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FULL TIME: CHARLTON ATHLETIC 1 SHEFFIELD UNITED 0
Ched Evans on the attack for Sheffield United
SHEFFIELD United fell to a free kick from Jonnie Jackson, the same player whose free kick defeated Sheffield Wednesday just seven days previously.
In-form players, two clubs who not so many moons ago were locking horns in the Premiership and managers bristling with belief and confidence.
Today’s match at The Valley - a showdown between, before kick-off at least, the division’s top-ranked teams - contained all the ingredients for a classic League One encounter.
Predictably a sizeable crowd converged upon this corner of the capital to witness leaders Charlton Athletic lock horns with second-placed Sheffield United.
The vast majority of which expected to witness Chris Powell’s side consolidate their position at the head of the queue for an automatic return to the Championship.
It was United, though, who came the closest to obliging their fans during the early exchanges when McDonald clipped over the bar following third minute short-corner routine.
Nevertheless, this proved to be a cagey affair until Jackson handed Charlton the lead, as he did against Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday.
Maguire stopped Wright-Phillips in his tracks with a crunching tackle and United, showing a willingness to pass their way out of trouble, came within a whisker of sending Evans clean through when Quinn produced a near perfect 10th minute pass.
On the pitch, there has been little to separate these two rivals in recent weeks.
Off it, though, they have adopted very different tactics in the bid to recapture former glories.
Charlton, having emerged from a period of financial turmoil, embarked on a wholesale makeover of their playing staff on the eve of the season.
United, by stark contrast, travelled south with the majority of the squad that suffered the indignity of relegation last term still intact.
The secret of Danny Wilson’s success has been coaxing the best out of footballers whose pride had taken a terrible battering in the months leading up to his appointment following Micky Adams’ departure in May.
NUnited, though, were stopped in their tracks when JACKSON looped a free-kick over the wall and beyond a despairing Simonsen after Collins had been penalised for a foul 25 yards out.
United, who could be forgiven for feeling slightly aggrieved at the setback following a positive if not perfect start, responded with a long-range effort of their own.
But Williamson’s 26th minute set-piece - after Wiggins had been cautioned for hauling down Evans - was palmed around the foot of the post by Hamer.
Cresswell caressed the ball home in the 33rd minute but was adjudged offside and Pritchard made a terrible hash of a volley at the other end of the pitch.
With Charlton gathering momentum, Jean-Francois’s poor 50th minute header presented Green with a chance but he shot straight at Simonsen.
Green did exactly the same less than 60 seconds later but, on this occasion, the United goalkeeper was forced to parry due to the ferocity of the strike.
Evans, struggling to escape the shackles of Taylor and Morrison, saw his route through blocked by the Charlton centre-halves after Doyle’s raking crossfield pass.
McDonald, adopting a more industrious approach, attempted to barge rather than bewitch his way into the area in the 58th minute but was again shepherded out.
Williamson and Quinn both whipped in corners in quick succession and when Hamer fumbled the latter’s effort, the crowd held their breath when the ball fell at Evans’ feet.But he could only blast over the bar and was left punching the air in frustration.
Wilson cajoled and encouraged from the touchline but while his players had enjoyed plenty of possession, for once they were struggling to complete that key final ball.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Comments
There are 80 comments to this article
Page 1 of 6
Thorne Blade
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 03:28 PMThe Pigs r back @63, "one day our ground will be full again." It never was full throughout the Fat Ron or Francis years which were your best ones in modern times.
KEEP THE FAITH BLADES
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 03:05 PMAhhhh steelcityblue ...You the bloke from gleadless valley now living in lincolnshire right ? Heard about you on here ....
roy 50
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 01:50 PMA United report and comments about the match and then it gets hijacked by wendies and attendences again, what a surprise. Change the record, its getting boring. It dont matter how many you get through the gates boys, you dont get any more points. Grow up
Gerimo
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 12:14 AMIf you look at the posts,the Blades fans brought it up about attendances,when you state the facts they complain we talk about it.The fact is Wednesday are the best supported team in the league,cannot be disputed.There isn't the thickness of a sheet of paper between 2nd 3rd & 4th it's going to the wire as they say.Think the final week of transfer window will be interesting,Spurs have bid £12m for Rhodes,it's going to be difficult for them to turn it down.
Flotter
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 11:17 PMCheddar Vans with his invisible lover in the photo? Sorry Ched, too obvious. Oh Canada, your sad attempts with the pig farm are old hat mate and totally dis-proven. Don't even pretend that it's a wind up, you know you are pigs and always have been, but no need to get so upset about it. Pigs are lovely animals. Footy wise 2nd place is a 4 way coin toss because we are all as good or as bad as each other.
silverblade
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 08:54 PMCalm down steely your'e getting carried away again, what were that about Elvis is it true.....?int Maggie still prime minister either o heck what's happened,:--).....
doggtheveryspecialdeputy
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 08:04 PMDoes No mean Yes in Welsh??
therealdealsteel
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 08:04 PMAll these blunts on here stating ' A draw would have been a fair result'... wtf.. how can you tell this from 4 mins of highlights on TFLS... divvies!!!
therealdealsteel
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 08:00 PMhey Paul.. don't spoil Canheads day. He lives in a remote place and still thinks the blunts have currie and woodworm.. and for God's sake do not tell him Elvis is dead.. there will be chaos
therealdealsteel
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 07:56 PMPost 69.. Canead blunt.. appropriate number ( dik in mouth) ...... such swill as normal.. For one, we had 5k at the stain and 11k at the beam back... will you do a beam back.. OH NO you won't. Second... drivel about a pig farm, blah blah............ show 1 bit of evidence of the net or stfu stupid ... try thickopedia, it may help you,,, You are hand-me-down utd.. live with it
UTB FTO
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 07:41 PMon about crowds again , my dads bigger than your dad , is it any wonder why ALL clubs take the mickey out of the wendys ,comedy club, as for the blades we are playing really good footie and will be up there at the end of the season with mk and hudders UTB
KEEP THE FAITH BLADES
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 05:57 PMGerimo...Do those figures include the ripped off shareholders who are getting free season tickets for life and also the numerous pig for a £1 matches you seem to be having every 4th week ...Just asking like ;) POST 61---Always on here Paul win or lose but its all been pretty silly lately so stay at a distance and laugh at how grown men act thier shoe sizes..That ok with you mate ? POST 63---Yes you moved to the former site of a pig farm and left us the prime city centre land worth 10 times more than the proposed WC stadium hahahaha And only time its full is when the Blades take over 7,000 there and the missing fickle owls come to see us
silverblade
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 04:51 PMOk but remember last tme we were both in the championship your gate was way behind us only Derby had more, think you were about halfway down....
Gerimo
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 04:44 PMDid you?
silverblade
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 04:42 PMBig deal germ, did you top it last season hey? thuoght not and drop more point's like yesterday & your gate will tumble just like yesterday's
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