A promotion, two FA Cup Semi-Finals, a League Cup semi-final, Premier League football, and three Play-Off finals all in the last fifteen years, yet Nick Montgomery’s strike tonight surpassed them all.
Ok, so perhaps that’s pushing it, but put into context, during a mediocre season so far at Bramall Lane, it brought the biggest cheer of the campaign, without a doubt.
Richard Cresswell had given the Blades the lead in the first minute, and also sealed the game with a close range tap-in during the second half, but it’s Montgomery who will take the headlines following his fine solo effort.
Kevin Blackwell made two changes to the side who drew with QPR at the weekend, debutant Paul Connolly joined Darius Henderson in the side, with Chris Morgan missing through suspension and James Harper dropping to the bench.
United got off to the best possible start kicking against the Kop, winning a corner from the opening move which Cresswell tapped in at the far post following a small scramble in the goalmouth.
Former Blackpool loanee Marcel Seip was called upon to head away a cross destined for Jason Euell, before Stephen Quinn almost doubled the lead on eighteen minutes, only to be denied by the legs of goalkeeper Matthew Gilks.
United continued to impress as the half wore on, playing some attractive football, with Nyron Nosworthy marshalling the make-shift defence well.
As half-time approached, memories of Brazil’s famous World Cup Winning team were rekindled, with a goal to rival anything seen by Ronaldo, Pele or Garrincha.
Good work on the left by Quinn and Camara saw the ball centred and from roughly forty yards (or maybe eighteen) Nick Montgomery used all of his composure, precision and sheer class to thunder the ball past Gilks and into the bottom corner.
The crowd erupted, with the 22,000 Blades fans having to deal with a mixture of emotions (most notably shock) at what they had just witnessed. Some commented on an out of body experience, others claimed it was even more impressive than when they found Jesus in a Jacob’s cracker.
The Sun have already made a statement, claiming there have been a number of hoax emails claiming to have seen Monty’s figure in a frying pan.
Early in the second half, Cresswell’s header was blocked, before substitute Ben Burgess saw an effort held well by Mark Bunn.
Debutant Connolly immediately adhered himself to his new fans shortly after the hour, racing back to clear Euell’s lob, with Bunn beaten.
A third did finally arrive through Cresswell again, although there were hints of offside in the build-up. Quinn won the ball and slid Henderson in on the left hand side, whose cross was met under the crossbar by Cresswell, taking his tally to 10 in just 21 starts for the Blades.
United’s Senegal international wanted to make the last ten minutes the ‘Henri Camara show’, playing with the opposition at every attempt, and was blocked off by the deep-lying defence on more than one occasion, and more importantly Gilks who saved low to his left.
The lively Mark Yeates curled wide in the dying moments after a one-two with Henderson, following an attempt of his own by the former Watford striker that was held by the ‘keeper.
The referee brought the game to a close, leaving the Blades seventh in the league, just three points behind sixth place Cardiff City.
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