Deadbat
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Finally the Blades got back to winning ways at Bramall Lane and with the victory made it three wins in a week as they moved into the second place in the table. An early goal came from Barry Robson from the penalty spot and then after chances went awry got the vital second goal thanks to Kevin McDonald from range. A final goal from Dave Kitson with virtually the last kick gave the score line a further gloss.
United had to make one change from the two away wins earlier in the week as Jonathan Forte’s calf strain had prevented him being in the match day squad so Barry Robson came in with Jamie Murphy moving into a more central striking role. Former Owl Clinton Morrison was on the bench for the U’s who started with ex West Ham striker Freddie Sears partnering Jabo Ibehre as they looked to build on some excellent recent form.
United manager Danny Wilson had spoke pre match about getting a good start and bringing the crowd into play in a positive manner and so it proved as the Blades were ahead after only 4 minutes.
There was good work from Flynn who managed to go at the full back and put over a dangerous cross. ROBSON just got there first and as he toed the ball on, he was clumsily upended by Thompson and the penalty award seemed fairly straight forward. With Nick Blackman no longer at the club, Robson took responsibility and smashed the ball emphatically past Walker, who went the wrong way, to net his first goal for the Blades.
Soon after United could and maybe ought to have had another penalty kick. The lively Murphy got in and went past Thompson who definitely seemed to bring him down but this time referee Webb decided against the award and gave a corner. It was a real let off for the visitors whom the game could have been over before it started.
Slowly Colchester started to get back into things. They won two free kicks in good positions with the latter giving a chance for Sears but the ball hit the wall. United still were showing some good movement when attacking and McDonald, Murphy and Kitson combined to set up a half chance for Flynn but the ball was blocked. Doyle had an effort saved before Colchester finally had an effort on goal as Long pushed away Sears shot.
United had lost an element of control and some sloppy play led to them conceding possession. Colchester won a number of free kicks and had a good spell without creating much. United needed to start winning more loose balls and keep the football better. They did this and created as Murphy had a low shot saved by Walker and then Kitson used his intelligence to create an opening that was finally cleared.
Just before the break United had two chances to double their advantage. Firstly Robson sent in a cross from the right that Kitson headed home but was adjudged to be offside and then from range Doyle hit a great effort that beat Walker all ends up but struck his left hand post and bounced clear before Kitson’s rebound went off target.
The second half saw a few chances for the home side with Murphy blocked out and then Flynn nearly in on goal. United were now well on top with McDonald at the centre of the good play and tried to get the crucial second goal.
Poleon came on for Robson around the hour mark and went up top with Murphy going wide. The new man miscontrolled twice as he tried to adjust to the pace of the game and then the visitors had a half chance as a deflected effort went wide of Long’s post leading to an anxious few moments.
United though were able to get the vital goal that they needed and it came from an unlikely scoring source. A poor clearance from the visitors was picked up by MCDONALD who controlled it and moved it forward and with no challenge forthcoming opted to go for goal and his 25 yard strike bounced off the turf before settling into the corner past the despairing dive of Walker. It was a good shot and at this stage of the game seemed to be the goal that would surely confirm the verdict.
After this Colchester seemed to lose heart and United had a lot of the ball and McDonald continued to dictate proceedings. Murphy and Flynn were working hard and Kitson continued to be a handful. After some poor defending the ball somehow squirted across the box and Kitson was in but his shot was saved from Walker. Not long after Higginbotham had a low shot saved and Flynn somehow could not convert the rebound.
The game petered out for the final stages and it seemed the home side were far more likely to add to the score than the visitors get back into it. In truth nearly the whole of the game was now being played exclusively in the Colchester half. United were able to give youngster De Girolamo his league bow as the game entered four minutes of additional stoppage time.
McMahon burst forward and kept going and going before he was upended by substitute Compton which led to an obvious booking for the Colchester man. Not long after McMahon got away again and just reached the ball before it went out and sent over a cross. It fell into the path of De Girolamo who seemed set for a dream league debut but his shot was pushed away by Walker into the path of KITSON who applied the tap in at the far post. There was a slight suspicion of offside but it mattered little at this stage and only served to give the final score line a more realistic look.
United – It was a much better home performance against a decidedly poor side. We at least made a really good start and got an early goal. After this we maybe could have had a few more and controlled the first 20 minutes. Then we had a real sloppy spell giving the ball away and look less than convincing as we lost control. You could easily see a sloppy goal conceded but we did start to wrestle control again and had a good spell just before half time and had a few chances with Doyle very unlucky to hit the post with a fierce shot. After the break we had most of the game and whilst at times we still made poor decisions or could have made more of opportunities in the final third we controlled the game. We won the midfield and actually passed the ball fairly well on an awful surface. Like last week McDonald and Doyle got a grip of the game and Murphy and Flynn showed some glimpses and always looked to try and make things happen. We still gave the ball away too much and made heavy weather of a 1-0 against a side that never really looked like scoring or creating much. Still despite this, when we got the second we then kind of relaxed and knocked it about much better and then nearly scored a few more. The third was about right in terms of the control United had for most of the game (save from that 15 minute spell in the first half).
The tempo of play in terms of passing and ability to get the ball into the front area was much better. We were not amazing but there was just a greater sense of urgency and the ball retention (still not perfect) was better as Robson and McDonald got the ball and moved it around. Kitson was a handful all game and Flynn and Murphy worked hard. The defence were relatively untroubled and save for some sloppy touches and silly free kicks (full backs mainly) we restricted the number of chances.
We still do not look convincing and it was more workmanlike than dominant. It is frustrating as we still try and play the killer ball when we don’t need to. The number of cross field or diagonal balls when we could just keep it added to the frustration. When we just passed it and were patient and only attacked at pace when we had exploited the gap (by moving it from side to side) then we made things happen. If United keep the ball and just wait for the chance they will score goals as have some clever players. However according to the BBC site we had 85% of the possession! I never agree with these stats and certainly not this tone but gives you an indication of how much control we had.
I think we will have to improve by a lot for the next game against a very good Bournemouth side though. Usually we choke in big games so will be interesting to see what kind of approach we take. They will be smarting after a defeat to a poor Preston side and will be bang up for it so we will have to defend well and take any chances we get on the break. If we can get a result there next week then who knows as we enter the run in as we don’t have to go away to any of the top sides (save Tranmere who are fading fast) and only have to play 2 games against the top 8 (other one is Brentford at the Lane on Sky). We play a lot of mid table sides so cannot say it is a really touch run in? United now have to keep the momentum going. A series of 3 or 4 more wins and we are right in there with a real chance but the opposite and we are out of the top 6. Going to be interesting. United are hardly great but it is a poor division and so it is hard to say what will happen? We could finish 1st or we could finish 8th.
United had to make one change from the two away wins earlier in the week as Jonathan Forte’s calf strain had prevented him being in the match day squad so Barry Robson came in with Jamie Murphy moving into a more central striking role. Former Owl Clinton Morrison was on the bench for the U’s who started with ex West Ham striker Freddie Sears partnering Jabo Ibehre as they looked to build on some excellent recent form.
United manager Danny Wilson had spoke pre match about getting a good start and bringing the crowd into play in a positive manner and so it proved as the Blades were ahead after only 4 minutes.
There was good work from Flynn who managed to go at the full back and put over a dangerous cross. ROBSON just got there first and as he toed the ball on, he was clumsily upended by Thompson and the penalty award seemed fairly straight forward. With Nick Blackman no longer at the club, Robson took responsibility and smashed the ball emphatically past Walker, who went the wrong way, to net his first goal for the Blades.
Soon after United could and maybe ought to have had another penalty kick. The lively Murphy got in and went past Thompson who definitely seemed to bring him down but this time referee Webb decided against the award and gave a corner. It was a real let off for the visitors whom the game could have been over before it started.
Slowly Colchester started to get back into things. They won two free kicks in good positions with the latter giving a chance for Sears but the ball hit the wall. United still were showing some good movement when attacking and McDonald, Murphy and Kitson combined to set up a half chance for Flynn but the ball was blocked. Doyle had an effort saved before Colchester finally had an effort on goal as Long pushed away Sears shot.
United had lost an element of control and some sloppy play led to them conceding possession. Colchester won a number of free kicks and had a good spell without creating much. United needed to start winning more loose balls and keep the football better. They did this and created as Murphy had a low shot saved by Walker and then Kitson used his intelligence to create an opening that was finally cleared.
Just before the break United had two chances to double their advantage. Firstly Robson sent in a cross from the right that Kitson headed home but was adjudged to be offside and then from range Doyle hit a great effort that beat Walker all ends up but struck his left hand post and bounced clear before Kitson’s rebound went off target.
The second half saw a few chances for the home side with Murphy blocked out and then Flynn nearly in on goal. United were now well on top with McDonald at the centre of the good play and tried to get the crucial second goal.
Poleon came on for Robson around the hour mark and went up top with Murphy going wide. The new man miscontrolled twice as he tried to adjust to the pace of the game and then the visitors had a half chance as a deflected effort went wide of Long’s post leading to an anxious few moments.
United though were able to get the vital goal that they needed and it came from an unlikely scoring source. A poor clearance from the visitors was picked up by MCDONALD who controlled it and moved it forward and with no challenge forthcoming opted to go for goal and his 25 yard strike bounced off the turf before settling into the corner past the despairing dive of Walker. It was a good shot and at this stage of the game seemed to be the goal that would surely confirm the verdict.
After this Colchester seemed to lose heart and United had a lot of the ball and McDonald continued to dictate proceedings. Murphy and Flynn were working hard and Kitson continued to be a handful. After some poor defending the ball somehow squirted across the box and Kitson was in but his shot was saved from Walker. Not long after Higginbotham had a low shot saved and Flynn somehow could not convert the rebound.
The game petered out for the final stages and it seemed the home side were far more likely to add to the score than the visitors get back into it. In truth nearly the whole of the game was now being played exclusively in the Colchester half. United were able to give youngster De Girolamo his league bow as the game entered four minutes of additional stoppage time.
McMahon burst forward and kept going and going before he was upended by substitute Compton which led to an obvious booking for the Colchester man. Not long after McMahon got away again and just reached the ball before it went out and sent over a cross. It fell into the path of De Girolamo who seemed set for a dream league debut but his shot was pushed away by Walker into the path of KITSON who applied the tap in at the far post. There was a slight suspicion of offside but it mattered little at this stage and only served to give the final score line a more realistic look.
United – It was a much better home performance against a decidedly poor side. We at least made a really good start and got an early goal. After this we maybe could have had a few more and controlled the first 20 minutes. Then we had a real sloppy spell giving the ball away and look less than convincing as we lost control. You could easily see a sloppy goal conceded but we did start to wrestle control again and had a good spell just before half time and had a few chances with Doyle very unlucky to hit the post with a fierce shot. After the break we had most of the game and whilst at times we still made poor decisions or could have made more of opportunities in the final third we controlled the game. We won the midfield and actually passed the ball fairly well on an awful surface. Like last week McDonald and Doyle got a grip of the game and Murphy and Flynn showed some glimpses and always looked to try and make things happen. We still gave the ball away too much and made heavy weather of a 1-0 against a side that never really looked like scoring or creating much. Still despite this, when we got the second we then kind of relaxed and knocked it about much better and then nearly scored a few more. The third was about right in terms of the control United had for most of the game (save from that 15 minute spell in the first half).
The tempo of play in terms of passing and ability to get the ball into the front area was much better. We were not amazing but there was just a greater sense of urgency and the ball retention (still not perfect) was better as Robson and McDonald got the ball and moved it around. Kitson was a handful all game and Flynn and Murphy worked hard. The defence were relatively untroubled and save for some sloppy touches and silly free kicks (full backs mainly) we restricted the number of chances.
We still do not look convincing and it was more workmanlike than dominant. It is frustrating as we still try and play the killer ball when we don’t need to. The number of cross field or diagonal balls when we could just keep it added to the frustration. When we just passed it and were patient and only attacked at pace when we had exploited the gap (by moving it from side to side) then we made things happen. If United keep the ball and just wait for the chance they will score goals as have some clever players. However according to the BBC site we had 85% of the possession! I never agree with these stats and certainly not this tone but gives you an indication of how much control we had.
I think we will have to improve by a lot for the next game against a very good Bournemouth side though. Usually we choke in big games so will be interesting to see what kind of approach we take. They will be smarting after a defeat to a poor Preston side and will be bang up for it so we will have to defend well and take any chances we get on the break. If we can get a result there next week then who knows as we enter the run in as we don’t have to go away to any of the top sides (save Tranmere who are fading fast) and only have to play 2 games against the top 8 (other one is Brentford at the Lane on Sky). We play a lot of mid table sides so cannot say it is a really touch run in? United now have to keep the momentum going. A series of 3 or 4 more wins and we are right in there with a real chance but the opposite and we are out of the top 6. Going to be interesting. United are hardly great but it is a poor division and so it is hard to say what will happen? We could finish 1st or we could finish 8th.
