Sheffield United Blackpool
Bramall Lane
26/12/07
15:00
After an encouraging win on Saturday Pool face Sheffield United in the big Boxing Day clash at Bramall Lane
Sheffield United Team News:
Rob Hulse may start his first match since March after a sub appearance against Cardiff. The former Crewe forward has been out with a broken leg since last season and will be looking to take the place of Billy Sharp or James Beattie. Skipper Chris Morgan is out after twisting an ankle, he should be replaced by Chris Lucketti.
Player to watch: Chris Armstrong
The left back who spent some time at Bloomfield Road has overcome the knee injuries which at once forced the Geordie to consider retirement and has now moved to the middle of the park this season. Notching up three goals Armstrong has enjoyed his move further up the field and also was called up to the Scotland B match for a friendly.
Blackpool Team News:
Simon Grayson may be forced into one change from the team which started the Coventry match as Gary Taylor-Fletcher picked up an injury, he was replaced at half time by David Fox. That change meant Claus Jorgensen moved to right wing which did mean the midfield was slightly unbalanced.
Player to watch: Wes Hoolahan
His goal from 12 yards on Saturday was his sixth of the season, and he continued to look dangerous creating opportunities and running at the opposition.
Match Facts & Stats
Back in August the two sides shared the points thanks to a very late goal from James Beattie. Beattie had given the away side the lead but only for Stephen Crainey to level the match before the half time break. Ben Burgess looked to have given the home side all three points with a header on 87 minutes but Beattie secured a point for the Blades with a goal a minute later.
The last visit to Bramall Lane was in the League Cup, a 2-0 loss but an overall 3-2 win, in the league the last visit was back in 1989 when the home side ran out comprehensive 4-1 winners.
Ref Watch:
S B Attwell - Games: 14 Yellow Cards: 20 Red Cards: 2 G Atkins and S M Hutchinson Fourth Official D K Benton
Match Prediction:
Sheffield United 2 - 2 Blackpool
Next Fixtures:
Football League Championship Colchester A 29-12-2007
Sheff utd v Pool
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Fred Goldstone
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great result after being down to 10 men after 8 mins!!!Bryan Robson's promotion favourites were booed off the pitch after missing a hatful of chances as ten-man Blackpool battled back to snatch a point.
James Beattie had grabbed his 13th goal of the season in the 23rd minute, but United failed to kill off the Bloomfield Road side who hit back midway through the second half.
The Seasiders, fresh from a 4-0 trouncing of Coventry City, carved out the first half-chance with a slick three-man move.
Michael Flynn's looping cross found Andy Morrell. He picked out Gary Taylor-Fletcher who volleyed over the top from 15 yards.
The Sheffield side should have snatched the lead in the ninth minute when diminutive striker Billy Sharp got the better of Ian Evatt who pulled him back in the area.
The Blackpool centre-back was promptly red carded by referee Stuart Attwell but Beattie responded with a poor spot-kick that was smothered on the line by Paul Rachubka.
Beattie made amends 14 minutes later with the simplest of headers from six yards after the hard-pressed Blackpool defence had failed to cut out Sharp's cross from the right flank.
Blackpool were almost back on level terms minutes later as striker Ben Burgess' long-range strike rattled the United bar with Paddy Kenny helpless.
Rob Hulse, almost match-fit after recovering from a broken leg sustained at Stamford Bridge in March, came on a minute before the interval in place of Beattie, who had been injured in a collision with the Blackpool keeper.
Chances piled up for United but they squandered the lot, Keith Gillespie slamming his low strike straight at Hulse before Chris Armstong crashed the ball over the target from ten yards after neat work by Sharp.
Armstrong pulled a 20-yard strike wide of the mark before Gillespie volleyed high over the bar.
Midfielder Claus Jorgensen grabbed the equaliser in the 68th minute when his free-kick from the edge of the area took a deflection on its way past Kenny.
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ComeOnYouBlues
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Fred Goldstone
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i think what it boils down to is the squad players who have done nothing all year have started to adjust and contribute....GTF,flynny and claus especially. shame to see ian evatt sent off as hes only just got back into the lineup....lets hope we get the 3 points against col utdFred Goldstone wrote:I said that they might just get something from this game.
They certainly have rediscovered their fighting ability of late.
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ComeOnYouBlues
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