Match Reports

Stockdale Howler ‘Hands’ Blades Victory

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It will be featured on television sets up and down the country all week, and it proved to be the winning goal in a seven goal thriller at Bramall Lane this afternoon.

With 24,000 Blades fans making their feelings known to Richard Cresswell after he was stopped by goalkeeper David Stockdale, he couldn’t believe his luck, as the on-loan ‘keeper placed the ball in front of him without checking the blindside. Cresswell then nipped in and rolled the ball into an empty goal a la Dion Dublin/Shay Given and send those same fans into a mixture of elation and fits of laughter.

What had unfolded previously had gone from the sublime to the ridiculous, as the Blades had almost managed to salvage a draw from the claws of victory.

Henri Camara had given the Blades the lead when he took Mark Yeates clever pass and sprinted clear of the Pilgrims defence before rolling past Stockdale.

Kallio’s shot from distance was comfortably held by the goalkeeper after Camara had blazed over from inside the area.

The Blades did manage to double the lead before half-time however, Yeates played a clever one-two with Kallio from a throw-in, and when the big Finn’s cross bypassed everyone, Jamie Ward lashed it into the top corner, from ten yards out.

Plymouth made a double half-time substitution to try and get back into the game, but within two minutes were three down. Nyron Nosworthy launched a bullet into the area which the visitors defence did their best to avoid, allowing Ward to take a touch before firing home his second of the game.

The Blades three goal cushion last just over a minute, thanks to Yannick Bolasie, who was allowed a tap-in at the far post when Mark Bunn failed to clear a Kari Arnason throw.

The home support died down as the visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck, leading to Joe Mason capitalising on Nosworthy’s mistake at the back to stroke past Bunn.

With ten minutes remaining, the Argyle barrage died down, and the Blades looked as though they could nick a fourth, with ten minutes remaining. Cresswell was put through by Evans, but was eventually rewarded for his hard-work with the goal that is sure to be on the Christmas 2010 blooper videos.

The five minutes added time were made nervous when Lee Mackie beat Bunn with a volley on the turn from eighteen yards but United were able to hold on for all three points.

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