The Turning For York

Sheffield United 0 v Leeds United 1
The Championship
Saturday 1 December 2018

Barnsley U23 1 v Sheffield United U23 1
U23 Professional Development League
Friday 7 December 2018
Played at Oakwell Academy, Barnsley

SUFC 2018/19 Games 44 & 45

May to May Brewery Visits - 67

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v Leeds
My general feeling was that United held their own against Leeds. Obvs that horrendous howler from keeper Dean Henderson has cost us dearly. There seemed to be a lot going wrong in it. Maybe the pass was overhit. But, Henderson seems to take an age to get it sighted up. He lets it run a long, long way across him. So, he's all angles wrong anyway. Gets it barely half under control & gifts it. The way it goes sometimes.

I will allow myself one prediction. He's never going to play for Manchester United (his parent club) is he? Just maybe the occasional game. But, he's never going to become their number one one. That's no indictment on his talent. In the Premier League, it's not talent that gets you into what is now a struggling this season Manchester United XI. It's pedigree. It's column inches. It's pricetag. It's profile. The hoo haa surrounding a club like Manchester United means they just can't/won't/don't take a chance on a young, home grown keeper. He makes a Bollocks of it like that at Old Trafford, the (media) lot goes up. Some French/Dutch/Spanish keeper does the same, oh dear, never mind, we know it's a blip. Games Gone.

U23 v Barnsley
I kept trying to convince myself that was an even game & a draw was a fair result. But, all my metrics (scribbles) suggest we had the better of it. Thanks to those of you who responded to the ball_sup customer satisfaction survey. I will react to the comment - “Phil, the length & detail of the Blog seems to deteriorate from late November, although it picks up again in late March”.

Mate - it's too fucking cold to make proper notes. What can I say? That was all the seasons. Some of the Carrier Bag Firm were hiding in the Oakwell Reception during the violent hailstorm. The rain had run off the bank behind the “Academy Main Stand” and soaked the seats, even those nominally under cover. Not an issue for me of course, I merely dried the seat with my arse as soon as I sat on it.

In dodging the hail, I was in position v early. As the keepers were going through their warm up. Or, as we know it, the Marcus Dewhurst Fuck Off Show. One helper stands wide right, one wide left. In this part of the drill, Marcus is (I presume) supposed to kick it out of his hands to one or other of the helpers. Many are drilled bang there. Inevitably, a few go astray, badly astray. Each of those is followed by - Fuck Off (from the loud & profane lips of Mr Dewhurst) - and schoolboy sniggers from me. Gary Sinclair needs to build it into that Countdown To Kick Off bollocks at The Lane. Superb event.

For me, the main positives were Simeon Oure & Kyron Gordon. Simeon was up top with Zak Brunt. He was just, well just busy throughout. No better way of describing it. Chasing back, chasing down, chasing. Every time I see him, he looks a little bit more like an athlete. Tad taller. Smidgeon leaner. Gnat’s bollocks faster. Good control. Improving in the air. But, what stood out today was his persistence. At it all the time. If I've got it right, he was booked at the death for diving. It looked a bit harsh to me, he was traveling at some speed & became entangled with his tracker.

Please, please, please forgive me Kyron if you're reading this. He's a young lad. He's got a bit of a way to go before you describe him as athletic. Do not get me wrong. He's got the foundations. But, he's all a bit knees & elbows at times. Got a ticking engine mind. And strong willed. Lord knows what has been said, but he's played with a freedom I've not seen before. It's him on the right, George Cantrill in the centre of a three & Belehouan on the left. FFS, that's a young & inexperienced at this level back three. But, Kyron seemed to thrive on it. It felt a bit like - there's just us, we'll have to step up and get at it. Good, let's do just that.

In the first five, Ky G has popped up in their penalty box. With results. After 4 minutes, he's been wrestled to the deck at a corner. But, Jordan Doherty's spot kick was pushed out down to the keeper's right. Kyron must have thought, fuck that, I'm staying up here, in this neck o’ the woods. The ball ends up with Reece York out wide right. Nostradamus in front of me in the seats says “go on get past him with a Currie turn”. Now, I can't say for sure Reece hears him (doubt it). I wonder whether Reece knows what a Currie turn is (doubt it). But, whoever's turn he does, he's done the left back & the other fella - proper. Reece drills it at/across the goal. And, it's Goal Hanger, Tyler Smith's brother, Kyron Gordon to knock it home. Five minutes gone. Henceforth to be referred to as the Turning For York.

In a sense, from missed pen & opening goal in the first five, the Young Blades had already had their best spell. Sure, Oure kept at it. Sure Gordon continued to be fully involved. Doing his defensive stuff well & popping up unexpectedly elsewhere. Cantrill had a few dodgy moments. But he & Belehouan marshalled well in the main. After that superb assist, Reece York kept a high tempo & was fully involved. But, Barnsley got more into it. Even at one down, Barnsley were able to get some control, hit some sweet passes & create a bit. I felt Brunt was a bit disappointing up top. Not bad, just a bit anonymous & missing. Maybe it was an illusion, but he often seemed to be very close to Oure, taking up the same positions. I also felt George Broadbent was missing a bit - he never really got in the game. A few legs tired including Oure & Gordon. Barnsley equalised on 61 minutes. There was even time for Cantrill to be red carded late on for two bookables. No complaints from me. Not horrendous tackles, but both probably Yellow.

United did, commendably, chase the game. Four, Mallon, Young, Oure & York, up top at times after the substitutions. A good draw. In appalling conditions at times.

While young Dewhurst was sucking throat sweets in the dressing room as he prepared for his Swearathon, we were similarly lubricating in the Arcade Alehouse, six on cask, a couple of internationals on keg. Great place.

Geeves, Cadenza, on cask at 4.3%. A lovely hoppy pale. There was some citrus in the bitterness. At first I had it as grapefruit, even a little sharp/sour. But, it soon settled down into a nice orange citrus. All good & powerful.

752/1571