The Hypotenuse

Sheffield United 0 v Fleetwood Town 2

League 1

Tuesday 24 January 2017

Twitter @ball_sup

We got Royally caught out there. Just not in the same town as the races to be honest. When defending is bad, it’s easy to see. But, we were light all over the park. There were the usual set piece lapses. Where we seem to be more interested in where the man is running than where the ball is going. It looked to me that Fleetwood had simply worked the angles out. Time after time, our back three or Coutts the minder would try a link up pass out of there. But, a Fleetwood guy would cut it out & be on it. It’s so so important for the back three to step up through the line if they’re not being closed down. Indeed, step forward TOWARDS the line if they’re sitting deep.

Wilder switched it at half time. Sort of back four - although it was back two at times. Bit more attacking from Duffy & Fleck. For a short period, that got it going again. But, it died off. Partly, we’re getting caught out for lack of resources. And, I didn’t think I’d hear myself say that. Clark, McNulty, Done, Lavery upfront with Sharp are proving to be all a much of a muchness. Although Lafferty was back - we’ve been shown up for not having left wing back cover. For example, playing Done there. Carruthers would shake the midfield up & give us options. But, he’s fetlocked.

I think we’re missing Harry Chapman a bit. At least his run at the defence style offered us summat different. But, we should be able to juggle Jake Wright Snr & the Basham in midfield thing around a bit. And, we’re coming to the end of the January Disruption Window. With a missing weekend, they can all get to know each other & get it sorted for the next home game.

The pre match drink was in The Portland House on Ecclesall Rd. Three Welbeck Abbey on cask & one guest cask. One turned round. Kozel, Urquell & an Adnams on keg & the Welbeck Pivo lager.

Welbeck Abbey, Claire's Ice To Eskimos on cask at 4.2%. Some pleasant sweetness in the smell. Some citrus. Some gentle herbs - maybe Basil. A very short burst of boiled sweet sugar, gives way to a gentle bitterness. Although, the sweetness comes again. It lingers, but doesn't dominate or overpower.

Welbeck Abbey, Portland Black on cask at 4.5%. Some burnt coffee in the smell. A lot of bitterness on the first hit. Just how I like my Porters. A hit of red fruit. Hey, maybe even a hint of apple pie sweetness. It fills your mouth. But, it's complex. Difficult to separate the flavours. In a good, well balanced way. Increasing sweet blackcurrant as you get further down it.

435/896
58

No. 10 Ale House

Fleetwood Town 2 v Sheffield United 2

Saturday 5 March 2016

League 1

Played at Highbury Stadium

Twitter @ball_sup

Today’s Adkins Home Grown/Scouted from Non-League quotient was down to 3/11 = 27%. Long, Calvert-Lewin & Che Adams. Ben Whiteman and Graham Kelly were unused from the bench.

Calvert-Lewin was super anonymous today. Blue in face. They’ve got to Step Up.

The Micro-Pub model is great isn’t it? This weekend it was The No. 10 Ale House, 10 Park Road, St Anne’s. Thoroughly recommended.

Friends tell me, most recently a Charity Shop. Three handpulls on the bar & one keg lager. There were actually two keg handles on the font. But, on questioning, it was really only a front. Two handles, but only one line. The lager was Shindigger Pils at 4%. Very refreshing. Not over fizzy. Tasty & mouthfilling. Floral notes.

No. 10 must have the custom & throughput. Casks being changed all the time. We went in Friday & Saturday night. I’m sure I counted 7 different beers on the 3 lines. Although, I only did four of those.

Kirkby Lonsdale, Stanley’s at 3.8%
Deeply Vale, Equilibrium at 3.8%
Deeply Vale, Citra Storm at 4%

And, the absolutely superb Roosters, Baby Faced Assassin at a whopping 6.1%. I’m watching my units. Picking low abvs where I can. But, I went back to that one. It is a very underrated beer. I see it turns up in cans sometimes. Including in some ‘Spoons. Deep. Rich. great Hop Hit.

Just before the game, we did the Strawberry Gardens up in Fleetwood itself. The go to pub in the vicinity. I had Phoenix, Navvy at 3.8%.

A draw. At Fleetwood. Whoopy Doo. I don’t buy this rebuild in the Summer argument. Sure, we need to do it. But, it can’t be done. You can’t just ship out & ship in & hit the ground running. Long Road.

285/592

Disjointed Dream Done

Fleetwood Town 0 v Sheffield United 0
Fleetwood win 4-1 on penalties

Johnstones Paint last 16

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

The Velvet Coaster. A new purpose built Wetherspoons “superpub”. Near the Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Opened in May apparently. Did you know, there are people who travel around trying to visit every ‘Spoons in the country? So, a new opening is a big deal. Did you know some of those ‘Spoons tickers travel on the same Bus as me? So, that is how I find myself in The Velvet Coaster.

Rudgate, Battle Axe on cask at 4.2%. Chestnut brown. Nice light head. Fairly gentle in the mouth. The bitterness doesn't hit you. But, it grows nice and pleasantly. A woody, malty sweetness underpins it all.

Purple Moose, Dark Side Of The Moose on cask at 4.6%. Lovely. Almost purple in the glass. Rich & deep. Nice head, holds a long way down. Spicy fruit. Christmas cake. Cinnamon. Almost caramelised orange peel.

Some brightness. But, they fell away at times. Felt like two poor teams. Similar tale for The Blades. Quite a bit of the ball. In the box a fair bit. But, few clear cut chances.

He brought the A Team on towards the end. Sharp, Baxter, Hammond. Didn't make a deal of difference.

Long still staying on his line. McGahey giving the ball away a lot. James Wallace put his shift in. Woolford is getting a slagging on the Bus. I thought he did OK. He had a few chances earlier on.

I was with a bloke who watches a lot of Premiership & Champions League. He doesn't know our players from Eve, let alone Adam. I asked him who had stood out. Number 22. Louis Reed. I see what he means. Calm & composed at times.

But, in general, the whole lot were ineffective. They just don't unlock things. Waiting for something to happen.

237/476

S6 Bandit Country

Sheffield Wednesday U18 2 v Sheffield United U18 3

Sheffield United 1 v Fleetwood Town 2

Saturday 7 March 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

Another double header today. Starting with a morning trip out to S6 Bandit Country for the U18 Derby. Pre-Game, the Blades were FIRMLY anchored to the wrong end of U18 Professional Development League 2 North with 16 points from 19 games. Leeds are above them on 21. Wednesday were mid table with 27 points.

But that "form book" was torn up as the Blades Nippers were 3 nil up after 23 minutes. The thing about this age group is that players can rarely last 90 at full pace. So, the games can swing as one team loses it a bit, while the other gets a second & third wind.

Not everyone's cup of tea. But it can make for interesting games. This one had the LOT.

Three up. Fightback. Man off on a stretcher. 11 minutes of injury time. Hotly disputed disallowed goal deep into stoppage time. Like the Alamo at the end.

The Wednesday players slumped to the deck. The United players celebrated wildly. Superb.

To be honest Wednesday were in it throughout. Three nil up hugely flattered The Blades.

Recent first team sub & hopeful starlet Dominic Calvert-Lewin was out there up front with Daniel Cockerline. Dom has surely been pushed down the pecking order by new loanee Steven Davies. Work hard & come again fella.

And, dropping down two levels he has to shine at U18, or none of it will have been worth it.

Fair play. He's bagged two in the first 15 minutes. The first was from a good cross from the left. Calvert-Lewin was unmarked and got a calm powerful header past the keeper

You'd have to go a long way to see a better goal than his 2nd.  Superb interplay between Cockerline & David Brooks (?was it?). Back heels & layoffs. Set Dominic up to calmly fire home.

After 23 mins, a defensive mix over on the left & United nicked the ball. It was rolled across the box & Cockerline knocked it from maybe 3 yards.

But. From there. It was all Wednesday. A spectacular misfield by Ramsdale, and matey has slipped it into the empty net. With 22 minutes left they got a second. A lovely powerful header from a free kick

Manny Adebowale got a whack of some sorts. It didn't look good. Carted off all braced up on the golf cart stretcher. It looked like they were waiting for paramedic/ambulance at the end. Hope I'm wrong. Good luck fella.

Two goal prototype hero Dominic Calvert-Lewin then switched to makeshift Centre Half. United hit the bar. Confusion reigned near the end of 11 minutes stoppage time. The Owls scored. Flag went up. But the ref went over to discuss it with the lino, before confirming it wouldn't stand.

I'm liking Cockerline more & more. He's all arms & legs. But in a controlled way. Good touch stretching those long legs up down & round & round to the ball.

I stopped off at the Hillsborough Hotel. Its got an S6 postcode. But it's hardly what you'd think of as Deep Hillsborough is it? Effectively in town.  Wood Street Brewery. 4 of their own 4 guests on cask.

I had their Blacklocust Treacle Stout on cask at 4.6%.  Quite a thin mouthfeel. Slight hint of sourness leading into deep red fruits. Some richness Delightful thin latte head. More bitterness than I expected. More in Porter territory. Nice beer.

And then on to the Big Show at The Lane. There are Jacks. There are Socket Sets. But, currently, the Wheels Are Off. I prefer consistency. So I'm not for sacking the Manager. But, he don't make it easy & needs to meet me halfway. Constant signings. Loanees. Players he knows from former clubs. That's not breeding consistency is it?

At 2-0, I feared we might get overrun. I quietly thought "they've got no option but to just keep playing & working to get back into it". Which they did. In parts.

Thing is. Because other teams want to win as well, this is already a cling on season. Cling on for 6th. I don't think it's sensible to sack him in those circumstances.

But, Open Message to Phipps. The way it works is - if people call for his head & you do nowt, then they come for your head next .... and quickly. There is a storm to be weathered.

We're in a loop. We can't get up & running with the mob we've got. Clough can't get it out of them. So, we replace those with more players, who quite frankly are no better. There's a honeymoon, new Messiah period when they sign. But then their names just go on the list.

98/228

Tickers United

Fleetwood Town 1 v Sheffield United 1

Saturday 13 December 2014

Twitter @ball_sup

There were a lot of old, familiar, once in a blue moon faces in the stands & on the terraces today. First time at Fleetwood. The ground hoppers & tickers out in force. A fair few scattered in the Home Supporter stands as well, given the scarcity of tickets.

Welcome back boys n girls. Nothing wrong with ground ticking/tickers. It's a broad church.

Pre match drink was back in The Strawberry Gardens. (I'd plotted up in their earlier in the season for the FA Youth Cup). It's a thoroughly recommended place. Great & varied beer range. CAMRA Member discount Klaxon Alert. Very welcoming.

But my big drink was back at Fifteens in St Annes. They're in the CAMRA Guide. It's not a superb place. But it's fine. The beer range is good & everything I had was in great condition. I detect they've got a "thing" going on. A couple of beers were rebadged as "Fifteens".  For example, I had Hawkshead Fifteens Stout at 4.5%.

I'm not too keen on that "model". I prefer to know what I'm really drinking from the core range. Maybe it was really Dry Stone Stout. Anyway I suppose rebadging keeps the tickers happy (yep, those fellas again).

But, no dramas. That was a lovely Stout. My standout beer of the day.

Disappointing for & from The Blades again today. Sort of two up front. Higdon & O'Grady. No, that didn't work. A new crop of Academy Graduates pushed backwards as Kieran Wallace got a shirt.

(Tue 22/7 60/144)

Evans training in Portugal !

Fleetwood Town Youth 3 v Sheffield United 1

FA Youth Cup

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Twitter @ball_sup

Ioan Evans, a key part of the SUFC Youth Cup setup, was not available to play tonight. He's away with his Country (Wales) in the UEFA Under 19 Qualifiers in Portugal.

My first time in Fleetwood. For any reason. I headed for The Strawberry Gardens (CAMRA Good Beer Guide). Large & pleasant place. A lot of handpulls. Good range. Slightly chaotic two bar arrangement. Barstaff switching between both bars & MIA at times.

I jumped on First Chop Brewing Arm hop at 4.1% on cask. Its one of those beers which tastes superb at first. Weirdly it then "gets worse". But it is a lovely beer. Great balance. Sweet at times. Bitter at others. The upfront taste is very pleasant.

Stuck to my task. Next up First Chop Brewing Arm TOC at 4.2% on cask. More earthy & grassy that one. Sugar sweet on the nose. Sweetness coming through on the palate. Bitterness is short & a little anaesthetic.

Deserved win for Fleetwood. They played well. I thought the kid out wide left was top drawer. Jordan Hancox. Attacking players at pace. It kills teams eventually.

United never really got in it. A few bright spells. But players who we needed to stand up didn't.  Maybe we missed Evans (winks)