A Fan's View: Sheffield United 2 Albion 2

Last updated : 01 September 2009 By Wba-mad Editor

Straight from the kick-off Sheffield were in our faces, pushing, pulling, hassling, giving free-kicks away and not giving us anytime on the ball.  A change of manager since we last played them but still the same old long ball tactics!  An un-eventful first-half past without either keeper being tested.  Albion looked solid enough at the back, busy in midfield but didn’t look very threatening up front.

Another excellent following soon realised we were playing 12 men again with the referee penalising some innocuous tackles by us, yet allowing play to continue with players in blue and white being left in a heap on the floor.

Second-half promise

In the second-half Sheffield came out fired up but the tactics remained the same, long ball up to the front two then pick up the loose ball.  Albion settled down, the passes became crisper and we started pushing forward more.  Bednar had looked well off the pace in the first-half but seemed to get his second wind after the break, running down the channels, winning headers and holding the ball up.  It was no surprise when he collected the ball outside the box, spread it wide to Cummings, who whipped in a delightful cross, for Bednar to rise highest in the area to plant a header passed Bunn.  Albion supporters were still celebrating when Sheffield went down the other end and scored through Evans.

The man in sky blue was getting more and more involved giving silly free kicks, petty bookings - well five for the visitors but only one for the home side!

A long punt down field by Carson looked innocuous enough but once again Bednar rose above Kilgallon, and as the visiting supporters were appealing to the referee for a push on the big man, he turned and unleashed a superb shot low into the corner. 

Missed chance

United kept pushing forward but for all their huffing and puffing they didn’t really create any notable chances.  Another deliberate handball by Kilgallon was awarded outside the box but once again no yellow card.  From the resulting free kick, Martis was wrestled to the floor but the ball found its way to Olsson at the back post.  His left foot volley whistled wide of the upright with the keeper well beaten.  That would have been game set and match.

It was the home crowd that were getting on the ref’s back by now as with the help of the assistant referee the Baggies were being awarded more free kicks.  We still felt there would be another twist in the game and so it proved.  With only 2 minutes remaining the man in the middle succumbed to the pressure and gave the home side a penalty.  Carson guessed the right way but couldn’t stop the ball hitting the back of the net. 

With United in the ascendancy, the ref decided to add 5 minutes injury time, where he got that from nobody knows, but we held on to take a valuable away point.

Boing Boing

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