Guileless Blades unable to impress new arrivals
SHEFFIELD UNITED 0
FLEETWOOD TOWN 2
AS NEW signings James Hanson and Jay O’Shea were paraded in front of an appreciative Bramall Lane prior to kick-off, few could have imagined Sheffield United’s night had already peaked.
But that was the crushing reality come the final whistle, as goals from Fleetwood Town’s Conor McLaughlin and Devante Cole condemned the Blades to a second defeat in three outings.
United could have few complaints at losing, their efforts being laboured for much of proceedings against Uwe Rosler’s well-drilled side.
Too many players in red and white were below par, as basic mistakes and poor decision making abounded on a frustrating night for all but the 133 members of the Cod Army in the 19,012 crowd.
Manager Chris Wilder’s men still top League One. But this was a big opportunity squandered and Bolton Wanderers, sitting third in the table, now have three games to make inroads into the seven-point advantage held by the Yorkshire outfit.
Phil Parkinson’s men have the first opportunity to do that this weekend when Charlton Athletic head to the Macron.
Second-placed Scunthorpe United are also at home against Port Vale on Saturday and the Blades must hope their main rivals for automatic promotion suffer a stumble similar to the one that befell the league leaders last night.
United are next in action on February 4, and on this showing both Hanson and O’Shea must fancy their chances of being named in the starting XI against AFC Wimbledon.
Hanson, in particular, would surely have been able to make more of the long balls and crosses that were pumped deep into Fleetwood territory ad infinitum last night.
Ashley Eastham and Cian Bolger, both imperious in the centre of defence, dealt easily with the aerial threat, as did goalkeeper Alex Cairns. It would, though, surely have been a different story had the £150,000 signing from Bradford City been up front.
O’Shea, too, would surely have brought more creativity to the leaders than was evident against an impressive Fleetwood.
United simply lacked sufficient guile to trouble unduly a side who have crept into the playoff places under the radar in recent weeks.
There was, it should be said, a huge element of good fortune about Fleetwood’s opening goal in the 20th minute.
Bobby Grant was undoubtedly shooting at goal from 30 yards, but his effort was so wayward it quickly turned into a precise ‘pass’ for Conor McLaughlin.
The finish was exemplary, Simon Moore in the home goal standing no chance as the ball flew past him into the net.
But, as fortunate as Grant had been to find a team-mate with such a wretched effort on goal, United could not complain about being behind at the break after an opening 45 minutes that saw Moore twice pull off vital saves to deny Wes Burns.
The first of those impressive saves came in the 14th minute, Burns turning smartly inside the Blades’ penalty area before seeing his shot deflected behind by Moore’s legs.
He was denied again six minutes before the interval, a neat passing move having opened up the United defence with alarming ease.
Burns, with just Moore to beat, took a touch before thundering a shot goalwards that the United goalkeeper did brilliantly to block.
The hope for United as Wilder made two substitutes at the start of the second half was that Moore’s double save would prove crucial.
However, despite the hosts displaying more purpose on the restart and creating several half chances, there was no way through a determined Fleetwood defence.
Billy Sharp did bring two decent saves from Alex Cairns, the first from a snapshot and the second a drilled effort from 20 yards that the former Leeds United trainee held at the second attempt.
Daniel Lafferty also headed over from a Kieron Freeman cross when well placed but, by then, the visitors had already doubled their advantage.
Devante Cole did the damage with a cute lobbed finish over Moore after latching onto a woeful attempted back header from Etan Ebanks-Landell.
After that, there was to be no way back for the hosts.
A goal-kick from Moore with five minutes remaining that sailed straight into touch 10 yards inside his own half was the cue for hundreds of dejected home fans to accept the inevitable and head for the exits.
3 Number of games in hand that Bolton Wanderers have on Sheffield United, with the latter ahead by seven points.