Manager Chris Wilder gave his thoughts on Saturday’s opening pre season success against Stocksbridge Park Steels on Monday afternoon.
Heading to the Look Local Stadium for the opening clash of our pre season campaign, Sheffield Unitd came out of the match as nine nil winners, but it wasn’t just the scoreline that left the gaffer happy – he was thrilled with our overall play on the day.
Speaking to the Official Site there were certainly plenty of positives for Wilder to take as he met with club press.
‘We’ve not done a lot of work with the new lads in terms of shape. It’s been more physical stuff, from Monday to Friday, getting them to a good standard from a fitness point of view. But I thought they all grabbed the shape really quickly, though. Nathan Thomas and George Baldock, in the first half, did that and so did Rich Stearman and Enda Stevens in the second; he got to the back stick and claimed a goal.’
He went on to say of the game, that a delight was clearly the attitude and focus of the players going into the tie.
‘It’s the same situation – it’s always good to get off to a positive start. The atmosphere in the dressing room was very good; be it the first team or the one that came on in the second half. They went at it full tilt. We’ve spoke about not changing the rules, giving everything, being positive and doing what it takes to win games. Sometimes these games can fizzle out. But we wanted to be positive and keep it going. We did that.’
First half XI:
Moore, Basham, Graham, O’Connell, Baldock, Carruthers, Fleck, Thomas, Duffy, Sharp, Clarke.
Second half XI:
Eastwood, Wilson, Stearman, Lafferty, Freeman, Coutts, Reed, Stevens, Brooks, Lavery, Hanson.
Goals – Sharp (21), Clarke (25, 27), Lavery (57, 72, pen 82), Brooks (85, 89), Stevens (88).
