly won and 3-2 I felt flattered Bristol Rovers. Yes, they fought hard and came back with 2 goals but no way did they deserve anything from the game. First half alone we had a number of chances and should have led at the break. We started well and Osborn was a real threat with his crossing. We got a goal and could have had more. They scored from nothing after a silly foul and you thought here we go! We then had one disallowed and a penalty appeal denied – you just felt this is another day where things go against us and I thought we may go on and lose but 2nd half we dominated really. Mousset had been ok but Burke really improved us and we looked a threat every time we attacked with him linking with McGoldrick and the wing backs getting high up the pitch. Burke and others missed a number of chances but then he finally scored with good work from Fleck. Then inexplicably we cock up on a set play again but then recovered instantly. I do worry if it had stayed 2-2 for a longer period, we may have really started to go into our shell but we stayed strong and scored straight away. After this we should have put the game away with Burke, Osborn and McGoldrick having more chances. We played some good stuff going forward and stretched them defensively. There was always a fear due to the season we had they may nick one but they never really looked like doing it.
Our play was mixed. We did some ok stuff but at times I thought went long quite a lot but oddly this worked as we got up the pitch. We did go wide a lot and try and overload but created lots of chances so in this sense cannot be too predictable. Some lovely stuff – like the bit we broke from our own corner and played several passes – McGoldrick shot deflected wide mixed with some poor stuff and bad final ball. Still if we switch on defensively at set plays we win that game easily. I still am worry that our midfield do not impose themselves and we are still too much of a soft touch but we did at least look like a goal threat and in open play we were the far better side.
There were a few things of worry outside of the set plays and lack of concentration – I felt midfield we still left gaps and poorer players still ran off us. We got a bit stretched and the game became a bit ragged. Today its kind of suited us as we knew we had better players and attacked that could hurt them but such an open game we would have struggled and have v Premier League players when they run through our midfield. Still, we saw more players play well or ok than poorly and we looked a goal threat. We scored 3 and could have had 7 or 8. We had 22 attempts (although only 8 on target). We hope we can use the win and us creating more as a spring board for Tuesday and in the Premier League. I enjoyed it today and that we kind of had the shackles off, albeit with the big caveat of whom we played but still it felt more like the old United.
It had been an odd week with the Wilder rumours (normally there is not smoke without fire so you wonder where those come from?) and then the Mousset car crash – so today kind of had the perfect recipe for another disaster and a cup upset but United won and won fairly well regardless of the score line. It could and should have been much more really. We are in the hat but not sure it matters whether we are home or away. You just do not want a Premier League team as they beat us! At least we can have a weekend where we have that winning feeling and I for one am not that arsed who it is against at the moment! It seems so long ago!