Sheffield United U18 0 v Birmingham City U18 2
U18 Professional Development League, North
Played at Shirecliffe
Sheffield United 2 v Burton Albion 0
The Championship
Tuesday 13 March 2018
SUFC 2017/18 Games 73 & 74
Twitter @ball_sup
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Double Header. Shirecliffe & The Lane. Sheffield Beer Week. Giggles.
Shakespeares Barrel Aged Beer Tap Takeover as part of Sheffield Beer Week. Salute. I wouldn't normally search out Barrel Aged Beers. That's the point of a Beer Week isn't it? Chuck yourself at summat different.
Abbeydale Funk Dungeon Wild Things, Barrel Aged Saison with added Pomegranate Tea on cask at 4.1%. Opaque, looks like pineapple juice in the glass. Sweet (surprised me), fizzy Haribo to smell. Just this side of pucker up sour. Bursts into fruit very quickly.
James & Kirkman, Empress Of India, 40 year old Scotch Whisky Barrel Aged English IPA on cask at 6%. Very tasty. Somewhat bizarrely, I get the merest hint of Tizer in the initial taste. The hop bitterness kicks in. But, it is well balanced & gentle. There is an inevitable lingering sweetness - but very pleasant.
Shirecliffe
That was a disappointing result. It turned out that Birmingham U23s were playing at roughly the same time. And, Twitter was claiming they'd sent a young U23 team to that. So, logically (& hopefully) that could should would be a young & inexperienced BlueNose U18 out there today. Didn't look like it. They competed fully & strongly. In what was quite an even game until the last 15.
There were pluses for the Young Blades. Battering Ram striker David Parkhouse is coming back from injury. He’s U18 qualified, but has already played at U21 for Northern Ireland. Parkhouse is one of those players you always seem to notice early doors. Giving someone a knock. Winning his header. Head down, run at someone. Natch, he was lively early on. He was part of Utds best early move after 7. Feeding fellow up topper Tom Clare. He did very well to get a shot off. But, it dragged wide of the far post. Incidentally, that's the first time I've (to my knowledge) seen Tom Clare. Get him to bring his Birth Certificate to the next 'un. Bearded Giant at U18.
But, then, a cloud, after a lining, which had looked a bit shiny. Parkhouse was off at HT. I didn't get a good butchers. But I asked the Carrier Bag Firm's Dedicated Dugout Detachment what he'd observed. Limping. Came the concise report. Maybe not too bad.
I also felt that was the best game I'd seen Jean Belehouan play in a United shirt. He's the fella picked up after leaving Manchester United’s Academy system. Generally, he sets up as conventional Centre Back, of two. Today, he was alongside Kyron Gordon. Jean was having a right old skool ding dong dog fight with the Brum 9. Winning some. Losing some. But, clearly, putting it in. I also noted his confidence in possession & his distribution. Good game for/from him.
Marcus Dewhurst had a dodgy minute just before half time. A fairly tame shot seemed to burst through his hands. But, drooped (yes, drooped) over for a corner. Which he then flapped at a bit. However, it remained clean sheets all round until the 73rd minute. Marcus was beaten by a shot low down at his right hand side. City seemed to kick on a bit then. No real surprise when they added a second after 81. Whistle blows. Find Beer.
The Lane
Good to get that one over the line. A little bit of grinding. But, I felt we were the better team. It all felt a bit flat in the first half. Competent. But, flat. Lee Evans did well. Giving. Going. Getting. That gives the wing backs a bit of confidence & momentum. And, if you're really lucky, you'll possibly see a Centre Back Marauding.
I had to do a right old squint & boot audit for the first goal. I'd clocked it was Baldock getting wide right. A good accurate ball in. A powerful white booted in the corner finish. Who's that? Stearman? Wait. Wrong boots. Who? Left wing back Stevens. That's who. Getting up with play. A run into the box. Across towards the near post. That's a Sheffield United Indicator Goal. Wing Back to Wing Back. Indicating we're back at it (at times).
Check the Blog. I'll not claim I Told You So. But, let the record show I'm a big David Brooks fan. That second was just, simply, how to score a goal. Target man (Sharp) comes deep. Shows. Gets a flick off. To attacking midfielder (Duffy) moving at pace. Who gets an accurate pass off. To a striker. Who has lost his man. And. Sees. Only. Space. No, to be fair. He can actually see a bit more space ahead of all the space he can see. Put the ball in his stride. Yes.
I know Brooks has had the Fever. I know he's had the Spasm. I know all the strikers, including today's nominee Wilson, have done OK at times. I know Wilder knows. But, if, when, get Brooks as one of the top two. Sit the lot of 'em down. Show them that fucking video.
624/1302
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