The Blades brought back Chris Basham after suspension for the injured Jay McEveley and Paul Coutts came in for Louis Reed who was also injured. Stephen Davies also returned with Michael Doyle left on the bench.
Vale managed by former United captain Robert Page had ex Blades Michael Brown starting in midfield.
The teams came out with United premiering their new strip which will be worn next season. The predominantly white shirt that is based on the clubs first ever kit will surely split opinions as is quite a way from the traditional red and white stripes.
United began on top with Harris firing over after some decent build up and then Baxter hit a free kick over. The game saw a series of niggly fouls early on but lacked real fluidity from either side.
Brown was booked for an aggressive challenge on Freeman and then Davies miskicked from the subsequent free kick. Vale had offered little going forward but Brown’s free kick was headed at Howard from Robertson.
Murphy was trying to get at his man and won a corner before he was able to link with Davies but the ball was cleared. Davies then hit a great shot on the turn that drifted just wide.
On the half hour United won a spot kick. After the ball pinged around Murphy took a touch and was clumsily upended by O’Connor. The referee pointed to the spot after an initial delay. A few protests from Vale players followed but interestingly not much from the offender who skulked away. BAXTER took it to the keepers right and hit it hard and true and it gave the keeper no chance.
Soon after a decent move saw the ball played wide and Baxter put in a great cross that Davies smartly converted but the offside flag went up to deny him his first United goal.
Coutts and Basham went into the book and then Coutts made a good tackle to deny a breakaway just before the break.
Vade made two changes when Pope and Daniel came on for Williamson and Moore.
The second half started mired in midfield with little in the way of chances. The first chances came when Done hit a low shot easily saved by the keeper Neal. Then O’Connor hit a fierce shot that Howard had to touch over. This was Vale’s best effort of the game so far. Marshall looked lively down the right but there was little end product. However the winger nearly scored from a corner that flashed into the near post and Howard somehow scrambled away.
Coutts shot wide and then Murphy had a great mazy run which ended with Davies being blocked.
Flynn came on for Done and went onto the right hand side. Soon after a decent move saw Freeman in and it looked like a second goal might result but his cross was cut out with several Blades players waiting to convert. Freeman could even have gone for goal himself.
Veseli and Daniel had half efforts for the visitors and United looked edgy even if they had not many chances themselves.
Doyle replaced Baxter and then good work from Davies saw a chance for Flynn. The striker then held the ball up well again but the ball was cleared.
The game entered the final few minutes and Howard slid out of the box on the angle to clear with appeals for handball as his momentum carried him outside but the referee adjudged he used his chest. The game entered four minutes of stoppage time and in this period Brown was given his second yellow; not even waiting for the card as he ran off to ironic cheers and waves from three sides of the ground.
Holt was replaced by Alcock just before the referee ended the game as United celebrated a long overdue victory.
United – We won and we kept a clean sheet! They are rarities of course at the moment so cannot complain. They are the major positives of course. The game itself passed with little excitement or quality. It was really poor stuff. We scored a penalty and then at least restricted them to not having many clear chances but overall we were poor for long spells again. We started game with some better energy and at least showed some attacking zest but this fizzled out and for most of the game we lacked quality and guile. In open play we created little with Davies and Baxter/Murphy in spells the stand out players. Defensively we made things a lot harder than we needed to and almost gave them chances when they created nothing really.
It was in keeping with recent games where we have got a lead but then not pushed on to score more and tried to just hang on to what we have. It is not good enough that we resort to such tactics and Clough does not seem to learn. Against better sides we would have come unstuck again today. I keep hoping we will wake up and Clough will find some of the magic we had in the cup games in the last 14 months but it is not happening. It is dull to watch at the moment and you keep waiting for a spark but rarely anything happens.
Still the positives are that Davies held the ball well and a few others showed flashes but it was a game that was a real struggle to win and we barely got over the line. We have to hope we have a better performance in the two games that come this week. Still if we get two more wins then at least it may cement us in the playoffs but I do not have much confidence this side will end the season going out in a blaze of glory.
Port Vale – Thought they were a poor side that really should have been beaten a lot easier than they were. They were quite niggly committing a lot of fouls and relied a lot on direct balls and then trying to get on the loose balls. They maybe would say we were not much better. I have to agree but then we were one up after half an hour and they did not exactly cause us too many problems after this.
The fact they are bang in the middle of the league shows what a poor division this is. They had little up top, looked slow at the back and not much creativity. As I say not much different to us. The lad Marshall looked like a bad Campbell Ryce as he continually overrun the ball out of play. They had little up top and even when Pope came on cannot recall them having many more chances other than one long ranger and a corner Howard nearly spilled.
Michael Brown did not do much on the ball but spent a lot of time discussing things shall we say with the referee. He committed a foul where he got the ball but went in dangerously and was booked and then could have got another after this before he committed another cynical foul and went off just before the end.
Howard 7/10 – Missed one catch but then got it on the rebound. His handling was overall decent and he made one smart push over. Did not have too much to do but his throw outs were excellent today and kick started a few decent attacks. Great to have him back after the run of games with the calamitous Turner in goal.
Freeman 7/10 – Steady. Only recall one mistake he made all game. He did not get forward much but he was decent defensively and I also felt positionally he was good today (been a fault of his last season defensively).
Harris 5/10 – One of them days. Started ok and did a few decent things but then went downhill and his afternoon was mistake ridden. He made numerous telegraphed balls and also his touch was poor. A hugely inconsistent player for me and as I have said before; it is often in games; he does one good thing and then one bad thing and this happen time after time. Shame as he has all attributes to be a very good full back (certainly this level) but his concentration lets him down badly.
Brayford 6.5/10 – Still not anywhere near form he showed when he came last season although was at centre back today. Nothing particularly poor from him but still quite hesitant at times and also his touch has not been great since he returned. Resorted to a lot of hoofed and driven clearances but at least this meant we did not concede.
Basham 7/10 – Our best defender. He was steady enough. At times for a big bloke he does not win enough in the air and the number of goals we have conceded aerially shows him and McEveley are not good enough as centre backs in a partnership as neither dominate. Still today he did ok against quite poor attackers and did the basics and made a few tackles and blocks.
Holt 6/10 – Started the game well and got ahead of players and looked lively. Showed a few neat and tidy touches and linked well. However he faded badly and I cannot recall him touching the ball in the second half at all. He was completely non-existent.
Coutts 5..5/10 – Another mostly anonymous performance sadly. I felt he showed a few decent touches and had a decent 5 minute spell in the second half but we never really had control of the midfield in a scrappy game. The game seems to just pass him by and not seen this so called quality he possesses on the ball. Not sure what he offers to be honest.
Baxter 7.5/10 – First half he was excellent. He was lively, got stuck in, run around and was involved in most of the good things we did. He took the penalty well and played a beauty of a ball in the move when Davies’ goal was disallowed for offside. Just thought he really looked up for it. Second half he was nowhere near as good and was poor for long spells giving it away and looked shattered (played in central midfield for spells alternating between that and just off Davies so energy levels sapped). His passing did not come off always and he overplayed a few passes but also some of them were good attempts (a few balls nearly found Done for instance) and he was one of few that always tried to go forward today and at least make something happen. I can live with how he played today as despite drop off second half he put in a shift today.
Murphy 7/10- Showed it in flashes today with some good driving runs at defenders but little end product sadly. His crosses and shots hit defenders or lacked pace/height. Still carried ball a long way and committed defenders against another side that often doubled up on him. Won the penalty when O’Connor upended him. If we can get more threats on goal then teams cannot do this but they know he is our main threat at the moment.
Done 6/10 – Quiet today. He did work hard and as usual put in a real shift and close down defenders and chased around. However he started the game wide right which must be disappointing after all the goals he has scored. He kept plugging away and second half he moved around more, moving more central and also left at times. Came off as seemed to pick up a slight knock.
Davies 8/10- Thought he was our best all-around player. He held it up all game and showed good touch, control and quick feet. Unfortunate to have a good goal chalked off but he did not do much wrong. Showed more skill than I thought he had as twice jinked away from defenders. Deserved a goal for his showing but overall gives us a good outlet at top. Would like to see him get more time to forge a partnership with Done (who was wide for long spells).
Subs-
Flynn – Did alright when he came on. Carried the ball forward a few times and also linked well with Davies a few times. Expect he will back in the side for Tuesday.
Doyle – Brought on towards the end as we tried to see the game out. Played a few over adventurous balls (giving it away) which was opposite of what he was brought on for.
Alcock – Came on right at the death for Holt in stoppage time.
Manager rating –
Clough 6/10 – It was a win but as above it was less than convincing. We really have to be putting poor sides like that away easier than we did. He put Done wide right, rested (dropped?) Doyle and had Davies up top. He changed the backline and at last got a clean sheet which is the major positive from today. However we sat back too much after we led and never properly looked to kill the game off. We did not have any strikers up top when they had free kicks or corners and overall we limped to a victory which said as much about Vale as us. He needs to improve the performances and approach fast as the season comes to the business end. If we carry on in this vein it will be a struggle to even make the top 6; let alone win the playoffs
Officials – Thought the referee was poor really. He was so fussy at