Deadbat
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2009
- Messages
- 6,198
- Reaction score
- 34,751
The Blades four game winning run came to an end in the lunchtime kick off CBS Arena, as manager-less Coventry were able to come back twice to earn a share of the spoils. In the end, this did not really tell the story of a contest where despite the Blades scoring two excellent goals, the Sky Blues were the team in the ascendancy for much of the game. However, the Blades led at the break despite Anel Ahmedhodzic’s moment of madness that saw his side reduced to ten men. The Blades could not quite hold on and poor defending at a corner saw City get the leveller. In the end, it was a point gained from United, who were far from their best even at eleven v eleven and will now examine a growing list of unavailable players with two more games to come this week. Still, the point took them top even if for only a few hours and continued their good recent run.
There was just one change for the Blades with Peck in for Arblaster, after the news that the influential midfielder would be out for the season after rupturing his ACL during the Sheffield derby. Tom Davies was back on the bench, joining two other namesakes, Norrington Davies and Adam Davies -in a largely inexperienced bench.
Coventry were without Haji Wright and opted to keep Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Assante on the bench, starting with Belgian Norman Bassette, a summer signing from French club Caen.
Game started with the bizarre circus of Hamer getting cheers and O’Hamer boos but City started the better side and the Blades were second to the ball. Souttar and Ahmedhodzic were both making uncharacteristic errors as the City player pushed really high up. Sheaf had the first effort but his low shot was straight at the keeper before Ahmedhozic’s clumsy foul gave City a free kick. Eccles shot was blocked by Souza.
United had not been in the game but with their first attack took the lead as Hamer sent a lovely ball inside the full back and Rak Sakyi was in down the right. His cross was perfect and CAMPBELL side footed him home. It was his first touch and continued his hot streak of form.
United were buoyed by this and Hamer found Rak Sakyi whose return ball to the former Coventry man saw his shot blocked. Souttar headed over in the best spell of the game for the visitors.
However, City were able to get level as Eccles put in a really dangerous cross and Souttar was unable to cut it out and BASSETTE got a touch and diverted it past Cooper. It was a deserved leveller from the home side who had been the better side.
Ahmedhodzic stepped out of the back and fed O’Hare whose effort was blocked but Coventry were still having more of the ball, despite United being a real threat on the break. They won a number of corners and from one such delivery, Binks made a mess of a free header, putting it over.
The defensive mistakes continued from United as they kept giving the ball away but when they did break, they were able to show real quality. Souza won the ball and Hamer fed Rak Sakyi and from the left hand side, he hit a beautiful shot into the far corner.
United led but their was no real control despite two excellent goals. Burrows made another defensive mistake and led to Rudoni’s cross and Torp’s header was straight at Cooper. Hamer and O’Hare’s career paths have been inextricably linked and they both got very close to each other again as they tackled each other. Coventry continued to look very dangerous and had appeals for a penalty as Rudoni advanced but the replays showed he slipped. Torp pulled his shot wide.
In an action-packed half, the drama continued as the Blades were reduced to ten men just before the break. Bassette had caught Ahmedhodzic twice and from another foul, the Blades player was not happy that he was being accused of going down too easily and reacted stupidly to the questioning as he pushed his opponent in the face. After the melee, that ensued, the red card seemed the only call that could be made despite some provocation and wind up from the City man. The fall to the floor and hold to the face was disappointing but the striker clearly had suckered the centre half into an unnecessary reaction. Ahmedhodzic exited leaving a threadbare squad even more vulnerable and now having a real uphill task to take anything from the game. The strikers wink said it all after the action restarted.
City had five extra minutes to find a leveller, as Robinson replaced Campbell and they nearly were level when Da Silva was left unmarked at the back post but his header was turned away superbly by Cooper. The acrimony continued as the players left with the field with pushing and shoving in the tunnel.
Seriki took the place of Rak Sakyi as United tried to ensure they had enough defensive solidity to try and see the game out but it was the home side predictably doing the early running. Souza got caught but no card was incoming but the Blades were playing without a striker with O’Hare and Hamer now seeing little of the ball.
Sakamoto, Mason Clark and Thomas Asante were on for Latibeaudiere, Torp and Bassette. With the striker getting a send off from the travelling fans for his part in playing the pantomime villain. Thomas Asante’s first contribution saw him take a tumble and try and con the referee as the theatrics from the Coventry strikers continued. This time the referee ruled in favour of the Blades and the yellow card was handed out to the substitute. Burrows reaction to the dive saw him booked as he was also stupid to react, as he too raised his hands.
Coventry were moving it from side to side and were forcing the Blades back but had not created too much until the 65th minute when Van Ewijk’s shot was flicked over for a corner. McCallum conceded another and the pressure was mounting now. Van Ewijk had a low shot that beat Cooper but hit the outside of the post in the closest they had gone this half to levelling. City had the ball in the net as Mason Clark was given too much space and found Thomas Asante but as the striker converted, the offside flag went up, as he had gone too early.
One and Shackleton came on for O’Hare and Hamer as United’s blueprint was even more firmly established. The opposite was true of Coventry as Simms came on for Eccles. Another chance saw Sakamoto play a ball into the box and as it came across Thomas Asante missed from point blank range. Peck then was adjudged to have tripped Sakamoto – although replays showed he tripped over his own feet! The free kick was played to the unmarked Sheaf but he made a mess of the shot and pulled it wide via a United defender.
The Blades had been unable to get out and from the corner, the leveller came. Souttar lost his man again and THOMAS was completely unmarked to power his header home. The game was back level and now the home side sensed, with their man advantage, that they could go on and win it.
The Blades had not really mounted an attack of note and it was one way traffic now with Souza gamely playing on, despite going down twice and holding his groin. The game ticked into the final moments and Cooper was taking his time but there was to be 7 minutes of stoppage time. Rudoni had a header saved from Cooper and United were trying to see it out but Coventry kept coming and the game ticked into the 99th minute before the final whistle saw the Blades get out with a point.
There was just one change for the Blades with Peck in for Arblaster, after the news that the influential midfielder would be out for the season after rupturing his ACL during the Sheffield derby. Tom Davies was back on the bench, joining two other namesakes, Norrington Davies and Adam Davies -in a largely inexperienced bench.
Coventry were without Haji Wright and opted to keep Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Assante on the bench, starting with Belgian Norman Bassette, a summer signing from French club Caen.
Game started with the bizarre circus of Hamer getting cheers and O’Hamer boos but City started the better side and the Blades were second to the ball. Souttar and Ahmedhodzic were both making uncharacteristic errors as the City player pushed really high up. Sheaf had the first effort but his low shot was straight at the keeper before Ahmedhozic’s clumsy foul gave City a free kick. Eccles shot was blocked by Souza.
United had not been in the game but with their first attack took the lead as Hamer sent a lovely ball inside the full back and Rak Sakyi was in down the right. His cross was perfect and CAMPBELL side footed him home. It was his first touch and continued his hot streak of form.
United were buoyed by this and Hamer found Rak Sakyi whose return ball to the former Coventry man saw his shot blocked. Souttar headed over in the best spell of the game for the visitors.
However, City were able to get level as Eccles put in a really dangerous cross and Souttar was unable to cut it out and BASSETTE got a touch and diverted it past Cooper. It was a deserved leveller from the home side who had been the better side.
Ahmedhodzic stepped out of the back and fed O’Hare whose effort was blocked but Coventry were still having more of the ball, despite United being a real threat on the break. They won a number of corners and from one such delivery, Binks made a mess of a free header, putting it over.
The defensive mistakes continued from United as they kept giving the ball away but when they did break, they were able to show real quality. Souza won the ball and Hamer fed Rak Sakyi and from the left hand side, he hit a beautiful shot into the far corner.
United led but their was no real control despite two excellent goals. Burrows made another defensive mistake and led to Rudoni’s cross and Torp’s header was straight at Cooper. Hamer and O’Hare’s career paths have been inextricably linked and they both got very close to each other again as they tackled each other. Coventry continued to look very dangerous and had appeals for a penalty as Rudoni advanced but the replays showed he slipped. Torp pulled his shot wide.
In an action-packed half, the drama continued as the Blades were reduced to ten men just before the break. Bassette had caught Ahmedhodzic twice and from another foul, the Blades player was not happy that he was being accused of going down too easily and reacted stupidly to the questioning as he pushed his opponent in the face. After the melee, that ensued, the red card seemed the only call that could be made despite some provocation and wind up from the City man. The fall to the floor and hold to the face was disappointing but the striker clearly had suckered the centre half into an unnecessary reaction. Ahmedhodzic exited leaving a threadbare squad even more vulnerable and now having a real uphill task to take anything from the game. The strikers wink said it all after the action restarted.
City had five extra minutes to find a leveller, as Robinson replaced Campbell and they nearly were level when Da Silva was left unmarked at the back post but his header was turned away superbly by Cooper. The acrimony continued as the players left with the field with pushing and shoving in the tunnel.
Seriki took the place of Rak Sakyi as United tried to ensure they had enough defensive solidity to try and see the game out but it was the home side predictably doing the early running. Souza got caught but no card was incoming but the Blades were playing without a striker with O’Hare and Hamer now seeing little of the ball.
Sakamoto, Mason Clark and Thomas Asante were on for Latibeaudiere, Torp and Bassette. With the striker getting a send off from the travelling fans for his part in playing the pantomime villain. Thomas Asante’s first contribution saw him take a tumble and try and con the referee as the theatrics from the Coventry strikers continued. This time the referee ruled in favour of the Blades and the yellow card was handed out to the substitute. Burrows reaction to the dive saw him booked as he was also stupid to react, as he too raised his hands.
Coventry were moving it from side to side and were forcing the Blades back but had not created too much until the 65th minute when Van Ewijk’s shot was flicked over for a corner. McCallum conceded another and the pressure was mounting now. Van Ewijk had a low shot that beat Cooper but hit the outside of the post in the closest they had gone this half to levelling. City had the ball in the net as Mason Clark was given too much space and found Thomas Asante but as the striker converted, the offside flag went up, as he had gone too early.
One and Shackleton came on for O’Hare and Hamer as United’s blueprint was even more firmly established. The opposite was true of Coventry as Simms came on for Eccles. Another chance saw Sakamoto play a ball into the box and as it came across Thomas Asante missed from point blank range. Peck then was adjudged to have tripped Sakamoto – although replays showed he tripped over his own feet! The free kick was played to the unmarked Sheaf but he made a mess of the shot and pulled it wide via a United defender.
The Blades had been unable to get out and from the corner, the leveller came. Souttar lost his man again and THOMAS was completely unmarked to power his header home. The game was back level and now the home side sensed, with their man advantage, that they could go on and win it.
The Blades had not really mounted an attack of note and it was one way traffic now with Souza gamely playing on, despite going down twice and holding his groin. The game ticked into the final moments and Cooper was taking his time but there was to be 7 minutes of stoppage time. Rudoni had a header saved from Cooper and United were trying to see it out but Coventry kept coming and the game ticked into the 99th minute before the final whistle saw the Blades get out with a point.
