The Sun - epitome of reason?

[Linz]

I never thought I'd see myself saying it, but The Sun has a very good article:

Sheff Wed 1 Sheff Utd 0

THIS respect the ref business is all well and good. In fact, it is a campaign to be applauded.

But there are times when it isn’t half difficult to see it through.

Particularly when you have got Mike Dean in charge on an occasion when he decides to have a bad day at the office.

That was unquestionably the case as the Wirral official served up Wednesday this 122nd Steel City derby on a plate.

Dean dictated the course of a showdown — in which the Blades won back their pride after last season’s meek surrender at Hillsborough — when he sent off United defender Matt Kilgallon after just 27 minutes.

Former England Under-21 international Kilgallon, 24, undeservedly got his marching orders for what the hapless Dean judged to be a high straight-red challenge on Owls midfielder Sean McAllister.

In the context of a full-blooded derby, Kilgallon was guilty only of never taking his eye off the ball.

The challenge was a little high but contact was not malicious — despite the Wednesday man’s theatricals in writhing around on the pitch in apparent unbearable agony.

At most, Kilgallon should have been shown a yellow card and maybe issued with a warning not to be so rash with future challenges.

And, if there had been any semblance of justice, McAllister should also have received a booking for feigning injury.

Kilgallon, who cost the Blades £1.75million from Leeds 21 months ago, was desperately unlucky not to see out this contest.

Before Dean’s crucial intervention, which proved so pivotal to the eventual outcome, he had not put a foot out of place.

Sure, he had let opponents know that he was around and that he meant business with some tough but well-timed tackles.

So it was no wonder that he threw his arms up to the heavens in disbelief when Dean banished him to an early bath.

From then on in, things went from bad to worse for Dean and the Bramall Lane outfit. Dean conjured up a series of blunders — not least missing the first-half flash point when Wednesday winger Jermaine Johnson clearly elbowed United’s teenage right-back Kyle Naughton, 19, in the side of the face.

Mysteriously, no action was taken by the referee, who also managed not to see another unsavoury incident pointed out by Blades boss Kevin Blackwell afterwards.

Blackwell stormed: “Have we got any injuries? Well, Brian Howard has virtually got his eye hanging out after being elbowed out there.

“So it appears that you can maliciously wound people and get away with it but if you just clip them you get sent off.”

Dean ultimately compounded his comedy of errors with the slapstick sending off of Johnson 19 minutes from time.

The Wednesday winger had been replaced by Akpo Sodje on 69 minutes.

But he was so incensed by boss Brian Laws’ decision to drag him off he booted a water bottle into the crowd on his way down the tunnel.

After a break of TWO MINUTES Dean decided to haul Johnson back to the byline and show him the red card. Absolutely laughable.

Not that Blackwell or United’s travelling army of 5,500 fans saw the funny side of events in a game which furnished Wednesday with their 40th win in this all-Sheffield fixture.

After a performance at Hillsborough last January when they were beaten 2-0 which lacked any kind of pride or passion, United were bang at it this time.

The desire Blackwell has instilled into his charges was there for all to see as they went in search of what would have been a fourth Championship win on the bounce.

Had they picked up all three points, the Blades would have jumped to fourth spot in the table.

As it is, Wednesday’s triumph sees them soar from 15th place and leapfrog their most bitter rivals to go fifth in the table.

The goal that earned them bragging rights in the Steel City — at least until the return fixture at Bramall Lane in February — arrived eight minutes after Kilgallon’s controversial dismissal.

Wednesday centre-back Mark Beevers fired a ball into United’s penalty area which should have been comfortably collected by keeper Paddy Kenny. Trouble was centre-back Chris Morgan, who had come on to shore-up his side’s rearguard following Kilgallon’s sending off, wrongly decided he was better placed to clear the danger with a header.

Unfortunately for his team, he got nothing like enough distance on his clearance.

And the ball landed at the feet of former Newcastle, Everton and Aston Villa star Steve Watson hovering just outside the box.

The veteran midfielder, 34, instantly spotted Kenny stranded off his line and lobbed the ball delightfully into the back of an empty net for his second goal of the season.

Wednesday could have doubled their lead 10 minutes after the break when they were awarded a penalty for Gary Speed’s trip on James O’Connor.

But Kenny flung himself full length to his right to save Deon Burton’s poorly struck spot-kick.

It was the only bit of justice the Blades got all afternoon.

EDIT: The Times on the other hand continue their bias against us...

Hillsborough was treated to a half-time display of unarmed combat techniques from a team of commandos, but Matthew Kilgallon had already stolen their thunder in the the latest compelling instalment of Sheffield’s domestic football squabble.

As the servicemen passed on valuable tips on how to catch a sentry unawares, Kilgallon, the Sheffield United defender, was no doubt reflecting on his unsubtle, studs-at-shoulder-height method of bringing down Sean McAllister to earn a straight red card from Mike Dean, the referee, with the contest less than half an hour old.

You've got strange looking shoulders you fucking numpty if they sit where Killa's foot reached in that challenge. His foot never got above his waist... we know because we watched it time and time again on Sky+ yesterday.

But why let facts ruin a good rabble rousing?

 

[Foxy]

Strangely, even this idiot thinks it was a yellow...

http://www.thestar.co.uk/blades/It39s-the-Owls--by.4608084.jp

ONE of the most incident-packed derbies in Sheffield's long history threw up enough talking points to keep fans debating until the next one on February 7.
Two extraordinary red cards, a dozen chances and a missed penalty lit up a gripping contest but cannot alter one unassailable fact: the match was won by a touch of class.

There were five opponents between Steve Watson and the goal when he lobbed the ball home from at least 25 yards.

If others had shown that kind of precision that we would also have been looking at one of the highest-scoring games in all-Sheffield rivalry. But this was memorable enough as it was.

Firstly, Wednesday were much the better side when it was 11 against 11. Their football was slick and full of commitment even before they created the first chance, in the 17th minute.

James O'Connor, who was outstanding in this period, played a perfect pass to Jermaine Johnson for an imperfect finish, a shot into the stand from 10 yards.

For all the Owls' Wednesday's early dominance it was Lee Grant who had to make the first save: getting down sharply to his left to push away a deflected effort from Brian Howard.

Then came the biggest controversy: the sending-off. In the moments after Matthew Kilgallon had run towards Sean McAllister and caught him a bit late, it never occurred to me that he would get a red card. It should surely only have been a yellow.

The defender dealt the midfielder a glancing blow with a high foot but there appeared to be no wicked intent.

Five minutes after that terribly harsh 27th-minute decision, United should have scored. Ugo Ehiogu was allowed a free header from a Howard free-kick and sent it over the bar.

Three minutes after that. the goal arrived. Paddy Kenny came for a ball that did not appear to be his and Chris Morgan - on as a sub to replace Kilgallon at centre-half - saw his header go straight to Watson. The ball sailed back over a stranded Kenny. Angry words followed between defender and keeper.

The injustice of the sending-off seemed to gave United a cause to fight for, but maybe Wednesday eased off mentally just a fraction, or had their rhythm disrupted by having to play against a 4-3-2 formation.

Whatever the reason, the Owls were to grow increasingly uncomfortable against the 10 men but they still should have had the game sewn up, with three chances in the last five minutes of the half.

Mark Beevers rose to a right-side free-kick from Watson and glanced his free header wide from eight yards.

O'Connor missed the target from a good ball by Johnson, and a minute later the winger shot wildly over the bar when he ought to have slid a pass to the unmarked Tony McMahon.

There could be no argument about the penalty decision, 10 minutes into the second half. O'Connor, cutting inside after taking pass from Spurr, was brought down by Gary Speed.

Burton, looking for his first goal of the season, drove the ball hard and low to Kenny's right and the keeper beat it away. Another talking point - the keeper was off his line and a retake should have been ordered.

Then Wednesdayites held their breath as Beattie soared at the far post for a Howard cross. He headed it over the bar.

Two minutes later it was Tudgay's turn to miss the target as he nodded an O'Connor corner wide.

Apart from the goal, perhaps the biggest cheer of the afternoon greeted the long-awaited return of Akpo Sodje. It also meant the withdrawal of Johnson, who seemed to be showing his displeasure with the decision when he kicked a water bottle as he walked off.

Owls assistant manager Russ Wilcox reprimanded the winger with a push.
There soon followed a four-minute hold-up while fourth official Stuart Atwell informed Mike Dean and the ref then spoke to Laws and called for Johnson to be fetched back from the dressing room.

A second yellow card, for unsporting behaviour, was added to an earlier one for a foul, so Johnson ended up with a red card after he had already left the pitch.

What an enigma the winger is. Fans love him because his pace is exciting. But often there is no end product because of the lack of composure that also, this time, has landed him with a one-match ban.

Earlier he was in the TV spotlight for seemingly raising an arm in a challenge with Kyle Naughton. I thought this was just an accident.

Blackwell felt there were naughty challenges - Howard came off with an eye injury - but I must say I can't recall seeing a malicious one in the whole of the game.

United pressed for a late equaliser. A mistake by Richard Wood in the centre circle allowed Stokes to break away; the sub teed up a shot for Beattie and he smacked it wide from 18 yardes.

Stokes made an even better opportunity for Speed in the 84th minute. Maybe the ball was slightly behind the midfielder but he missed it when he still should have scored.

Wednesday had created marginally more opportunities than United, on the whole, but endured another scare in six minutes of stoppage time. Grant held the ball for too long and was penalised for time-wasting. An indirect free-kick a yard inside the box was touched to Stokes and he hit the wall.

Kenny joined in by going up for a corner. So when the ball ended up in Grant's hands he nearly had half a chance of scoring in the empty net at the far end.

A goal by either keeper would just have topped an amazing match.

 

[keenzy]

and thats why i dont buy the star. typical wednesday bias.

seemingly raised an arm, i thought it was just an accident?
Wendy were the much better side when it was 11vs11? they shaded it but i wouldn't say it was that much better.

 

[S64 Blade]

They were better before Killa got sent off. However, the few minutes before he got sent off we were coming into it. Cotterill and Naughton were causing them lots of problems down the right hand side.