By Deadbat
Sheffield United strengthened their hold on second place in League One with a 3-0 win at Bury on a bitterly cold January afternoon.
Coming off one of the best performances of the season, against Yeovil, United would have been confident going into the game but a less than convincing first-half performance threatened to prevent another win. However, a much more assured display after the break resulted in three goals from Cresswell, Evans and Williamson.
United began with the same team that started against Yeovil, with Beattie remaining on the bench. Bury had Owls loanee Giles Coke on the bench, having lost Mike Jones who went the other way in the week.
The opening stages were fairly scrappy and neither side were able to create any openings. Bury nullified United’s midfield well, meaning that the Blades’ front two struggled to get hold of the ball, and the hosts started to get on top, Amoo getting on the end of two chances.
United’s first effort came when Evans’s weak shot was straight at Belford. His next effort was more powerful but unfortunately hit Sodje and deflected wide. Bury gave as good as they got, though, and Schumacher forced a save from Simonsen after sloppy play from United had seen Bury break at speed. Francois made an impressive block tackle to prevent any rebound opportunity.
Just before the break, Cresswell appealed for a penalty when he seemed to be pulled back but the referee gave nothing.
United looked more determined as the second half began and, moving the ball around with more speed, had a golden chance on 53 minutes when Lowton fed Williamson. The midfielder made a yard of space but looked to have overran the ball before somehow getting a great cross in. It seemed certain Cresswell would head home but somehow he headed wide with the goal gaping.
McDonald played a raking though ball that cut out two defenders and Cresswell beat the offside trap and was in on goal. He took a touch, steadied himself and clipped the ball over Belford into the corner of the net. A finish that was made to look a lot easier than it probably was.
Not long after the goal Bury came forward and created a really good opening, with Worrall making space and hitting a great cross that seemed as if Bishop would convert at the far post, but Francois made a timely block tackle that could easily have been a penalty if he had mistimed it. It was a key moment.
Just after the hour, United scored again. McDonald played a clever through-ball into the box and Evans found himself unmarked. He took the ball on and, from the angle, hit a fierce, right-foot drive that went in at the keepers’ near post. Belford may have been a touch disappointed to let the ball squeeze past him but he surely will also not be too happy with his defenders, who left the prolific striker unmarked.
United were in control and for the next period they played some neat and tidy football whilst defending with determination to prevent any chance of a comeback.
Bury brought on Wednesday man Coke to predictable boos from the United fans, and Amoo blazed high and wide as Bury seemed to have run out of impetus. McDonald was pulling the strings in the centre and, with Evans and Cresswell looking like different players, United were well on top. A few passages of play nearly put United in again as Bury were being pulled all over the place.
With the game entering the final stages, United completely killed off the contest. Neat build-up ended with Lowton playing in Williamson, who sidestepped his man before placing a lovely curling shot with his left foot right into the corner. It was another precise finish for the midfielder, who celebrated his third goal in less than a week with the United supporters.
Williams came on for Quinn and played just in front of Francois and then just before the end of the game Wilson swapped his strikers, Porter and Beattie replacing Cresswell and Evans. Referee Miller played an additional two minutes but by the time the game ended many of the Bury fans had already left the ground.
At the final whistle, the United players and officials saluted the fans on all three sides of the ground with news that Wednesday had lost, ensuring the Blades opened a four-point gap on their neighbours.
United began with the same team that started against Yeovil, with Beattie remaining on the bench. Bury had Owls loanee Giles Coke on the bench, having lost Mike Jones who went the other way in the week.
The opening stages were fairly scrappy and neither side were able to create any openings. Bury nullified United’s midfield well, meaning that the Blades’ front two struggled to get hold of the ball, and the hosts started to get on top, Amoo getting on the end of two chances.
United’s first effort came when Evans’s weak shot was straight at Belford. His next effort was more powerful but unfortunately hit Sodje and deflected wide. Bury gave as good as they got, though, and Schumacher forced a save from Simonsen after sloppy play from United had seen Bury break at speed. Francois made an impressive block tackle to prevent any rebound opportunity.
Just before the break, Cresswell appealed for a penalty when he seemed to be pulled back but the referee gave nothing.
United looked more determined as the second half began and, moving the ball around with more speed, had a golden chance on 53 minutes when Lowton fed Williamson. The midfielder made a yard of space but looked to have overran the ball before somehow getting a great cross in. It seemed certain Cresswell would head home but somehow he headed wide with the goal gaping.
McDonald played a raking though ball that cut out two defenders and Cresswell beat the offside trap and was in on goal. He took a touch, steadied himself and clipped the ball over Belford into the corner of the net. A finish that was made to look a lot easier than it probably was.
Not long after the goal Bury came forward and created a really good opening, with Worrall making space and hitting a great cross that seemed as if Bishop would convert at the far post, but Francois made a timely block tackle that could easily have been a penalty if he had mistimed it. It was a key moment.
Just after the hour, United scored again. McDonald played a clever through-ball into the box and Evans found himself unmarked. He took the ball on and, from the angle, hit a fierce, right-foot drive that went in at the keepers’ near post. Belford may have been a touch disappointed to let the ball squeeze past him but he surely will also not be too happy with his defenders, who left the prolific striker unmarked.
United were in control and for the next period they played some neat and tidy football whilst defending with determination to prevent any chance of a comeback.
Bury brought on Wednesday man Coke to predictable boos from the United fans, and Amoo blazed high and wide as Bury seemed to have run out of impetus. McDonald was pulling the strings in the centre and, with Evans and Cresswell looking like different players, United were well on top. A few passages of play nearly put United in again as Bury were being pulled all over the place.
With the game entering the final stages, United completely killed off the contest. Neat build-up ended with Lowton playing in Williamson, who sidestepped his man before placing a lovely curling shot with his left foot right into the corner. It was another precise finish for the midfielder, who celebrated his third goal in less than a week with the United supporters.
Williams came on for Quinn and played just in front of Francois and then just before the end of the game Wilson swapped his strikers, Porter and Beattie replacing Cresswell and Evans. Referee Miller played an additional two minutes but by the time the game ended many of the Bury fans had already left the ground.
At the final whistle, the United players and officials saluted the fans on all three sides of the ground with news that Wednesday had lost, ensuring the Blades opened a four-point gap on their neighbours.
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