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U23s Hang on to Defeat Blades
Tuesday, 29th Aug 2017 21:21

Luke Woolfenden (pictured), Danny Rowe and Ben Folami were on target as Town’s U23s held on to beat Sheffield United 3-2 at Portman Road, despite Bersant Celina missing a late penalty.

The visitors went closest to opening the scoring in an evenly balanced opening quarter of an hour with a header which was nodded wide at the near post.

But in the 15th minute Town took the lead via their first serious attempt on goal. Rowe sent over a corner from the right and Woolfenden stuck out a leg to divert the ball past Blades keeper Marcus Dewhurst to his left.

The visitors went close to an equaliser a minute later when defender Sam Graham headed over.

Soon after, Chris Smith was booked for impeding Dewhurst as he looked to clear the ball out quickly following a Town corner as rain began to fall heavily.

Then in the 27th minute Blades striker Jordan Hallam hit a low shot which fizzed across the wet turf, Michael Crowe doing well to save down to his right.

Blues striker Folami hit a low shot from distance which Dewhurst saved comfortably before Luke Hyam, playing the third U23 game as he returns from injury, got his name in the book for the latest in a succession of fouls.

On 35 Bersant Celina cut in from the left and hit a shot which deflected just over the bar, then four minutes later the Blues doubled their lead.

Folami beat Dewhurst to a ball played forward just outside the area on Town left. The Australian took the ball past the Blades keeper, then played inside to Ben Morris, who cut into the area before hitting a low cross to Rowe, who diverted home with the inside of his left heel.

Having secured their 2-0 lead the Blues grew in confidence and just before the half-time whistle Hyam struck a powerful volley from the edge of the area which rather fortunately deflected through to Dewhurst after Celina had cleverly picked him out with cross from the left.


The Blades went close two minutes after the restart, Hallam turning a bouncing ball not too far wide off a Town defender following a corner.

Crowe claimed the resultant flag-kick and threw it out quickly to Rowe, who brought it forward on the right before cutting across to Celina on the left from where he struck a low shot just wide.

Sheffield United pulled a goal back nine minutes after the restart, Graham heading a Hallam corner from the left into the ground and then the net despite Crowe’s valiant attempt to keep it out.

Adeyemi, who had put in a tidy and composed display in the centre of midfield in his first game of the season, was replaced by Adam McDonnell in the 61st minute in an evidently pre-planned change.

The Blades came close to an equaliser a minute later after Jake Bennett brought the ball forward from deep before hitting a low shot which deflected only just past Crowe’s right post.

The South Yorkshiremen were looking like they might get back on terms but on 68 Folami made it 3-1 to the Blues.

Rowe broke away and cut in from the right before feeding Folami who had run across him to his right. The Australian and Morris, who had made a similar run, almost got in one another’s way but the Sydney-born frontman turned the ball home off the keeper.

The two-goal lead lasted only seconds with the visitors pulling a goal back almost immediately. Crowe made two saves but was unable to stop a third effort from Oliver Greaves which also beat George Fowler on the line.

Hyam, who had put in a typically combative display, was replaced by James Blanchfield in the 71st minute, then four minutes later Bennett hit a low shot not too far wide of Crowe’s right post.

The Blades continued to look the more dangerous side, Hallam chesting a cross from the right across the face on 79, moments before Shane McLoughlin replaced Folami, who will have been happy with his goal and his role in Town’s second.

Seven minutes from time Hallam beat Crowe with a shot from the edge of the box but it cannoned down off the underside of the bar. Bennett was first to the loose ball but smashed well over from an angle on the right.

The Blades continued to press, main threat Hallam hitting a low shot through to Crowe, who had recovered after undergoing treatment having collided with a visitors’ attacker as he punched an earlier ball into the box.

The Town goal was under increasing pressure as the game moved into its final minutes. Crowe again saved from Hallam, then Fowler cleared the rebound off the line

The Blues had a golden chance to seal their second home win of the season in the final minute when Rowe, lively thoughout and a threat on the break, was tripped in the box after good work from Celina.

The Kosovo international took the kick and attempted a Panenka but appeared to lose his footing as he did so and the ball flew well over the bar and hit the stanchion holding up safety net behind the goal.

While one of the quirkier penalty misses - and one which will almost certainly do the rounds on social media - Celina would have deserved a goal for his work-rate as much as his skills during the 90 minutes.

Woolfenden tried to chip Dewhurst from distance during an increasingly frenetic final few minutes but the keeper got back to claim a ball which was looping wide in any case.

But it was the Blues’ goal under most pressure and in injury time Fowler turned a Bennett effort away from goal inside the six-yard box with Crowe beaten. However, the Town backline just about held on to claim the three points.

The Blues had looked comfortable in the first half at 2-0 but the Blades probably deserved a point on the strength of their second-half display with only some sharp saves from Crowe in difficult conditions for a keeper, some desperate defending and less than clinical finishing preventing them from taking something from the match.

U23s: Crowe, Woolfenden, Webber, Hyam (Blanchfield 71), Fowler, C Smith (c), Rowe, Adeyemi (McDonnell 61), Folami (McLoughlin 79), Celina, Morris. Subs: Clements, Wright, McLoughlin.

Sheffield United: Dewhurst, Bennett, Norrington-Davies, Ferguson, Graham, Cantrill, Gilmour, Doherty, Smith, Hallam, Greaves (Lawrence 83). Unused: Warhurst, Hawkes, Broadbent, Mason.


Photo: TWTD



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legoman added 21:31 - Aug 29
Really enjoyed that. Made up for saturday. Plenty of skill, determination and grit in the end. 3-3 would have been fair. Love these U23 games. Highly recommend them. Good crowd, good atmosphere.
3

miltonsnephew added 21:39 - Aug 29
Anyone for Jordan Hallam, sounds like Some player!!
0

SchancheITFC added 21:59 - Aug 29
Enjoyed that, good game. A lot of players looking good. Rowe good 2nd half.
2

12th_Man added 22:11 - Aug 29
Very enjoyable game what do you think the attendance was phil
1

Kentish_Tractor added 22:15 - Aug 29
I want to see this penalty miss!
1

PhilTWTD added 22:29 - Aug 29
12th_Man

Agree, was good fun, if not always the best quality. Not sure, difficult to tell from where I was. Seemed bigger than usual for the U23s.
3

revdrb added 23:17 - Aug 29
Really entertaining, plus my Daughter was delighted to gethe a Portman Pie
1

budgieplucker added 23:21 - Aug 29
I really enjoy the u23 games. It's a shame they can't play them all at Portman Road in the evenings. Think the report above was a good representation of the match, great to see Luke Hyam back and looking sharp. Celina just a delight to watch and full marks to Danny Rowe who I think in due course will prove to be a very solid signing. I think the u23 style of football was interrupted a little by essentially a first team midfield, but nevertheless some good football was still evident and some strong running. Agree in the end the blades were slightly unlucky to come away without a draw but a good entertaining 90 minutes with a responsive crowd with free entry to season ticket holders.
1

madmouse1959 added 01:25 - Aug 30
Yep, it was an entertaining game, especially the last 20 minutes. Well done to the team but they rode their luck near the end of the game......Also, a few of the Sheffield Utd players have certainly got a future in football. Was impressed with their left back and the big central defender. What was amusing was the big lad jumping up singing the first line of every song, he had the crowd entertained.
1

harlingblue added 02:51 - Aug 30
A thoroughly entertaining game with both sides providing exciting goalmouth action. That Sheffield team were no mugs and probably deserved a share of the spoils, bossing the game after the substitutions of Hyam, Adeyemi and Folami.
There were some excellent passages of play by the Town side, with players having a natural understanding of each others game, bodes well for an exciting future in which MM may have the delightful headache choosing his 1st team, once he has all members back in the office?
1

dirtydingusmagee added 11:17 - Aug 30
Celina may have got a cob on about not getting starts, but although he has shown some good stuff,he has also shown that he is not perhaps as good as he thinks or some others expect. He does need to earn his place, just coming in on loan from a Prem club is not a free pass to 1st eleven place at ITFC nor should it be . ANYWAY well done on the win lads .
1


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