I was on the Kop for the game yesterday, back in my season ticket seat after a busy morning driving over to Mansfield for my lad`s away Cup match, which his team won 3-2 after extra time. It was a bit of a mad dash to get all the way back home and then changed and off to the Lane for kick-off.
We were scanning the sites to see the starting line-up prior to kick off and noted that Hanson was making his debut in the starting eleven, as well as Wright being brought back in to sit in defence. What a game it turned out to be. Four goals secured the win, and with Sharp`s opener which somehow found its way in we had high hopes for the game. It was good to see Hanson getting a goal on his debut as well, and he proved to be a constant threat for Wimbledon`s defence.
It`s not often you see a six foot four striker be able to sprint about, he looked like Done had been stretched on the rack! He was the missing piece of our puzzle to be honest. I know we`ve won a fair few games this season, but having a decent target man up front has been what we`ve needed. He could actually jump for headers (not like Porter used to not do!) and create chances. You could see that Sharp was doing well with him as a partner up front.
Some of the other team looked like they had upped their games as well, Fleck grabbed a goal and was an engine in midfield, and so was Duffy. Wright brought a bit of solidness in at the back and was able to ensure a clean sheet for us. EEL, in my opinion was struggling for the first half, lost out to a lot of challenges but at least he didn`t do a howler like the last match with a poor headed pass-back! He came off at half time apparently with an injury issue, but Basham slotted back in after the interval and shored things up well.
I can`t really think of a player who didn`t perform yesterday. It was good attacking football from us, lots of shots and a lot of effort put in by the lads. Even when Sharp was subbed and Lavery came on, or as the people affectionally call him behind where I sit; Lavatory, he grabbed a goal in stoppage time. Carruthers made an appearance later on towards the end of the game, and even then he showed the fans why the gaffer had signed him. He played some decent football out there in front of the Kop.
It was also a pleasant change to see an opposition not come and time waste as well. Much different to our previous opponents who tried to kill the game off and shut up shop. The only criticism I do have though is for the referee and Wimbledon`s front man Elliott. How he never got spotted by the ref for the amount of pushes and shoves he was doing, trying to use his body weight to knock his way through our defenders, is a mystery to me, whereas a lot of simple tackles were being penalised on our side. The ref also missed a blatant corner at the Kop end. Their keeper turned the ball around his left hand post and you could hear it connect with his glove from where I was sat on the Kop. That could have been a corner for us and if the result was going against us it might have cost us.
Not to worry though, I`ll take all three points and a place back at the top of the League! Next up are Peterborough then Bristol Rovers, both mid-table but not too far from the play off places. Peterborough have drawn two and lost two of their last four games, whereas Rovers have drawn one, won one and lost two of their last four. Still both these teams will be trying to push for a play-off place and we`ll need to be wary of this and put a shift in to take the points. After that is the crunch match against Scunny at the Lane. I reckon this will be a packed out attendance with the bottom tier of the Bramall Lane end being opened up recently, and this is a guaranteed must win game for us. We could do with stretching this lead at the top out now, and to take three points from the second placed team would help us no end.
Anyway, I`ll be listening to the commentary next Saturday for the away match at Peterborough, so will be hoping for a great win there!
UTB!!
Olly
Olly Longden (RFA)
Sheffield United MOD/Armed Forces Supporter`s Branch
Email: oliverlongden@aol.com
Tweet: @oliverlongden4
Share this article
