There are some things that are certain in life. Death, taxes and more pertinently, Bex Rayner scoring absolute screamers for The Blades. Not only did Bex add to her ever expanding list of bangers, but she did it at the best time possible; right at the death with our hosts looking like they'd be clinging on to a slender lead. There really is nothing better than a last minute goal to get something out of a game, and it's even better if that goal is a piledriver from 30 yards. Before we talk about the goal, let's take a look at the game as a whole.
A new start to a new campaign saw a slew of new faces in the starting XI. Isobel Goodwin, Ash Hodson, Jodie Hutton and Ella Kinzett all started at The Valley with Bourne, Sigsworth, May, Alana Brown, Connolloy-Jackson and Adebowale-Arimoro all on the bench. Our hosts lined up with a strong starting XI with the pick of their line up being former West Ham midfielder Kate Longhurst playing her first game in The Championship after a career spent in the top tier of English football. Lining up in our very nice indeed bespoke away kit, the season started with both teams feeling each other out as there was very little to report about in the first 10 minutes. The next 10 minutes was when the game really came to life and saw the first goal of the game, unfortunately, it came for the hosts rather than United. A poor back pass to Stenson was latched onto by Green, who rounded Fran in goal and rolled home into an empty net to give The Addicks an early lead. United almost had an instant response through Ash Hodson who just couldn't quite touch home a great Rayner cross. From the resulting rebound, captain Barker put the ball over the bar from range. United kept pressing for the equaliser and nearly had it again with Hodson again going close! Rachel Brown laid on a cross for the former Liverpool midfielder who narrowly turned the ball over the bar in what was a mad ten minutes for the contest. The game lulled a little bit after this with both teams weighing up their next moves with spells of possession. The contest was brought back to life just after the half hour mark with United going close again. Goodwin chased down what looked like a lost cause, but fortune favours the brave and her block on Rogers attempted clearance cannoned off of our new number ten and bounced towards the net... Unfortunately, the good fortune of the block was all we got with the ball bouncing just wide of the post! That was more or less that for the first period of play with an even stevens first period seeing United have some good opportunities, but just not quite being able to convert what had been created. United came out of the blocks quicker than our hosts as we searched for an equaliser. A slew of corners were repelled by a mixture of Charlton defenders and Rogers in goal with the closest we went to equalising being a mis-punch from the keeper that was agonisingly cleared off the line! The pressure from United continued as we headed past the half hour mark with United finding Rogers in inspired form to deny a whole flurry of efforts with a set of cracking saves. United went close again just before we entered the last twenty with Haywood's effort from distance kissing the crossbar with Rogers off her line slightly. Rogers was at it again minutes later, denying Goodwin from close range with a very smart block to deny our new signing a first goal in Blades colours. The game became a little bit end to end with Charlton going close to getting a second which was denied via a very good block from Charlotte Newsham keeping us alive. Saving a goal at one end was almost met with an equaliser at the other for Newsh with her effort from very close range minutes after her block being blocked itself by the ever imposing Rogers. Tara Bourne was denied from a good corner delivery and Barker went even closer minutes later with a curling effort from distance that Rogers was equal to. As we entered added time at the end of the 90, it looked like it would take something very special indeed to beat Rogers. Thankfully, in Bex Rayner we got exactly that. Picking up the ball from a Charlton defender after some dogged harrying, Bex took aim from about 30 yards and hammered the ball past Rogers to get the Blades a belated equaliser! If you've not seen this goal already, go out of your way to see it now... Right now. Go on, I can wait... You've seen it? What a goal, and goals like that are the norm for Bex. Pretty sure the clubs Twitter page has video archive of the stunners that Bex has scored over the past couple of years for United. We can add this one to the collection most definitely and what a time to score another banger. As the game entered 8 minutes of added time, the game became very basketball-y indeed with both teams going for the win. With a minute left, Charlton broke down the wing with a two on one situation unfolding. Working the ball into the middle, that two on one became a one on one with just Stenson to beat. Our returning no.1 stood tall and produced a superb block to deny Charlton what looked like a nailed on winner. The ball was cleared and that was your lot for the contest with United unlucky to not have a win, but also slightly lucky not to lose right at the death. It's fair to say Sunday was a seesaw contest but, at the end of the day, we're off the mark ahead of the visit of Sunderland to The Lane this weekend and, in a league that looks like it could be anybody's to win this year, getting points on the board early doors is very crucial indeed. Get down to The Lane if you can this Sunday to support the team and I'll hopefully see you there! Until next time, UTB.
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AuthorHi my name is John and i will be giving my thoughts on the blades matches and all blades related news in this section Archives
November 2022
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