Sheffield United Community Foundation U19 2
v Mansfield Town 0
National Football Youth League
North Premier Division
Sheffield United Community Foundation A 8
v Manchester City D 2
Community & Education Football Alliance League, Men's Cup
Wednesday 26 May 2021
SUFC 2020/21 Games #3 & #4
Played at Handsworth
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With the ever more easing of lockdown, the Carrier Bag Firm are getting a bit more confident. We now have the brass neck to use a contact to find kick off times & venues. That gave us a Double Header Bonus today.
Recap. United field an ever larger number of teams across the leagues, ages & genders. Just concentrating on the Men's teams. Those range from the First Team in the Premier League. To Sheffield United Community Foundation D in the Community & Education Football Alliance League, Central 4. It's easy enough to keep tabs on eight different teams. But, today, we're concentrating on the team in the National Football Youth League, North Premier Division. The latest graduate from the NFYL is Jayden St Paul. Jayden played for Brentford in the NFYL & recently signed pro terms at Norwich City. So, players have and continue to progress from the NFYL. It's not impossible. But it's a long road. For United, think of this as the Pre Academy. Exceptional players who do well have a chance of catching the eye for a place at Shirecliffe.
The National Football Youth League attempts to bridge the gap between, on the one hand, College football & on the other hand, Professional Club Academy football. It provides a pathway into professional football.
And. It's 11 v 11. With 11 of 'em in United shirts with the correct badge. The CBF are having that. Portaloo up there now as well.
The BTec Blades beat Mansfield Town 2-0. And, were deffo worth that win. Indeed, at times, we had chance after chance. And small periods of complete dominance. At one nil, I caught myself thinking - we need at least another one, or Mansfield will catch us out & we might not get what we deserve.
That tells the story. The game came to life only briefly in short spells. In one sense, a lot going on. But, in another sense, lots of players static & going nowhere.
United started very brightly. A sweeping move down the left on just 3 minutes. A perfect ball across the box. #10 on the end of it. Christ, I don't even know how he's managed to knock that wide. No teamsheets at this level. That's discriminatory for us Bloggers. Because, our eyes naturally get dragged to distinctive characteristics. The bald centre back. The kid at the base of the diamond with the pony tail. Him with the mad boots. And also. When you think you may have worked out who a player is. You just tend to notice him more.
So #10. Isn't that Rida Hannioui? Anyway. He's noticeable. He hit the bar twice. Had lots of other chances. At times, I felt he wanted far too many touches. Seemed to be getting the ball out from between his feet all the time. But, can't knock the chances he created for himself.
It was Rida who scored the first on 8 minutes. Assisted by a superbly penetrative & weighted ball into the inside left channel by #4. Rida took it in his stride. Rounded the keeper & rolled it in from a somewhat tight angle.
So #4. Isn't that Noah Flint? With the pony tail. He's a great player to watch. Sort of a deep playmaker. Just in front of the back four, happy to take it off them or the keeper. But, also a spoiler & a harasser. Robbing his opponents. And zinging it wide. Indeed, in the game's quieter moments, I got a bit pissed off, because I felt he'd become a bit one dimensional with the wide balls.
Towards the end of the first half, Mansfield pushed three up & got back into it a bit. Although, overall, you'd struggle to remember any particular attacking threat.
After the rest, United started the second half at a lick. Scoring the - phew, hope that kills the game - second goal on 57 minutes. A great build down the left by #3. With a cross field ball for Noah Flint to cut in from the right & calmly slot it home.
For the last 25, the game descended into uninventive, lethargic drivel. But, really United were cruising it. That win puts us eighth (out of 12) in a very fragmented division. We've played 13 games. But rock bottom Liverpool have only played 7.
The second game, in the Cup v Manchester City, had the crucial indicator that it was lower standard than the first. No Linesmen. Dead giveaway that. The Carrier Bag Firm tell me the website is reporting it as 7-2. FFS. Here's the CBF official record 8-2. Don't @ me.
Anyway. That's not the game we came for. But, last eight of a Cup. We'll keep an eye on that. A great tie in another bit of the bracket. Macclesfield Town A v Macclesfield Town B. Love owt like that.
A slightly frustrating beginning to the week. With a rain ruined trip to Leeds for a County Cricket ramp up event involving Yorkshire 2nd XI. But. You know how it goes, one door closes another opens. I was able to visit BrewDog Headingley. That wasn't even open before Covid struck. And, a few weeks into the hard opening, I'm gonna say they've got teething trouble. One of those - lots of staff being busy - but not really serving foaming glasses to punters - places. The board had 27 beers listed. The BrewDog App far less. The QR on the table a different far less. And the printed menu more of a different less. Four sources. Not even close to agreeing with each other. I asked a barman what brewery a particular beer was from. He didn't know. I've never known that in a BrewDog. He asked one of the others. And he gave a completely implausible answer. Teething.
As ever. No fucks given. As beer saved the day.
Kirkstall Brewery, Dexter, Milk Stout on Keg at 4.5%
That will do nicely. The lactose & chocolate worked very well. Nothing overpowering. All in great balance. Hint of red berries in the background. And a little bit of toast.
Stats
I have now Blogged from 942 games in 2,472 days
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