Six Game Season

Sheffield United Community Foundation U19 5 

v Rochdale 2 

National Football Youth League 

North Premier Division 

Friday 25 June 2021 

SUFC 2020/21 Games #6 

Played at Handsworth 

Recap. United field an ever larger number of teams across the leagues, ages & genders. Today, it's the National Football Youth League, North Premier Division. Players have in the past progressed from the NFYL to EFL Academies & Professional Contracts. 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.

I'm not sure how, when, if they're going to get this Covid Compromised Season finished. In a "full season" you'd play 22 games. I understand the league has to finish next Wednesday, the last day of June. Liverpool & Tranmere Rovers have only played 15 games. United have now played 19 games (won 7, drawn 2, lost 10). And have one more scheduled (away) game. Today's opponents, Rochdale, have been one of the standout teams of the season. Second in the league on goal difference behind Carlisle United. Maybe, just maybe, they've both got just one game left to decide the title.

That will make the Rochdale lads all the more pissed off to have lost today. In what was a lively & enjoyable game up at Handsworth. United are firmly mid table. And, unless something mental happens, that will be the last (and only 6th) Carrier Bag Firm SUFC game of this (laughingly short) 2020-21 football season. I will remind you it is June 25. And our Right Back was wearing fucking gloves.

Rochdale had a lot of big, strong, strapping lads out there. Although they inevitably tired as the game reached it's death rattle. They came again after scrabbling it back to 4-2 on 82 minutes. And actually had a great chance to make it 4-3 on 84. United were reduced to 10 men on 90+1 (second bookable). But, we killed it off with our fifth on 90+3.

That scoreline probably flattered us a bit. The Rochdale big strappers were a very dangerous threat from corners. But, it was noticeable (and pleasing) that United were matching 'em in the battle. Constantly refusing to be pushed off the ball & standing their ground.

United opened the scoring on 6. With a whipped in corner from the right. Swept right into the mixer, with no Rochdalian Zone Man in sight. It actually dropped down to knee height. I couldn't really see who knocked it home (maybe even an OG).

A set piece equaliser on 14. A left footed free kick swung in high from the right. A great header from the back post, across the keeper & into the far corner. I felt Rochdale had the better of the first half.

But, a horrendous swing and a miss clearance by a Rochdale defender (on 53 minutes) left the College Blades #9 free to bang home on the left. And from then on United were on top and controlling until those mad last few minutes.

Three One on 56 minutes. From an I've not measured it myself personally but it's got to be 35 yards out free kick. One of those keep it low efforts. Lovely.

Four one on 68 minutes. Great strength from #9 to win it, hold it, lay it. And rifled home by the overlapping left full back. And, you can read the rest earlier in this piece. Very enjoyable game. Credit to both sides.

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Stats

I have now Blogged from 959 games in 2,502 days 

Post Office Hostage

Rochdale 3 v Sheffield United 3

League One

Saturday 4 March 2017

Twitter @ball_sup

Won that three times as best as I can see. Two nil up. Three two up. Draw. Really at two nil, we looked dominant. I don't know what happened at half time. O'Connell has not come out for the second half. They've gone four at the back. Then three at the back (Wright, Basham, Ebanks-Landell). And, even a mad two at the back. With Basham taking a sort of half-way-Coutts role. And this is while Coutts is still on this.

Towards the end. Well, half way through. Some United players looked like they were beginning to run out of gas.

Benign kidnapping Klaxon. My fault. I've left the fella nowhere to go. A plan has been hatched. To get off at Castleton (Greater Manchester not Peak District) and go to The Old Post Office Ale House. Full on Micropub. In an old Post Office. Thing is. Noon opening. We ain't got time to waste. So, the train gets us there at 1143. A little nervous. Particularly as we saw two people leave & lock the door. A quick shout across the street identified that as Andy, the owner. Got to drop his wife off & come back!!! He got told. Let her make her own way home, we've come for a beer.

Relax. Commonsense prevails. Andy turns up in a Rochdale shirt. Lots of chat. But, the business end includes. (Me) are you going to the game? (Me) how you getting there? (Me) what time you leaving? Come on Andy, I'm sending all the signals here.

Boom. Offers us a lift. Lovely fella. Forever in his debt. Matter of honour now. Me. That neck o’ the woods. Drinking in there. All. The. Time.

And, no worries. Superb place. Five on cask. And, two pukka craft lagers from Outstanding Beers.

Here's one. I haven't done that in years. Four beers. All the same. What's going on?

Outstanding Beers, Hallelujah Rye Pale Ale on Cask at 4.2%. Lovely. Just a hint of red fruit. Couldn't drag myself off it.

Next Saturday. The Carrier Bag Firm are having a go at Bolton U18 away. With an afternoon in Cloudwater in Manchester. So, on the way home today, I've done the reccy. Eight on keg. Including that elusive Brewdog Collab. But, I've done, on advice, Cloudwater, Pale Ale on keg at 3.5%. Superb. See you Saturday.

453/935
76

Progress, of sorts

Sheffield United 1 v Rochdale 1

Saturday 13 August 2016

League 1

Twitter @ball_sup

We know how we’re going to measure success. Out of this League. We know how we’re going to measure progress. Goals scored, goals conceded, points gained, League position.  Two games in, one goal, one point. And, we’re out of the League Cup. No one was hoping for that.

Early days. I’m not party to the Accounts Department. But, isn’t the whole point that we’ve cleared out wage draining deadwood?  Aren’t we supposed to be bringing in people who are young n hungry and who we can afford?

So, we’d know we’d progressed if we seemed demonstrably better than much of last season. We haven’t yet. So, the Jury is still out on the Better & Cheaper aspiration. But, we’re not awful. Same quality, at a cheaper price. Is where we are.

Adkins didn’t “get it”. And, couldn’t translate it onto the pitch. Wilder “gets it”, and hasn’t yet translated it onto the pitch.

That, again, is progress (of sorts). A Manager who gets it. A cheaper team not taking the piss.

We want Goals & we want Points.

Today, I’m having a go at the movement & the anticipation. I watched the Rochdale players. When a United player had it, or was going for the ball, Rochdale were switched on. Alert. Looking where he might knock it. Already at pace to intercept it. Jockeying. Ready.

But, when a ball was knocked in to a Rochdale defender, he can just knock it back. Knowing the United players will be static & backfooted.

Cloudwater DIPA v6 on keg at 9%. The front foot.

349/753
15

Toxic

Rochdale 2 v Sheffield United 0

Saturday 27 February 2016

League 1

Played at Spotland Stadium

Twitter @ball_sup

Today’s Adkins quotient - 4/11 = 36% (I’ve chucked him Che in (plucked from non-league).

Rochdale is a nice drink if you want to just plot up & have a couple. I've done The Baum before. It's a great place. Bit of a schlep from the station, nearby pubs & the ground. Which has the advantage of it doesn't get rammed. I think it is essentially 7 on cask. I don't know what they've been up to. But, there were a few Weird Beard & Hammerton on.

Indeed, I went Hammerton, Life On Mars on cask at 4.6%. Full of flavour. From malts not hops. Wholesome. Chewy.

Then, Untapped, Border Bitter on cask at 3.8%. Good, straight ahead session strength bitter.

And, Banks, Sunbeam on cask at 4.2%. Nice beer. On the golden ale side of blonde.

Before The Baum, we'd been in The Flying Horse. (Which is on the 2016 CAMRA Guide). Perfectly decent place. I'd recommend it. I didn't count. Maybe 5 or 6 on cask. I went, Tudor, Skirrid Welsh Bitter on cask at 4.2%.

The match.

Sigh.

Toxic.

The players were booed off. And much worse. Chants about all sorts to do with The Board & The Money. Presumably, none of them are in the country to hear them.

Scuffling with the stewards & Plod. Flares & smoke bombs on the concourse at half time.

They set up three at the back & wingbacks again. Cuvelier making a start in midfield. To be fair. United bossed it in the first half. But, didn't/couldn't cash in.

The Dale caught on. Worked it out. And came into it.

United tired. Some fellas became anonymous. It's done.

Toxic.

283/585

The Baum, Rochdale

Rochdale 1 v Sheffield United 2

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

That all felt very rushed today. Tuesday night. Lots of traffic on the M62. Bit of a pfaff getting to the pub. And the knowledge it’d probably take 30 minutes from the pub to the seat in the ground. Firmly meant that it was difficult to enjoy the drink. I’ll deffo have to return to the scene of the crime at some point.

The pub was the excellent The Baum. CAMRA National Pub Of The Year in 2012. Great interior & lovely range of casks. A whacking 50p discount for CAMRA Members. I had the one. Lancaster Brewery, Tales From The Brewhouse, February 2015, American Hop at 4.4%. Spent my time enjoying it, not making notes. A nice intense bitterness. Great Beer.

Another win for The Blades on our travels. But, an odd, not much going on game. Bit of ebb. Bit of flo. Neither team sticking their mark on it. Very few standout players, and not a competent team effort either. United have just stuck their heads in front by having some quality for the goals. Although Brayford’s effort should really have been stopped by the Keeper.

Sorry, That’s all I’ve got.

93/217