04-02-2015, 11:14
Like many others travelled to the lane hoping for a miracle little believing we would pull off a rare win. Come 9.40pm not only had we won we had booked a match against some Manchester team who play in red apparently they have lots of supporters who live in London and a strange Dutch bloke as manager who wasn't a member of Focus or Golden Earing.
Seriously though this was a great performance by North End against a United side who had run Spurs close last week., apart from a 10 minute period when the Blades scored there was only one side in it.
North End should have been ahead very early on when Davies was played in by a defensive blunder, he should have scored but hit the inside of the post the ball cannoned across the face of goal to safety. At that point thought it was going to be one of those nights, but North End pounded the United goal with Laird going close.
In a rare United attack McNulty was inches away from scoring but all the action was down the other end.
Howard made two fine saves to deny Clarke and Laird and it was only a matter of time until the deadlock was broken. Against the run of play the Blades scored, there was more than a suggestion of handball in the build up but was not given, Murphy scored from 15 yards have to say not the greatest goalkeeping by Stuckmann. He redeemed himself shortly afterwards when deny the goalscorer with a fine one handed save.
Early Sheffield pressure came to nothing as North End began to dominate, Humphrys nearly converted a cross at the back post being denied by a great covering tackle. Then wham bam thank you mam, three goals in 15 minutes sealed the tie. Gallagher free kick, Huntington header from a corner then a Gallagher penalty. The 17000 Blades fans disguised as plastic red seats were stunned into silence whilst those sat on the seats started to trickle homewards.
Never really in danger although Stuckie made one late save, Garner made a cameo appearance as sub and life in the North End garden is suddenly rosy again, bring on United.
Sheffield United 1 Preston North End 3 Att 13000
Seriously though this was a great performance by North End against a United side who had run Spurs close last week., apart from a 10 minute period when the Blades scored there was only one side in it.
North End should have been ahead very early on when Davies was played in by a defensive blunder, he should have scored but hit the inside of the post the ball cannoned across the face of goal to safety. At that point thought it was going to be one of those nights, but North End pounded the United goal with Laird going close.
In a rare United attack McNulty was inches away from scoring but all the action was down the other end.
Howard made two fine saves to deny Clarke and Laird and it was only a matter of time until the deadlock was broken. Against the run of play the Blades scored, there was more than a suggestion of handball in the build up but was not given, Murphy scored from 15 yards have to say not the greatest goalkeeping by Stuckmann. He redeemed himself shortly afterwards when deny the goalscorer with a fine one handed save.
Early Sheffield pressure came to nothing as North End began to dominate, Humphrys nearly converted a cross at the back post being denied by a great covering tackle. Then wham bam thank you mam, three goals in 15 minutes sealed the tie. Gallagher free kick, Huntington header from a corner then a Gallagher penalty. The 17000 Blades fans disguised as plastic red seats were stunned into silence whilst those sat on the seats started to trickle homewards.
Never really in danger although Stuckie made one late save, Garner made a cameo appearance as sub and life in the North End garden is suddenly rosy again, bring on United.
Sheffield United 1 Preston North End 3 Att 13000
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?