Back To The Future

Sheffield United U18 1 v Millwall U18 0

U18 Professional Development League

Saturday 13 August 2022

Played at Shirecliffe

SUFC 2022/23 Game #5

So (I hope) you will never find me being disparaging about bars. I've been in a few because I am a beer drinker. I'm low maintenance. I'll suffer any indignity heaped on me by the bar if there's one decent beer on. Themed bars. Yep. I've seen a few. One of the best beer destinations in Birmingham is Tilt, a Pinball themed bar.

Today's bar pushed the beer buttons. Five keg on. Including "local favourites" Abbeydale Heathen & Thornbridge Green Mountain. Camden Hells & Staropramen for the brandsters. Varied clientele in. Some Tats & Beard hipsters. Maybe drawn in by The Theme.

Oh. The Theme. Sheffield Working Men's Club stroke Social Club. Yepididoody. Cultural Appropriation.

Neepsend Social Club & Canteen

92 Unit, 2 Burton Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8DA

Velvet covered low stools. Formica covered tables. Functional leatherette chairs. Brown wood veneer walls. Matching "g plan" furniture. OK. Up to them. (Real Social Clubs are of course closing left & right). Cheap (but, of course, actually expensive) Holidays In Other People's Misery.

Front courtyard. Booths on the left. Bar on the right. School dinner tables & benches. (nb never fucking seen them in a Social Club via my own eyes, but presumably that's the "and Canteen" bit). And dartboard & table football "games room" down the back. Go down yourself & have a look. Beer's good.

Full Circle Brew Co (Newcastle), Rotator, Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale on Keg at 5.2%

Idaho 7 & Citra on the sheet. Pineapple cube sweets come late. After maybe a hint in the initial guzzle. I wouldn't say the hops are doing much other than providing that thick juice.

And, indeed from the site of a new fake Social Club. To the site of an old (failed) real Social Club.

Scrappy, but passionate game up at Shirecliffe. A lot of these lads will have recently signed as Scholars. A good few will be making the step up to U18 for the first team. Today, they're a band of brothers. That passion fully justified. Chest bumps for headed clearances. Primordial screams for last ditch tackles. Ditto the Millwall lads. Both teams thinking - fuck the marathon of the league - we're here - now.

Another Callum (Yam) in goal. Setting up as a Back Four (as usual). But, of course, now mirroring how the First Team play (booooooom - Mic Drop). Jack Waldron, Levis Pitan, Ben Drake, Mekhi Haughton-Parris.

Fairly fluid in front of that lot. The little bit more experienced Owen Hampson anchoring. Stafford Clarke on the right. George Dickinson on the left. Occasionally with Billy Blacker pushed very wide left. Sam Aston as a pushed up midfielder. Johnny Oluleye as a striker, with Blacker when he wasn't out wide.

Oluleye caught the attention early on. He's a big strong lad. Powerful and very willing to try & run in behind defenders. Pitan & Drake looked calm & sure. There really weren't many chances in the first half. A lot of hustle & bustle. But, also a few good combinations. A great interchange on the right (27 mins) between Waldron & Clarke ended with Sam Aston shooting into the keeper's hands.

Earlier, a worked corner on 10 saw United line up a block chain on the edge of the box. The cross deliberately sailed over that lot for Waldron to volley (miles over). Blacker had a right footer flash wide on 16.

Millwall started the second half on the front foot. On just 40 seconds, it took a great save by Yam to keep it nils. I think both teams were tiring in the heat. Some players seeming to disappear. But, maybe that opened it up a bit. Kurtis Havenhand replaced Oluleye on 60. There is a LOT to like about how Kurtis plays the game. Enthusiastic, looking to be involved, putting himself about.

As things opened up, Millwall had a good spell of pressure, hit the post & it was scrambled for a corner.

More or less immediately, the Young Blades had a great chance. A long cross field ball leaving Aston in acres at the back post. His tame poke was effectively a back pass to the 'wall keeper (FFS).

On 81 minutes, United sub Kylan Midwood (on for Clarke) had space & so much time in the box, middle of the goal. Looked easier to score than miss. But, he thunderbastarded it over the top.

Anyway. Just one minute later. King Kurt got it sorted. A good deep cross from Jack Waldron out right. It looked like red n white striped (including the back) shirts were queuing up. Havenhand climbed. Bit of hang time if I'm not mistaken. Good contact. Headed it down. One Nil.

There was still time for more good saves from Yam as Millwall chucked the lot in for a late equaliser.

I'm just going to come for the last ten minutes next time.

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