Stray and Stay

Sheffield Wednesday U23 2 v Sheffield United U23 1 

U23 Professional Development League

Played at Hillsborough 

Friday 6 March 2020 

SUFC 2019/20 Game 56 

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A bit of a topsy turvy game over in S6. The Young Owls started very brightly & strong. It was the ninth minute before United mounted any sort of attack. But, slowy, the Teeny Blades clawed back into it. I don't think we were doing anything different. Just settling down really. United scored on 18. Although not absolutely dominant, we had a great spell right up to half time. But one untidy goal on 44. And another on 51 put us behind. Towards the end, it seemed United had wave after wave of chances. Felt like "One Coming Here" as it grew towards 90. But, fair play, Wednesday stayed in it & hung on. A draw may have been fairer. But, I'm fucking biased.

The pre match Carrier Bag Firm buzz centred around Jake Eastwood & Regan Slater. Both old faces of course. But, having been on loan, both making their first U23 starts of the season. In the process pushing us past FIFTY different players used in just 25 games. I understand that Regan is coming back from a long term ankle injury. The Grimsby Telegraph has the plan as a) game time for our U23s, b) game time for Scunthorpe U23s, before c) returning to the Scunthorpe first team squad once fit.

Anyway, Regan set up in central midfield and lasted 62 (strong) minutes before what I assume was a planned Sub (Harrison Neal). Busy, committed. A bit bossy boots if I'm honest. Tore a strip off Leo Gaxha fairly early on. Not at this Club young man - roots. I'll cut him all the slack on this occasion. I'm sure he was just carried away to feel the grass under his toes again. Regan combined very well with Callum Gribbin. Good players play better with good players.

In that first Blades attack on 9 minutes, Slater combined very well with right wing back Tommy Williams to get Centre Back Keenan Ferguson free on the lovely old overlap wide right. Frustratingly, that just ended in the keeper's hands.

Returning Jake Eastwood had a mixed bag. In just the 2nd minute, the Young Owls had a superb sweeping move on their right. A great teasing ball went all the way across to the back stick. With Eastwood & the defence rooted and watching it. But, Jake made an excellent save from the resulting corner. Both Owls goals looked untidy. Not out & out mistakes. Just untidy. Both had the fella put through. Running into the area at pace. Both drilled past Jake. Or in the case of the first, under/through Jake.

And, not for the first time, I'm going to single out Harry Boyes. He is an intelligent & versatile footballer. He's very happy to play from where he is. For example. A Wednesday corner on our left goes deep & it ends up with Boyes stopping it. So, he finds himself in the "wrong" right wing back channel. That doesn't faze him. He just "becomes" the right back. Similarly, if he's marauding in his "correct" left wing back channel and gets pushed inside. He's just happy to push in there & hold his own in the attack. That's effectively what happened on 18. Bombing forward, he combined well with Zak Brunt & they fed Gaxha in the inside left channel. Leo took it on & calmly finished.

Look, I'm not a complete mug. What I've said about Boyes amounts to - can play. It doesn't sound dramatic & outstanding. But, it's just noticeable, he's not afraid to stray & stay. In a club of overlapping Centre Backs that's a talent.

First Ball Sup Blog mention for Antwoine Hackford. Came on as Sub for Jake Young on 65. He's yet to turn 16. Like for like up top for Young. Looked lively and enthusiastic. Got that Man Boy thing going on. Not an absolute beast. Just athletic & fits his body. Antwoine played a full part in that last 25 minutes onslaught to try for the equaliser. Great work on 70 fed the lively all night Leo Gaxha, but his effort hit the Wednesday keeper on the chest. More or less immediately, Hackford combined with surging centre back Gomis to feed Leo Gaxha (again). Great shot. Great save.

On a different night, we'd have got a point (or three) out of that. But, that leaves us four points adrift in the bottom two. Having played three games MORE than the teams above us.

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