United 1-0 Wednesday

Date:  Saturday 3rd December

Venue: Bramall Lane, Sheffield

Former-Owl Alan Quinn scored a 24th minute goal to seperate the two sides in the steel city derby as United ran out 1-0 winners at Bramall Lane.

Wednesday more than matched the blades with a spirited second half display, but failed to create any clear cut chances in front of goal. Burton O'Brien and Daryl Murphy came closest, and David Graham had a goal chalked off by the referee.

Paul Sturrock brought Richard Wood back in to the centre of defence in place of Drissa Diallo, and new signing Peter Gilbert made his debut for the Owls at left back. Richie Partridge continued on the right hand side of midfield, and Glenn Whelen partnered Craig Rocastle centre midfield. David Graham and Daryl Murphy were given the job of breaking down the defence.

Fresh from rumours of taking the managers job at Portsmouth, Neil Warnock included ex-Owls Alan Quinn and Leigh Bromby in the United team. Derek Geary was on the bench. Neil Shipperly partnered Steve Kabba in attack.

With the blades pushing for promotion and Wednesday looking to avoid the drop, fans from the red and white side of Sheffield had warned that a thrashing was on the cards, and United began the game as though they were going to inflict one.

Wednesday didn't know what hit them in the fourth minute, when Kabba should have put the hosts ahead. He miscued his shot from just five yards out to the relief of the 4,500 Wednesday fans.

Uniteds pace in attack was giving Wednesday the run-around through Kabba, Webber, and Quinn, and the Wednesday defence were struggling to cope with the threat.

The breakthrough finally came on 24 minutes when Quinn found himself unmarked at the edge of the box to slot the ball home. There was a hint of offside about the goal as the ball seemed to hit Neil Shipperly on it's way in, but referee Beeby deemed it not to be interfearing with play.

After the goal United seemed happy to sit back and soak up whatever Wednesday had to throw at them.

On-loan striker Daryl Murphy shot inches wide after smartly creating an opening for himself just before half time. His shot from the edge of the box left Paddy Kenny rooted to the spot, but went inches wide of levelling for the Owls.

Paul Sturrock made no changes to the team in the second half, which was a drastic improvement on the first as far as Wednesday were concerned.

The Owls were having the lions share of the play, and restricted the hosts to long range efforts.

Their only threat came on the 62nd minute when Rob Kozluk looked to have been felled in the penalty box. Referee Beeby waved away play though, as Kozluk seemed to make a mountain out of a molehill.

Wednesday were pushing for the equaliser and seemed to be taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Chris Eagles was brought on to replace the impressive Richie Partridge on the right wing, while Craig Rocastle was replaced in the centre by the more adventurous Burton O'Brien.

And it was O'Brien who nearly got the equaliser for Wednesday with just 20 minutes to go. Glenn Whelen found the ex-Livingston man unmarked at the edge of the box, and his shot went inches wide, much the same as Murphy's first half effort.

Eagles fresh legs were giving Kozluk a hard time at right back. The on-loan Manchester United man was running at the defence and giving Wednesday a different option down the right hand side. His neat dribbling forced a succession of corners in front of the Wednesday fans, who were still singing their hearts out despite being a goal down.

A cross from Eagles then found the head of David Graham, who found the back of the net only to find his goal scratched off due to a foul by Graham Coughlan.

The game was looking beyond the reach of Wednesday despite an encouraging second half. Chris Brunt had a decent effort saved by Kenner in the final minute from a free-kick.

United held on to record a below-par victory, but Paul Sturrock will be encouraged by the second half display and will want to take that in to the vital relegation six-pointer with Hull City next week.

Roll on February 18th - Derby Day 2.

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WW Man Of The Match:  Richard Wood

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Sheffield United

Kenny, Bromby, Short, Kozluk, Unsworth, Jagielka, Webber (Ifill 76), Quinn, Montgomery, Shipperley (Pericard 81), Kabba (Tonge 90).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Geary.

Wednesday:

Weaver, Coughlan, Wood, Simek, Gilbert, Whelan, Brunt, Partridge (Eagles 59), Rocastle (O'Brien 65), Murphy, Graham.
Subs Not Used: Lee, Adamson, Agbonlahor.

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Paul Sturrock told the official SWFC site:

 

 

Paul Sturrock told BBC Sport:

"Some of our players couldn't handle the rigours or the excitement of the match.

"It would've been very easy for some of the younger ones to capitulate.

"But I thought in the second half if there were any bragging rights to be had, we just shaded it."

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Attendance:  30,558

Referee:   R Beeby (8/10)

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