Being able to get something from a game of football when you've not been at your best is something that separates the proverbial wheat from the proverbial chaff, so to see United come back from two goals down and secure a point that maybe should have been a win is encouraging to see from a team that is slowly but surely building momentum as we come towards the end of the first month of the season. The performance was very Jekyll and Hyde but all that matters at the end of the day is that we got something from the game. Let's get on with the review.
United were unchanged for the fourth game running and were looking to continue to impress after last week's mauling of Coventry United. United however, started the game fairly sluggishly and were under the cosh more or less from the off with Lewes looking more likely to open the scoring. The closest they came in the opening ten minutes was Kraft knocking wide after some pinball in our box. The Lewes striker really should have made more of the opportunity but the pressure continued and a Hartley foul in the area gave the hosts an ideal way to open the scoring. Dalton stepped up and slammed home leaving Davies stranded to give our hosts a deserved lead. The pressure continued from the hosts and Redfearn decided a change was needed as Wilson came on in place of Muir as we looked to get a foothold in the contest. United still struggled to assert themselves and after a mazy run from midfield, Stobbs picked her spot from just outside the box and doubled Lewes lead which was the least they deserved with United looking lost at sea. United did manage to rally a bit as the half came to a close with Sweetman-Kirk rising highest to meet a Lord-Mears cross but our no.7 saw her header loop high over the bar.United did strike the post just before the half ended with CSK going close again but the whistle blew to end a first half that I think everyone in a United shirt would rather forget with Lewes looking very good value for their lead. How would United turn this around? A spark of life was found four minutes after the restart after a RLM cross caught Mason in the box and bobbled past Whitehouse to give United a way back into the game. The Blades continued to search for an equaliser and Rayner saw a shot blocked and a Paul cross flashed into the area but was cleared before it could lead to anything dangerous. United's tails were up however and just before the 70 minute mark we had our equaliser! Lord-Mears put in another dangerous ball to the back post that Charlotte Newsham got onto the end of to tap home and get our second! After looking dead and buried at the half, United were now in the ascendency and perhaps should have had a third minutes later. A lofted cross from Paul was met in the middle by Newsham and our wing back coolly finished past Whitehouse in what appeared to be our third goal. Alas, Newsham was adjudged to be just offside but it was encouraging stuff from The Blades as we turned the tables on the hosts. As we entered the final ten minutes, United were fully in charge now with Cusack trying from distance but seeing her effort go straight at Whitehouse. United nearly won it twice at the death with a cracking pass from Rayner splitting the Lewes defence in half with Enderby timing her run in behind to perfection. With just the keeper to beat, Enderby's lofted volley just missed the net and as we slowly edged towards the conclusion, Sweetman-Kirk forced Whitehouse to pull off a cracking save to deny what would surely have been the winner. But the match ended all sqaure with a much improved second half performance seeing United stay unbeaten in three and get a first away point of the season. It really was night and day between the first and second half performances from United in Sunday's game. The first half was pretty woeful from a United perspective and is perhaps the worst half of football I've seen this team play. The direct play was not working with United not wanting to play through the midfield and Lewes picked us off almost at will. 2-0 flattered United a bit at the break with Lewes probably ruing missed chances, especially after the second half performance that United put in. To go from awful to fantastic to see from United and proves that you can never bet against this cohort of players. We could, and should, have won that game in the second period. Some unluckiness in regards to finishing and some cracking saves from Whitehouse denied United what would have been a hell of a comeback but would have vindicated a second half performance that was similar to how we've played in the games against Durham and Coventry. All in all, I think that this could be a very good point in the long run as we look to chase Bristol City in first place. We're now unbeaten in three after the opening day loss against Blackburn and go into the cup game against Durham surely buoyed by that second half performance. After the cup game against Durham, it's a big, big test against the aforementioned league leaders. Hopefully we can build more momentum against Durham and go into the Bristol City game with all guns blazing! 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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