Reading 0 v Sheffield United 2
The Championship
Saturday 8 December 2018
Middlesbrough U18 0 v Sheffield United U18 1
FA Youth Cup, Round 3
Wednesday 12 December 2018
Played at Bishop Auckland
SUFC 2018/19 Games 46 & 47
May to May Brewery Visits - 68
Twitter @ball_sup
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Bishop Auckland is the 213th different ground I've seen an SUFC XI play on. Spreadsheets are available for auditing & the full list will be appearing on the back of a souvenir t-shirt in time for Christmas.
The Beer
That trip to Reading couldn't have worked better for me. I wish I'd written the exact times down. I know we had to be back on the coach by 4pm. I know I tweeted from the Windsor & Eton Brewery Tap before 2:45pm. I know I walked in, looked at the board, checked the ambience & felt - seat at the end of the bar, I'm not leaving here. So, let's deal with that board. All their own - either as Windsor & Eton, or their hip imprint Uprising. Eight on cask (looked like gravity to me), four on keg.
Shall we start with the negative? Might as well. I'm afraid I had a - never go back - moment. Think back. Further. A bit before that. Oh yeah. Black IPAs. One of your first Mash Ups. I used to abso flipping lutely love 'em. Memory plays tricks. Natch. But, The Bree Louise, Euston, before England games. I used to pile into Windsor & Eton, Conqueror, Black IPA. Drowned in the stuff. So……
on cask at 5%. Wow. Disappointing. Tame. Been Conquered Mate. If you'd told me that was a Dark Mild, I'd have believed you. Got. Nothing. Move. On.
Hows about a Lager Off?
Windsor & Eton, Republika, Pilsner on keg at 4.8%
versus
Windsor & Eton, Capital, Lager on keg at 4%.
No. Contest. That Republika. Hands down & easing up at the finish. Glorious. Refreshing & clean. Powerful flavour hit. Indeed, Republika only narrowly missed out on Standout Beer Of The Day. Which went to;
Uprising, Caught By The Fuzz on keg at 4%. Well I was, still on a buzz. A big peach hit, underpinned by the bitterness right away, keeps you at it all the way down. Great balance.
v Boro
What a finish. Great win by the have you got any ID Blades. In real time, I was thinking - not a lot of quality out there, one team needs to grab this, there's a few players I forgot were out there. But, on reflection, typical Youth Cup, typical U Eighteen football. It's gonna ebb. There'll be periods of flow. Players and teams can & do drift. Then, they'll suddenly realise, here y'are, I'm in this. I'll make a confession. Which puts me in a poor light. Don't hate. United were one up from 40 minutes. But, they conceded a penalty on 88. The first thought in my head was - I hope he misses this. Right thought. Wrong reason. I was more pissed off at maybe having to sit through Extra Time, than I was at the prospect of winning it. Don't hate.
Anyway. The Boro lad has hit the bar with his penalty kick. But it's bounced out. A Boro lad is going to head that rebound in. Whaaaaat. He's hit the bar with his header. Shiiiiiiit. A Boro lad is going to knock that second off the bar rebound in. Hang. On. The Ref has stopped it all. The Carrier Bag Firm had an autopsy. All that was basically the same Boro lad. No one else has touched it since his penalty. He's had the “illegal” second touch, no other player touched it yet, touch with that header off and onto the bar. No. Me neither. Hurray. No Extra Time. I mean Hurray, we've won.
The Young Blades sodding goal was at the same end & no clearer. I've seen it as a sweeping move down the left. Cross to the far post. Zak Brunt must score. Hits a defender. Jake Kelly will put that one away, won't he? Yeeeesssss. (Brunt wheels away). (Announced as “The first goal for Sheffield United, scored by Zak Brunt”). “Who got it Phil?” “Jake Kelly”. I've looked at the InterWeb footage. Looks maybe Brunt has a crack, defender hacks it clear, straight at another defender, off him & over the line.
I won't say that was a strong Blades side. But, I will say that was an experienced beyond their years Blades side. Dewhurst, Williams, Boyes, Neal, Gordon, Belehouan, Broadbent and Brunt had all been involved for the Under 23s in their last match away at Barnsley. Only Kelly, Gaxha & Ompreon had not been at that Barnsley game.
From the off, I felt United were playing it too long. Getting rid of it sharpish. Often without a look. That seemed odd. Given our normal style. A bit unfair to single him out. But, I couldn't work out what Captain Harrison Neal was doing. He's made for that role of take it off the keeper, or centre back, turn, have a look, build. But, he was just popping first time, truly hopeful & woeful passes off. But, as it happens, Boro were no better. For the first half hour, the game was pretty flat. There was a bit of bluster. But, it just seemed to be hoofed clearances all the time, by both teams.
A lot of the Blades work was down the right (Tommy Williams & Jake Kelly). After 30, I honestly caught myself thinking - has Harry Boyes touched it yet? (must have). Despite all that, Boro had just never really threatened us. And, our goal on 40 minutes changed it all. And, I'm thinking Del gave 'em the Hard Stare at half time. Boro had a right old chance just as the second half started. But, generally, I thought Utd looked a lot more at it & lively. Zak Brunt was chasing hard, chasing owt, lost causes, the lot. Neal was getting more into it, lots of hard tracking back as well. But. Double Drat. Boro were looking a bit better as well. They had a great spell 60 to 80 minutes. United started to tire a bit & looked to be sitting way too deep.
Boro had a great chance after 61. Williams lost it on the right, the fella piled through but it was skied over. Marcus kept us ahead with a leaping fingertip save on 65. It was desperate stuff at times from the Young Blades. We livened up a bit with the fresh legs of Reon Potts from the bench on 70 minutes. He introduced himself by chasing everything. If he'd been a fly, his backside would be blue. A number of players looked to be out of gas. Gaxha, Kelly, Ompreon. To be fair, Boro probably just about deserved to be back in it. And, natch, we thought that - have you even read the rule book - penalty would do it.
Check the Hat, we're in it. (Actually, we're not, they'd already made the Fourth Round draw - away to Derby County).
754/1576
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