An own goal by John Mousinho was the only thing between the two sides in a desperately poor game. The home side never really got going but did enough to nose the visitors; that are now are on the verge of dropping down to League Two. United know they still have a slight hope of the playoffs but in reality they are now turning their attentions to the next campaign after Sunday’s cup defeat effectively ended their season.
Manager Clough maybe surprisingly named an unchanged side as he went with his strongest line up in a bid to return to winning ways albeit it in a different kind of environment and atmosphere to that of Wembley Stadium. Murphy did begin up top with Baxter out wide in a tweak to the positional line up as United began on the front foot. Coady nearly was in after some neat touches before Baxter had a shot parried away from Day. It had been a relatively quiet opening but after some neat football United were ahead.
Baxter played a clever ball into the path of Murphy who drew his man and went down the left side and drilled a very dangerous cross which saw MOUSINHO knock the ball past his own keeper and into the net. It was a difficult cross to defend and thus you could have some sympathy for the Stevenage player.
United continued to be the better side without really creating too many clear chances. Murphy was causing problems with his running and saw one cross cleared before hesitancy at the back nearly led to a chance. Stevenage had created little with one long range shot from Zoko all they could offer in respite. Murphy was clnsily bundled off the ball right on the edge of the box but the referee strangely did not even see a foul and played on.
Doyle had been able to control the centre of the field and from two tackles he won in quick succession, United got in the last third but two over played balls saw the danger averted. The half time whistle came soon after. United had edged the first half without been totally convincing.
The second half saw a decent run from Scougall but he was blocked before Doyle was cautioned after a foul on Heslop. The free kick summed up Stevenage’s attacking attempts as they somehow got in each other way and the ball was cleared.
Hill came on for the stricken Harris who had seemed to have pulled a muscle and the experienced defender had to be alert to see of a dangerous attack.
Brayford’s sloppy play nearly led to a chance by Freeman’s shot was blocked via Howard before Jones’ header was kicked away right on the line from Baxter.
Paynter replaced Baxter and was immediately involved giving United a more physical presence before he was floored and needed treatment with physio’s from both teams rushing on fearing a more serious injury than fortunately it proved to be.
Davies replaced Scougall as United tried to get some kind of foothold again in a really poor game of football. Freeman drifted inside Hill and had a powerful shot but fortunately it was straight at Howard. Akins then had a shot blocked as the away side were now asking all the questions against a tired looking United side.
United were now struggling to keep the ball and Stevenage came for one final time as the game entered five minutes of stoppage time. However, Freeman’s shot was deflected over and the corner was cleared. Soon after the full time whistle came to signal a Blades victory; where certainly the result will be remembered more than the performance.
United – Really poor tonight sadly and it was in simple terms a horrible 1-0 win. We started ok, scored a decent goal, well made by Baxter and Murphy and controlled things without having many chances. The half kind of came and went with little happening but we had been the better side without dominating really. We had been sloppy with the ball and too slow to get into good areas but had little problems defensively.
Second half we were even worse than the ordinary to lacklustre stuff we had seen in the opening 45 minutes. We became even sloppier with the ball, sat back and never got on the front foot. We created next to nothing after the break and the visitors had some half chances and it would not have been a total shock if they had equalised even though they never looked totally convincing themselves. We just never kept the ball, never got in good areas and created nothing. Defensively we were sloppy and sat back and they had a few half decent chances it not clear opportunities and it was a game where you kind of just wanted to get it over and get the win. We did that but it showed we are still a long way off being a side that will blow teams away as eve if you temper the fatigue etc, we still struggled mightily to see off quite an abject and pretty much relegated side.
Murphy showed some good bits and Doyle was industrious but the defence was sloppy, the rest of the midfield careless and lacking bite. We had little up front all game and created very few chances. Overall we just looked a tired and slow side that seemed still somewhat hung over from Sunday. You felt if they had stepped up 10-15% they would have gone on to get more goals and could have won at a canter but it never really happened and it looked like we were running in treacle most of the game. Fortunately the side they were against were even worse than us and we kind of limped over the line.
We looked a side that wants the season to end and all the talk about us needing to finish strongly simply did not happen today as we were poor. I was in favour of them playing the strongest side and we did that but they never got going and it was an awful game to watch.
Stevenage – Thought they were a really poor side that against a really out of sorts United side never really looked like getting anything from the game. Sure they had the better of the second half but only had a few half chances and I can’t recall too many clear openings (one header off the line from Baxter, Brayford’s daft back pass and a shot Howard made a meal of was about it) nor what I would term a great opportunity all game. They huffed and puffed and maybe kept us out from creating much but equally at the other end they looked powder puff really. For a team right at the bottom, I thought they may have had a real go especially with us being so poor, but they never really did and the game sort of petered out.
Their manager Westley and assistant Maamria are not exactly liked in the game and of course you can see why. Today they came out of the technical area often gesticulating at most decisions and spending a lot of time almost on the pitch. United’s management team mostly ignored them but Morgan had a few words in the second half. They are very old school and often Westley was imploring more long balls or throws into the box but they kind of looked clueless and it was all percentage stuff that even against a totally out of sorts United still never looked much like getting anything out of the game. The lad Freeman is a talent and will be taken on by a team at this level I am sure. Zoko has scored a lot of goals but did little today. They will go down and with the resources/crowds and to be honest quite a dated approach from their manager I am unsure they will bounce straight back up and may be a struggle for them even in the division below.
Howard 6/10 – A little shaky at times I felt tonight. Came and never quite got quite a few crosses although at least he got them away when he did come out. He saved a few routine shots but nearly made a hash of another as he kind of bounced it down and finally gathered. His distribution was abysmal. Some shocking kicks out of play (at least 5 or 6) mixed in with some awful low back pass kicks out and some dangerous throw outs that put defenders under pressure.
Brayford 5.5/10 – Thought he carried on from Sunday with another quite uncertain display at times. He was hesitant defensively and nearly gave them a goal when his half hit back pass was nearly intercepted. He was quite clumsy at times and I felt never really contributed much going forward either. Did at least do the basics when he needed to towards the end when we had a bit of pressure on us.
Harris 6.5/10 – Solid-ish performance. He was decent defensively and got in his fair share of tackles and blocks. He was also one of the better defensive players going forward and at least gave some support to the attack. He was a little slow at times in the second half as the whole side were sloppy. He pulled up 15 minutes from the end and went off holding the back of his leg. It seemed to be the hamstring again which he had injured against Preston a bit back and had seen him out for a few weeks. May be the last we see of him this season.
Collins 6.5/10 – Headed and cleared under little pressure from a poor Stevenage attack. He had a few uncertain moments and his usual punts out when under little real pressure but at least did not make any mistakes that led to chances or goals.
Maguire 6/10 – Thought he looked like he has been drinking first half as he was all over the shop! He miskicked, sliced and was off the pace completely. Did have won rampaging run forward before he was upended but second half he continued to look quite slow and clumsy. He at least kept his position and made sure we did not concede as they had a fair few attacks, if not chances in the second half.
Coady 5.5/10 – As with Sunday; I felt the game kind of passed him by and he never really got on the ball or make an impact from an attacking point of view. Did the defensive bits and pieces but struggled to really exert much the other way and I felt kind of got crowded out. Cannot recall him doing much of note all game.
Doyle 7/10 – Maybe our best midfielder even thought he was only average. He won loose balls and made sure we kept it when we had it most of the time. He sat in front of the back four and restricted them to few chances all game. Committed a few niggly fouls but also got fouled himself quite a bit to help us soak things up when we had a few sticky spells.
Scougall 6/10 – Decent first half with some neat touches and runs forward getting in good areas again but faded badly second half (as did the whole side) and I thought was not in the game at all after the break and was taken off rightly so as looked quite fatigued.
Murphy 7/10 – Our best player (again). He made the goal with a great run and cross and did this 2 or 3 times with a few other runs and crosses leading to half chances. He was only player who looked capable of getting on the ball and making things happen. Not as influential second half but the whole side went into a general malaise after the break. Fluctuated between central striker and wide left.
Flynn 5.5/10 – He was poor today although he had little to no service; l felt he could have done more when he had it. Seemed to want to get rid of it too quickly or often managed to control the ball and somehow get it round his head. He came inside too much and never really had it more than a few seconds all game. Also felt he neshed a few tackles that came his way. A poor night for the right hand side of the United team.
Baxter 5.5/10 – A quiet night. He began ok with a few neat touches and bits of link play but then too often it fizzled out or he was simply walking around looking a bit disinterested. He will have to lose some weight, show better desire and effort next year if he wants to be part of what hopefully will be a promotion side. He is a clever footballer but at times the games just drift by him.
Subs –
Hill – Came on for the injured Harris but he looked sluggish and often their best attacks came from his hesitancy to react. His touch was equally not the best. Looks a player well past his best to me and I am sure he will be leaving in a few weeks.
Paynter – Actually put himself about and won a few free kicks and allowed us to hold the ball up a bit better. His touch is still not great and he looks very lumbering but we were that bad even he looked an improvement on what we had seen.
Davies – Brought on for Scougall but had little involvement when he came on really as united were just scrappily trying to see things out. Had a few whipped free kicks in that were dangerous but came to nothing.
Manager rating -
Clough 6.5/10 – Really glad he picked the same side as we looked to get back to winning ways and realised we have a duty to us and the league to go for wins. The team looked decidedly flat and lacked life; especially in the second half. He tried to make changes and inject some life but the side looked dead on their feet. Maybe he will freshen things up Monday or give them a bit of a kick up the backside. Overall we won but that was about all you could say about the side tonight.
Officials –
Thought the referee was really poor tonight as were the whole officials. They seemed very slow to make decisions and often gave bookings on crowd/coaches reactions rather than common sense. He talked to players longer when he did not book them than when he did. He gave some very odd decisions and overall seemed to just lack control. Both fans seemed perplexed by some of his decisions.
Crowd –
It was very subdued with little noise all night. The loudest cheer came when we came out and the United fans applauded the efforts from Wembley as the players emerged. After this it was quiet but it was such a lacklustre performance that it was hard for the crowd to get involved. There was nothing controversial or of any real excitement. Stevenage brought about 200 fans (if lucky) and resorted to their own excitement with a group taking off their shirts and doing the conga. I think deep down they know they are down and just tried anything to give themselves some entertainment!