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Post by markscfc72 on Dec 5, 2007 0:29:12 GMT
can only find the sporting life one yet
By Mark Walker, PA Sport
Sheffield United were booed off the pitch as Stoke cashed in on some farcical defending to underline their play-off credentials at Bramall Lane.
A comedy of errors gifted Tony Pulis' Potters three goals inside 18 minutes as strikes from Richard Cresswell and Ryan Shawcross sandwiched James Beattie's inexplicable own goal.
The Blades are struggling to mount a concerted challenge under Bryan Robson this season and the frustrated home faithful left this latest setback in droves well before the final whistle.
Stoke took full advantage of another jittery Bramall Lane display from Robson's side to secure a third successive Coca-Cola Championship win and gain revenge on United, who snatched three points at the Britannia Stadium last month.
Stoke could have added to their first-half haul and looked the more likely to increase their lead on the counter-attack after the break as the Blades' ever-more frenzied attempts to salvage something from the wreckage floundered.
Robson's side were hoping to improve their poor home record of three league wins on the back of successive away victories, but have lost all momentum after their meek first-half surrender.
United made the worst possible start when Shawcross' ball into the penalty area found Liam Lawrence in acres of space at the far post and his low cross was side-footed home by Cresswell with barely 90 seconds on the clock.
The Blades fans had barely found their voices again when Lawrence swung over a free-kick into the area and Beattie, unchallenged, headed the ball into the top corner of his own net.
And it got worse for Robson's side in front of a disbelieving crowd thanks to more woeful Blades defending.
Former Sunderland winger Lawrence was again the provider, his corner headed goalwards by by Leon Cort and deflected over the goalline by Shawcross in the 18th minute.
Robson sent on striker Jon Stead for midfielder Nick Montgomery five minutes later, but although United pressed to pull one back, Fuller was inches away from adding a fourth for Stoke on the break when heading another Lawrence cross inches over the target.
Blades skipper Gary Naysmith then denied Mamady Sidibe with a brave block before half-time to thwart another swift Potters counter-attack.
Stoke sent on Gabriel Zakuani for defender Andy Wilkinson just after the restart and Stephen Quinn replaced Naysmith soon after.
Naysmith handed the captain's armband to Beattie, who forced Stoke goalkeeper Steve Simonsen to hold a towering header from Quinn's cross.
United huffed and puffed but made little headway against Stoke's big no-nonsense defence, while Ricardo Fuller and Sidibe carried menace when the visitors broke forward.
Fuller in particular was proving a handful and he forced Kenny into a smart save after wriggling free inside the box.
The Blades then had their first clear-cut chance of the second half when Tonge's angled shot following Bardsley's through-ball was smothered by Simonsen.
But they failed to trouble the Stoke goalkeeper further and Robson clearly has plenty of work to do if United are to bounce back to the Barclays Premier League at the first attempt.
Teams:
Sheff Utd Kenny, Bardsley (Sharp 79), Kilgallon, Cahill, Naysmith (Stephen Quinn 55), Gillespie, Montgomery (Stead 23), Tonge, Armstrong, Beattie, Carney.
Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Lucketti.
Booked: Armstrong.
Stoke Simonsen, Pugh, Cort, Wilkinson (Zakuani 52), Shawcross, Eustace, Delap (Dickinson 90), Lawrence, Cresswell, Fuller, Sidibe (Parkin 88).
Subs Not Used: Hoult, Pericard.
Booked: Pugh.
Goals: Cresswell 2, Beattie 7 og, Shawcross 19.
Att: 23,378
Ref: Steve Tanner (Somerset).
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Post by markscfc72 on Dec 5, 2007 0:30:33 GMT
i see the ref was changed last minute then, it was supposed to be chris foy
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Post by Davef on Dec 5, 2007 0:40:26 GMT
Thought the ref did pretty well to be honest. He should've booked Kilgallon when he fouled Mama and then compounded that mistake by giving Danny Pugh a yellow for a similar offence moments later. Fortunately, he let Pugh off after a second foul towards the end of the first half with the home fans baying for blood.
By the way, what a whinging bunch the Sheff United lot are. Is that what a season in Premiership does? They appealed for absolutely everything.
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Post by markscfc72 on Dec 5, 2007 0:44:01 GMT
ah, just had a look on soccerbase, it was the same ref we had at cardiff opening day of the season, thats the only 2 games he has reffed us, hes certainly welcome to again, hes got a 100% winning record
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Post by JoeinOz on Dec 5, 2007 0:45:05 GMT
The whole WHU points deducted situation seems to have given them a permanent sense of grievance. They just aren't good enough. Although Beattie scored a cracker tonight. Well worth 4m.
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Post by markscfc72 on Dec 5, 2007 0:46:11 GMT
this from bbc
Sheff Utd 0-3 Stoke Sheffield United were booed off the pitch as Stoke cashed in on some poor defending with a comfortable win. The Potters were gifted three goals inside 18 minutes with Richard Cresswell opening the scoring after 90 seconds as he slotted home a low cross.
It got worse for United as James Beattie rose unchallenged to head a free kick into his own net.
Ryan Shawcross made it three with a goal from close range to complete a miserable evening for the Blades.
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Sheffield United manager Bryan Robson on his players being barracked: "There is no excuse when people talk about lack of confidence because the crowd are getting on your backs. You've got to be big enough. "It is up to the players to have that mental strength and inner strength to get on the ball and play.
"The fans want us to succeed. We need to give them something to cheer about."
Stoke manager Tony Pulis on a good few days for his club: "It's been a good week for us. "We got a great FA Cup draw against Newcastle, so the place is buzzing - everything is buoyant
"The players are showing that by their effort and commitment.
"We haven't got the quality we had last year, but these lads have great commitment."
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Post by markscfc72 on Dec 5, 2007 6:21:55 GMT
report from the Sun
By MICHAEL MORGAN
BRYAN ROBSON’S bungling Blades were booed off after another dose of homesickness.
Stoke smashed three goals in a devastating first 19 minutes.
Robbo’s side have won only three of their 10 league games at Bramall Lane so far this term.
And that is hardly the form to take Sheffield United straight back into the Premier League.
They huffed and puffed in a bid to salvage something from the wreckage. But most of the home fans left in droves long before the final whistle — and those that stayed let Robbo know their feelings.
Robson said: “I don’t know about the fans being frustrated, I was.
“It is a little bit of a concern because that’s the last two games we’ve been beaten at home and for different reasons.
“This was a real disappointment — not least because the players had been told beforehand to concentrate at set plays.
“But they did exactly the opposite and we were punished for it.
“There are no excuses when people talk about lack of confidence because the crowd are getting on your backs a bit. You’ve got to be big enough. We’ve got 25,000 fans at most games and we’ve got to give them something to shout about.”
Tony Pulis’ side are not everybody’s cup of tea with their physical, up-and-at-’em style.
Dozy defence
But there is no question they are mighty effective — especially up front where Richard Cresswell, Mamady Sidibe and Ricardo Fuller are a real handful.
The trio — plus tricky Liam Lawrence — were too much for United’s dozy defence to cope with in that breathtaking opening spell.
Cresswell tapped in Stoke’s first goal from two yards in only the second minute after Lawrence had played him in.
Five minutes later Lawrence arrowed a free-kick into United’s box and United’s 12-goal leading scorer James Beattie was desperately unlucky to see the ball skim off the top of his head and into the back of his own net.
And there was also an element of good fortune about the third, too, as Leon Cort’s header bounced in off team-mate Ryan Shawcross’ thigh.
Stoke are on a four-match unbeaten run and have won the last three on the bounce, hoisting themselves to the lofty heights of fifth place in the Championship.
That is clearly promotion form — yet boss Pulis refuses to hail his team as potential top-flight material just yet.
He insisted: “We’re really buzzing at the moment. But it is too early to say whether we will be there or thereabouts when the promotion issue is decided.
“Right now, we are playing to our strengths and getting results and the lads have really got the bit between their teeth.
“But I think our chances of being in contention to go up will all depend on how we fare over the Christmas period.”
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Post by daverichards on Dec 5, 2007 8:35:50 GMT
nice one mark
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