Wimbledon 1-1 Sheffield United

Last updated : 07 March 2013 By @blades_mad1889

The day itself is one to remember, a total of 44 goals was netted throughout the Third Division that day - and despite not winning the match the point was enough to send United to top of the league having found the net within the first minute of the match.

Wimbledon (also formed in 1889) however was at the wrong end of the table, holding everyone up at the foot of the table, the media suggested that 'Sheffield, though, scorned the opportunity to join their high scoring rivals and settled for a 1-1 draw.' United were criticized for not making more of an effort to win this game and score more goals.

The Blades were not short of experience with nationals from Argentina and Netherlands as well as former Dundee, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur personnel amongst there ranks were considered a heavy weight in the Division and not even a muddy pitch could withstand the skill and speed of Alex Sabella who was United's golden player in this era.

Sebella created four of the seven attempts inflicted on the Dons goal in the first half, in one assault on the oppositions goal Mick Speight almost snapped Goddard's left hand post with a rasp shot but the other six attempts ended either in the keepers safe arms or over the bar and far into London. Our only one success came on our first attack, it was started with a free-kick and taken by Cutbush and directed onto Flood's head and finished by Butlin; 1-0.

Wimbledon's reply came 25 minutes later and caught the defence napping when Parsons cross was met by future Lane 'legend' Alan Cork was given time and space to pop up and perform a looping header over a helpless Neil Ramsbottom.

The point wasn't enough to dig Wimbledon off the basement and they have a long way to climb to get out of it. The Dons would end the season bottom of the league whilst poor results ended up with a twelfth place finish for the Blades.

Third Division Results (08/12/1979): Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Oxford United, Blackpool 5-2 Reading, Brentford 7-2 Hull City,Chesterfield 3-2 Millwall, Colchester United 1-1 Carlisle United (played 7 Dec) Grimsby Town 2-1 Mansfield Town, Plymouth Argyle 1-0 Barnsley, Rotherham United 2-1 Gillingham, Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Exeter City, Southend United 4-1 Chester (played 7 Dec), Swindon Town 8-0 Bury, Wimbledon 1-1 Sheffield United.

Wimbledon vs. Sheffield United
R. Goddard 1 N. Ramsbottom
L. Briley 2 J. Cutbush
S. Jones 3 P. Garner
S. Galliors 4 A. Kenworthy
P. Bowgett 5 J. McPhail
W. Downes 6 J. Matthews
M. Dzlandulewicz 7 L. de Goey
S. Parsons 8 J. Flood
J. Leslie 9 B. Butlin
A. Cork 10 M. Speight
R. Lewington 11 A. Sabella
Referee: C. A. Maskell (Cambridge)