Despite only needing 5 points from the final 3 games, defeat at MK Dons last week coupled with another failure to win today means United once again have thrown away a very strong position. Today for long spell of the game United were poor and only a late rally gave them hope but in reality it was not good enough as too many players did not step up to the plate once again.
United went into the game knowing that rivals Wednesday had won at Brentford putting pressure on the home side knowing anything but a win would mean the promotion race would be out of their hands. They opted to give a full debut to Michael O’Halloran who partnered Chris Porter and had to bring in Andy Taylor for the injured Matt Hill. Cresswell and Beattie were both on the bench. Stevenage did not have Jordan Slew in their squad but started with another on loan forward in Patrick Agyemang. They knew if they avoided defeat they could wrap up a playoff berth next weekend.
The game began with United in a new strip that was reminiscent of the one Alex Sabella wore in the late 70’s, in front of a sold out Bramall Lane crowd. United began on the front foot with Quinn heavily involved. He put over two dangerous crosses that just evaded the forwards as the rain started to get heavier making it tricky under foot for the players. Stevenage started to come back into it and won a corner before Byrom fired just wide. Freeman then hit a driven effort over as the visitors suddenly came alive. United were giving the ball away too cheaply and were going long too often. The composure that has been present for much of the season seemed to have disappeared and Doyle and McDonald were getting picked off way too easily.
Williamson then had an effort that he blazed well over before Stevenage came again and Shroot fired into the side netting before Freeman came forward and had a shot deflected just wide. United had a half chances with Lowton’s cross was miskicked by Quinn as the ball came to him at a dangerous height. It had been a really open game but the visitors had so far had more efforts towards goal and they had been very dangerous on the break. From one such quick break they were able to quickly go from defence to attack and take a lead to stun the majority inside of Bramall Lane. Williamson stupidly tried to run through the middle of two players and was robbed. The ball was transferred forward quickly by Freeman and Agyemang was in the clear. The forward ran down the right and put in a low dangerous cross that was met by a combination of BYROM and Maguire flicked into the far corner.
Stevanage were not content with one goal and Bostwick had an effort saved as they won another corner. United did not seem to have any control of the game and a rare opening came when Maguire’s header at the back post was deflected wide for a corner but it was not long after when the half time whistle came as United’s players trooped off amidst a very quiet Bramall Lane crowd.
There were no chances at the break but Stevenage’s intent to keep on attacking was obvious and as they poured men forward yet again they got a second goal. LAIRD advanced and with no one putting in a challenge chanced his luck with a low shot. It clipped off Lowton and wrong footed Simonsen and went into the centre of the goal. It was a devastating blow and once again United had not closed down their men. It may have been a touch fortunate but if you don’t shoot, you don’t score and Stevenage has been peppering the United goal with long range efforts all afternoon.
United’s crowd were now getting frustrated as the promotion dream was slipping away. Doyle and Williamson gave the ball away and with playmaker McDonald not in the game; it seemed as if there was no way back. United manager Danny Wilson had seen enough and replaced Quinn and Porter with Flynn and Cresswell. United were still struggling to make headway and Williamson pulled his shot wide but then suddenly a moment of quality and United were back in it.
Flynn got the ball wide on the left and put over a lovely cross that CRESSWELL met with a firm planted header into the corner. United got the ball back to the centre circle and it was game on.
However, Stevenage should have restored the two goal advantage immediately. The impressive Freeman galloped away and found Shroot but he took too long and his effort was deflected behind. It was a golden chance to put the game away as once again United’s midfield and defence simply disintegrated and picked off by pace and forward running. United made another change with Beattie coming on for Taylor and Doyle going to left back as United now threw men forward. Stevenage were trying to take the sting out of the game and made a number of substitutions
O’Halloran ought to have got a shot away but dithered several times before being crowded out. The same man then scuffed his shot wide after Beattie had won the header. McDonald then shot just wide after he finally got into the game to make something happen. Beattie was causing problems in the air and from another strong challenge his knock down fell to LOWTON who smashed home into the roof of the net.
United now had a chance and had four minutes of normal time plus stoppage time to find a winner. It looked like it had come when Beattie got in but his angled drive was kicked away from day. McDonald had two efforts and a number of scrambles ensued but Stevenage somehow survived as the game entered four additional minutes. Beattie then fired over and another scramble saw the ball kicked away. Andy D’Urso blew the final whistle not long after another chance did not drop and most United players held their heads. They knew they had probably blown their chance and now must hope for an unlikely set of results or face the end of season lottery of the playoffs, a competition they have never succeeded in.
United – I have been saying it all season and I take no glee whatsoever in saying it, but once again United have cracked, choked, fallen apart, dress it up however you want, but we were half way too promotion a few weeks ago. I got called for calling this team ‘losers’ a few months ago but stand by it. Last season when it came to the crunch we lost all the big games (trio of relegation games against Preston, Palace and Scunthorpe) and limply went down. This year we get ourselves in a great position but the same players let us down again when it mattered.
It is incredible how the last few weeks have gone and you could not make it up although you could as this is United. What could go wrong has gone wrong. The court case verdict was devastating from a football point of view as the Blades lost their best player, best striker and talisman. The defeat at MK was kind if understandable but we had a week to focus and really seize the initiative. Win today and win at Exeter and we were up but we blew it. Again. Yes we had chances at the end and gave it a go. Yes, they had two deflected goals but overall for the first 60-70 minutes they had more chances, efforts on goal and a greater win to will. They were first to a lot of balls and our players looked like they were in quick sand.
It was a poor performance for the most part and once again too many players did not turn up. So called important players were awful for the first 60-70 minutes; namely Simonsen, Lowton, Williamson, Doyle, McDonald, Porter and O’Halloran; all who did little right for the first two thirds of the game. Some of them improved in the later stages but it was all huff and puff. Why could they not show the same urgency and desire at MK Dons or the first 70-80 minutes today?
The late comeback masked a very poor performance. I heard someone saying we should have won but they had at least 6 or 7 other good efforts on goal and missed a sitter at 1-2. They could have been out of sight really.
We began the game ok but then seemed to start panicking and did not pass the ball well nor keep it and played too much long stuff. There was a lot of diagonal balls to Porter and we seemed clueless for the most part with only a few decent Quinn balls getting the ball beyond their defence. We did create a lot of chances at the end but we were 2-0 down and why did we wait till then to show some urgency. Wilson got the forwards wrong again and Porter and O’Halloran were awful. Cresswell and Beattie won headers, chased and caused problems but we were nearly out of the game by this stage. Why did we wait so long? He should have changed it at half time.
I actually felt Quinn did ok and was wrongly hauled off. Williamson was terrible and McDonald and Doyle were also abject and completely lost the midfield area. The biggest game of the season and so many key players froze (as they did last week by all accounts). We had nothing up front till we made the changes and did anyone really think we looked like scoring until the changes were made? I may get slated for saying this but I am afraid we look a completely different team without Evans and whilst we may not be a one man team; we relied heavily on him not just for goals but for his leading of the line and the runs he made creating spaces for others. Without him we look very one paced and so pedestrian. We knock the ball about a bit and then either go long or just lose it. We tried to address things in terms of lacking pace but O’Halloran will never make a player in my opinion as he lacks heart/desire along with not being a very good footballer. He is fast and that is it. United actually looked more dangerous when they knocked long balls up to Beattie at the end. I know I have criticised us for playing too long at the early stages but it did strangely work at the last as we created chances from his knock downs.
So we now are probably going into the playoffs and I fear the whole momentum of the club has just gone. Two weeks ago we seem to have recovered from the disaster of Oldham but a decision in the courtroom seems to have knocked the heart out of the whole club/team. At the end of the day if we cannot get results at MK Dons/Stevenage we don’t deserve to go up. It is that simple. The players can blame things and make excuses but it boiled down to getting one win at least from MK Dons and Stevenage and we could not do it. We have played the other teams in the top 6, 10 times and we have only won 2. That says a story. It is ok thumping Bury and Rochdale but we have not been good enough the majority off the time against the top teams. I do not see how the playoffs will be any different. I expect a meek defeat in the semi-finals with another let down at the Lane (probably against Stevenage).
Maybe I should keep the faith and be more positive but it is hard when people keep saying get behind the team, get behind the club when time after time this club lets us down. We are quite simply the biggest bottlers in the history of football. To be honest even if we had won today I think we would have failed next week. That’s how it is with United. I will be there next season again and of course our support remains unconditional but you just get the feeling today was so pivotal in the future for both us and our neighbours. You get the sense they will probably build and in the next 2-3 years challenge to get back in the Premiership, whilst we will probably meander around league one for a few years. I fear if as expected we fail in the playoffs, that a poor start next season and the pressure would amp up on Wilson sadly. I think he has done a good job this year; just sadly for him messrs Powell and Jones have done an even better job (imagine if we had signed Antonio and them O’Halloran?). Next year if we somehow can’t get up this year, we will lose the few decent players we have and we will have the likes of Collins, Doyle and Cresswell as our spine.
It is hard to be positive tonight as despite the fact we have the playoffs to fall back on; we kind of know what will happen. I am sure I will get lots of fans saying stop being so negative and this year will be different and get behind them but does anyone seriously have any conviction this team/club will actually do what is required? Well onto Exeter first hoping for the miracle. Ironic I queued for 4 hours for a game that probably does not really matter now and there was such a demand for tickets but I will be there and go and try and enjoy it before we will have to go again.
Stevenage – Fair play to them today. They came to a big ground with a huge crowd and had a real go. They had more efforts on goal in the first half and certainly did not defend. I thought they looked a decent side and they had some really good midfielders who could run and dribble. They picked us off easily and then went through us very easily too. The kid Freeman (on loan from Arsenal is he?) was the best player on the pitch and made McDonald and Doyle look like mugs for most of the game. I also felt they looked lively when attacked and had numerous shots just wide. They had full backs that got forward and defended at the death in numbers to get a deserved draw. It would have been very unjust for them if they had lost although their goals were a tad fortunate, they looked the more dangerous team for large parts of the game and I felt played better football then us.
They looked hungrier than us and won first and second balls most of the game and as I say, it was only the last 10-15 minutes where they started to look uneasy and give the ball away themselves. They have fared really well against some of the top teams and although they may not have many ‘known’ stars they all know their job, are organised and are a touch side to breakdown. They probably play more football under Smith than they did under Westley and don’t just defend. Sure when it went 2-2 they had to defend and had a bit of luck but we hardly carved them open; it was percentage stuff where we just chucked balls into the box. They coped with us for most of the game fairly easily.
There is now a genuine chance we will play them in the playoffs and the two games so far against them does not bode well at all. Indeed they will really fancy their chances against us over two games. They certainly have fitter and more athletic players than us if not necessarily talented. They will realise if they go at us they can score goals and will attack us at will in both legs if we meet in the playoffs I feel knowing they have more dangerous forwards than us.
Simonsen 5/10 – All at sea most of the game. He spilt at least 4 or 5 shots and never seemed to know what was happening. He seemed unable to catch the ball and was always pushing or parrying fairly basic shots. He stayed on his line all game once again and never commanded his box whatsoever. He gives the defence no confidence whatsoever. He had no chance with either goal but he really does look a liability. Two or three parries easily could have been just rammed back into the net. When he was saving them he was not even pushing them behind but straight forward!
Lowton 6/10 – Thought he showed why no one has come for him yet as he looked very poor defensively for the most part and they seemed to pinpoint him in attacking. It was unfortunate the goal went off him but he did not close down and he had not closed down all game. He also tried to do too much on the ball going forward and is another that thinks he is better than he is I am afraid. Stevenage’s wide man gave him problems all game and he would face opponents like him or better every week at a higher level. He did have a good spell near the end , putting in a few decent balls and of course hit a great finish for the second but it was another player who I felt we needed to be at it from the start not just in the last 10 minutes.
Taylor 6/10 – He did ok and was probably better than Hill/Williams but was only average and he too seemed to get outstripped by quicker players on more than one occasion. He lacks pace and athleticism but at least he just does the basics and tried not be too clever.
Maguire 6.5/10 – Some decent things where he showed his ability on the ball and his ability to read the game but a few times he overplayed and tried to be too clever that that had my heart in my mouth! He needs to do the basics more rather than trying to football his way out which sometimes puts us in trouble. He made the second goal with a long diagonal ball but he played way too many long balls for me before this and even at the end he played another that sailed straight out when we needed to keep the momentum going.
Collins 7/10 – He was the steadiest defender and did not do much wrong. He at least won the headers / blocks and tackles and kept things nice and simple. He has been a steady eddy most of the season and continued that today. Made a good block to deny them a third goal when they broke away and Shroot dithered.
Doyle 4/10 – Thought he was poor and never really got into it. They had quicker players and seemed to leave him standing at times as he struggled to cope with pace/youth. He never really got his foot in, made any tackles at all. The game just passed him by from start to finish. He looked today like he did at the end of last season as quicker, more technical players embarrassed him.
McDonald 5/10 – He has been one of our most important players of the season but today I felt like a few others he went missing. I felt Freeman and Bostwick controlled midfield and he gave the ball away constantly. They pinpointed him as a danger man and seemed to close him down and he struggled as a result. He did better in the closing stages but even he made bad decisions with some silly long range shots when we needed to keep the ball. He seemed to pick up a knock early but shrugged it off but felt he hid for long spells when the game was crying out for him to be more influential. He did have a good spell near the end and started moving it left to right and vice versa but for the first 75-80 minutes he gave the ball away most of the time. Really disappointed with his performance.
Williamson 4/10 – Thought he had one of those games. He was at fault for the first goal for losing possession stupidly and did this a few other times in the first half. He seemed to give the ball away constantly and his touch let him down. He had one blazed effort over but can’t remember a good corner/cross he put in all game. The corner into the keepers hands he floated in at the end summed it up. He has been asking for a new contract but in the pivotal game of the season he put in that kind of performance? Ok scoring at Rochdale/Bury but I wanted our players to step up when it mattered/against the better teams. He/along with many others could not do it.
Quinn 6/10 – Seen a lot criticising him after the game but I thought he was alright and harsh to be taken off. He was one of the few actually putting a shift in and tried to get on the ball. He did not hide and tried to go forward more than he has done as well. He put in three cracking balls in the first 15 minutes that at least one should have converted. He maybe faded as the game went on but no one else had really impressed in the midfield and surely he had been performing better than Williamson who was having a nightmare?
Porter 3/10 – Dreadful. He missed that early chance where he went for the ball with his wrong foot and somehow kicked it sideways. After this he barely won an header I can recall and seemed so slow and behind the play. He did hold it up once or twice but he lacks mobility and has no pace. A really poor signing. Surely there was better forward in the lower leagues than him available?
O’Halloran 4/10 – Thought he was very poor until the last 15-20 minutes when he had some proper forwards on such as Beattie and Cresswell who actually tried to link with him. In the first half he barely touched the ball and has all the hallmarks of a headless chicken. He gets shoved off the ball so easily.
Subs
Flynn – Put in a few good crosses, such as the one on the goal and was able to at least make a difference as he looked lively and hungry which a few of those who started did not. Should start next week.
Cresswell – Thought he made a difference and really started to kick start a revival. Led the line well, put himself about and scored a great header. Most good things that happened came through him. I have not been his biggest fan this year but he was excellent today and a real talisman. If he was fit he should have started.
Beattie – Made a difference when he came on as he won a number of headers and made himself a nuisance. He set up the equaliser and then nearly scored a winner on a couple of occasions. I would start with him and Cresswell in the playoffs. For experience along we may snuff out a goal or two. Porter and O’Halloran never look like scoring.
Officials – Andy D’Urso. Thought he was fine for the most part. There were a couple of penalty appeals but did not look totally convincing to me. Maguire was unfortunate to not get a foul in the second half when going forward and I felt they knocked Williamson down 4 or 5 times and one lad was the perpetrator on three occasions but escaped a booking! I also felt he let us get away with a bit near the end as we came back with a number of physical challenges that he seemed to let go. There were a few other moments he wanted the free kicks just in the right places. However in overall play he let things go and tried to let the game flow. I honestly cannot think of anything major he got wrong.
Crowd/Atmosphere – Great to see the Lane full but after Wednesday won you could feel the tension in the air. It seemed to transfer to the pitch early as a few misplaced passes and pieces of control created a few groans. I heard Stevenage’s manager Gary Smith say that if United started poorly the crowd would turn quickly and he was right. When we went behind it became even more subdued and the half time whistle even had a few boos. Second half when they scored again that seemed to kill it but of course the goal back saw the crowd make some noise and when the leveller came, the crowd tried to suck the ball in. I did feel the crowd once again tried to be supportive and kept with it and it was hard for them not to start to groan as the passing and basics were so off. At the end they did their best for the team and shouted for every decision but once again it was not the crowd’s fault; it was the team that let them down. Yet again.