Last Tuesday saw Sheffield United return to the recognizable position of second place in League One, with a 4-1 victory over struggling Chesterfield under the floodlights at Bramall Lane.
The Blades came into the game fresh from having the weekend off, while Chesterfield secured victory in the glorious sunshine at Wembley against League Two high flyers Swindon. The Blades made only one change from the thumping 5-2 victory at Notts County the week before, with Marcus Williams coming in for Harry Maguire; sidelined due to a virus. Chesterfield made several changes as the energy sapping Wembley surface took its toll on some of their players.
The game started with misplaced passes from both teams, with no one being able to take advantage in the midfield and really control the game, and it was difficult to see which team had the weekend off. The first real quality in the game came from the right, with Lowton surging forward from right back, laying the ball in to Williamson, with the latter holding the ball up before lifting the ball back to Lowton, who had continued his run, and after chesting the ball down superbly, hit a fierce full volley, forcing goalkeeper Lee to make a near save at the near post. This followed with a spell of possession and a smattering of chances for the visitors, with Bowtry and Thompson both going close.
But the deadlock was broken by the Blades several minutes before half time. Quinn laid the ball back to Williams down the left, with the full back crossing first time into the box, with Evans cleverly placing the ball to the unmarked Williamson, who fired home a full volley from eight yards out. The United faithful would have been excused for thinking the Blades would now go into half time with the advantage, but that only lasted 5 minutes before the Spireites were level. A poor clearance saw the ball headed back into the United half, with the ball being played to Franck Moussa, who advanced unchallenged before unleashing a shot from the edge of the box past Simonsen.
The game went in to the break all-level, with the momentum surely to be with Chesterfield after scoring just before half time. But it was the home team who came out all guns blazing and were rewarded with a penalty on 47 minutes. McDonald playing in Evans, who, after letting the ball run, was fouled by Mendy on the edge of the box, with the referee showing no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Ched dispatched the penalty in clinical fashion, with United surely demoralising their opponents so soon after half time. United then made it three ten minutes later, with a simple free-kick at the side of the box rolled to Evans, who lost his marker and side-footed home from ten yards out.
The Blades were now clearly in control, with Chesterfield looking exhausted from their trip to London. The rout was complete only three minutes later, with Evans completing a second half hat trick with quite possibly the best of the bunch. A ball that looked like it would reach Evans at his feet with back to goal was dummied by the Welshman, and turning his marker who was way too close, ran the ball into the box and smashed the ball home from a tight angle to make it thirty for the season.
United then went into the weekend game again in third, as an early Wednesday kick off saw them leapfrog them back in second with a 2-0 win over Preston at Hillsborough. But by the time the 3 o’clock kick off’s were classified, United were back in the automatic promotion places, thanks again to Ched Evans. A scrappy game at Hartlepool on a shocking pitch saw United snatch victory with a late penalty. Evans receiving the ball in the box, was blatantly pulled over by the Hartlepool defence, giving the referee little option other than to point to the spot. Evans then stepped up to take the penalty, and in such a great run of form, it was hardly surprising to see him send the keeper the wrong way, and send United back to second.
Two great wins now gives momentum back to the Blades after a string of somewhat negative results with draws against Tranmere and Colchester. It seems that defences are struggling for ideas in how to contain United’s attacking options, most notably Ched. It is this kind of form that has seen the Blades become the highest scorers in the entire Football League, and third highest in Europe behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. I am not for one moment putting United in the same league as these teams, but the achievement should not go unnoticed, with huge praise going to manager Danny Wilson, who has turned the Blades into an attacking force, a far cry from the goal shy team of the Championship last year.
Wilson now has practically a full strength squad to pick from for the run in, which will be vital. All round passing and keeping possession has improved tenfold since McDonald had been back, whilst the clean sheet against Hartlepool will have delighted the boss. And with United in a rich vein of scoring form, it is difficult to see which teams are going to trouble United.
I did predict that the visit to MK Dons at the end of April would be a potential banana skin, but they themselves have seemed to fall away in recent weeks, and can largely consider themselves out of the race for an automatic spot. By then, United will be hoping that the Dons will have safely secured a playoff spot, and will have one eye on keeping key players fresh for whoever they come up against.
Meanwhile, to more immediate concerns, United will be eager to win at the weekend as Wednesday face a crunch match away at Huddersfield, with a draw suiting the Blades superbly. Even a Huddersfield win would be gratefully received, as a United win would see the gap widen to five points.
But as we have learnt from this season in League One, nothing seems to go to plan, and there will be no counting eggs from the United manager, who will expect nothing less than victory against Bournemouth this weekend.
By Sheffield United blogger Will Ollett. You can follow him on Twitter for more Sheffield United discussion.
[ad_pod id=’writer-2′ align=’right’]