Contrasting performances in the space of a few days at Bramall Lane, and strange scorelines to say the least...

I've been rather perplexed in the last week. An unbelievable display at Derby County a week and a bit ago awarded the Blades a much deserved three points, but the goals tally must have been higher than a mere one.

Confidence was high going into last Tuesday in a game against lowly Scunthorpe United. The Iron were aiming to continue the hoodoo over the Blades. The Lincolnshire outfit did the double over the Blades last season and, under caretaker manager Ian Baraclough, they cast the spell on United again with an astonishing 0:4 victory at Bramall Lane.

The scoreline flattered the Iron, with Utd striking Murphy's post twice in the first-half, Johnny Ertl having a goal chalked off, and a penalty claim turned away. It just was one of those nights in a bizarre game of football, a match which no Scunthorpe fan would have complained about if the Blades won 4:0.

The performances under Gary Speed have been encouraging, but the players' confidence ahead of Saturday's game against Portsmouth will have been of different sorts. The results hadn't been quite right, not bad but could have been a bit better, but the team displays had been promising.

Rock-bottom Portsmouth were down there with the Blades in the goals scored column. Only five goals had been scored all season between the two sides ahead of this weekend's fixture, so it was never going to be a 4:4 scoreline.

A Ched Evans free-kick deflected in off the post into Jamie Ashdown's net 13 minutes from time to collect United's third victory of the campaign, and their third 1:0 win of the new npower season.

United nowhere near performed to their capabilities on Saturday, and both teams were equally poor. Portsmouth fans will feel aggrieved not have got a point out of the game as a draw would have been fairer.

It's worked out rather strangely in the end. Play rather good against Scunthorpe, not get a point and four go in at the wrong end, and then scrape a 1:0 victory over newcomers Portsmouth with an unsatisfying display.

Those two games are now out of the way, let's be ready for Leeds away this Saturday in a Yorkshire Derby!

Up the Blades!

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