The final game of 2018 saw Rovers fall victim to 8 minutes of madness at Bramall Lane as they succumbed to their third defeat in a row, in a frustrating game against a Sheffield United side who took their limited chances in order to boost their playoff ambitions.
Due to the many games in quick succession, Tony Mowbray opted to make 7 changes to the side that started at Elland Road against Leeds United, on Boxing Day. Harrison Reed, Richie Smallwood, Joe Rothwell, Ben Brereton, Lewis Travis, Elliott Bennett and Kasey Palmer all came into the starting-11, whilst those who started the previous game; Jack Rodwell, Adam Armstrong, Bradley Dack, Danny Graham and Corry Evans, all dropped to the bench, as Amari’i Bell dropped out of the side completely, due to illness.
Rovers started the game, backed by 1,658 Blues fans, hoping to rectify the mistakes that led to the defeat in the previous game.
The opening 10 minutes of the game saw little goalmouth action, with the only noteworthy things being an injury to former Rovers Jack O’Connell, which saw him receive treatment and Chris Basham going into the book following a foul on Reed.
The first shot of the game, surprisingly, came after 17 minutes had gone. A cross into the box saw Basham head towards goal, which led to David Raya punching the ball away, but only as far as Mark Duffy who struck a volley which looked destined to nestle in the top corner, however it curled too much and whistled past the post and out for a goal-kick.
A couple of minutes after Duffy’s chance, Rovers had one of their own after Lewis Travis was pulled down by Enda Stevens just outside the United box, which gave Charlie Mulgrew the chance to potentially replicate his exploits from the previous game and put Rovers ahead. Although the set-piece was well-struck, it deflected behind for a corner, which the Scot also took. Mulgrew’s subsequent corner was floated to the back-post and fell to his defensive partner, Darragh Lenihan, whose shot from close-range ballooned over the bar.
On the 21st minute, United hadn’t learnt their lesson, as they again conceded a free-kick within shooting range that Mulgrew stood up to take. This time, the skipper’s attempt was much more fruitful, as his free-kick cannoned back off the post, before being eventually cleared after Travis couldn’t sort his feet out.
4 minutes later, the game saw its best chance so far, as Kasey Palmer played through Ben Brereton who looked destined to slot the ball home, however the young striker scuffed his shot, which according to some in the crowd, went out for a throw-in.
With the 27th minute ticking over, Stevens tried his luck from outside the box, but saw his attempt crash off the crossbar and fly out for a Rovers throw-in.
Stevens again tried to open the scoring, this time on the 31st minute, however Raya was able to comfortably deny the defender from finding the net.
Minutes later, Oliver Norwood joined fellow teammate Chris Basham in the book, after the midfielder brought down Travis in the centre of the park.
On the 37th minute, Billy Sharp burst into life, as he was played through, beyond the Rovers defend and tried to find the opening goal. The hotshot used his pace to try and get past Raya in order to have a free goal to aim at, however the Spanish shot-stopper was able to palm the ball away from the striker and defuse the danger.
After Charlie Mulgrew’s 42nd minute corner was claimed by Dean Henderson, referee Anthony Taylor added on 2 minutes of added time onto the end of the second-half.
As the game moved into the first minute of added time, Duffy again tried to find the back of the net from distance, but again, he didn’t find the back of the net as Raya first parried, then collected the ball.
Following the save, Taylor soon blew for the break and ended a half which had seen Rovers have the more clearer opportunities at goal, than the hosts had.
During the break, Chris Wilder wouldn’t have spared a thought regarding criticising his players due to their lack of clear threat at goal. Bar the Billy Sharp chance that Raya denied, Sheffield United hadn’t had as many chances as their demanding manager and crowd would have probably expected, specifically against as side who have struggled on the road this season, such as Rovers.
Tony Mowbray, however, would have probably been the happier of the managers, simply due to his rotated sides’ efforts and their ascendancy within the game. The away manager had seen his side have a positive first 45 minutes, which had seen his players take the game to a United side, who were sat in 4th, before kick-off. Although Rovers could have easily been ahead, Mowbray would have no doubt been offering some words of warning regarding United’s attacking threat, in addition to reminding his players about the defensive woes of the Leeds game.
Sheffield United began the second-half, after they took the kick-off, brightly as John Fleck provided Chris Basham with a corner that gave the latter a chance to head United in-front. Although the corner was a good one, and Basham found the space to make good contact, the direction of the header was poor, as he headed wide.
5 minutes after the restart, John Egan had his heart in his mouth after he brought down Brereton, who was seemingly away from the defence and through on goal. Although there was calls from the away end for a straight red, due to Egan being the last man, Anthony Taylor, only produced the yellow card for the defender.
The red card of the referee soon showed itself, less than 60 seconds later, as Mulgrew’s free-kick struck the hand of Chris Basham, who had been booked in the first-half. With the midfielder handling, he was given his marching orders as Chris Wilder’s side went down to 10 men.
The free-kick which came as a result of the sending off, was less than satisfactory, as Mulgrew’s second attempt was blocked and went out for a throw-in.
As a result of the red card, Sheffield United were forced into a tactical alteration which came in the form of a change in personnel. Mark Duffy was withdrawn and replaced by Paul Coutts.
On the 57th minute, Joe Rothwell tried to open the scoring as he curled in a shot from the left-hand side, however his effort wasn’t on target, as United earnt a goal-kick.
A couple of minutes after Rothwell’s effort, Kasey Palmer was booked for diving, before seeing the home side pump the ball upfield and narrowly miss the target through a header by David McGoldrick.
Derrick Williams nearly found the back of the net just after the hour mark, as Palmer’s cross fell to the left-back who tried a right-footed effort from close range, however Dean Henderson was equal to it, as he pushed it behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
4 minutes later, Williams again had the chance to shoot at goal, but his effort flew wide of the mark, as Sheffield United were awarded a goal-kick.
Soon after, Rovers triggered a double change which saw Bradley Dack and Adam Armstrong brought on to replace both, Kasey Palmer and Ben Brereton.
On the 70th minute, Billy Sharp was booked for a poor challenge on Lewis Travis
Seconds later, birthday boy, Richie Smallwood tried exacting revenge on the forward, however got his crunching tackle completely wrong as he was – like Basham earlier – given his marching order by Anthony Taylor, as the referee evened up the players.
It took only 2 minutes for Rovers’ gameplan to disintegrate, as on the 73rd minute, Billy Sharp broke the deadlock with a near finish. After Rovers failed to clear the danger away from their box, a ball was headed back into the area towards David McGoldrick, who flicked the ball into the path of his strike partner, Billy Sharp. The United captain avoided being taken out by Lenihan, before letting the ball run across him and placing the ball beyond David Raya, from a tight angle at the near post to put his side 1-0 ahead.
It only took 5 minutes for the scoreline to become 2-0, as Sharp notched his 219th goal in 495 games of English League football. After Joe Rothwell tried to earn a penalty, rather than take a shot, the ball was cleared out to Enda Stevens who hit a pinpointed long ball from left-back, which bypassed all of Rovers’ players – who were backtracking due to United’s counter-attack – before bouncing just outside the box in-front of Sharp. The experienced striker let it bounce once, before hitting it first-time from just inside the penalty area into the net. Despite getting a hand on the effort however, Raya couldn’t keep Sharp’s shot out, as the marksman wheeled away in celebration of his brace.
2-0 soon became 3-0, on the 82nd minute, as Sheffield United rounded up a rampant 8 minute spell to put the game beyond comeback, for Rovers. The final goal of the afternoon, came courtesy of David McGoldrick, who notched his 8th of the season. Sharp again was involved in the build-up, as his deep cross into the box, was touched down by Oliver Norwood, into the path of John Fleck, who eliminated both Harrison Reed and Charlie Mulgrew with his touch. The Scot, who was then 1-on-1 with David Raya, crossed the ball perfectly into McGoldrick’s path to allow the striker to chest the ball into the empty net.
From the restart, McGoldrick was soon booked for a foul on Travis on the 85th minute, before then being substituted on the 87th minute, along with Billy Sharp, who were replaced by Leon Clarke and Conor Washington respectively.
On the 88th minute, Rovers continued fighting, through Travis, who got a cross in from the byline, but saw his effort flicked away by Henderson.
United pushed for a fourth, a minute later, as Norwood’s corner met the head of Clarke, who nodded over from close-range.
After 4 minutes of added time were called for by Anthony Taylor, the final act of the game saw Conor Washington go close to making it 4-0. The forward was played through but, the forward couldn’t keep his composure as he fired wide of the target.
With that compounding a miserable afternoon for the away side, it wasn’t long until Taylor called an end to a game which, could have easily seen Rovers emerge as the victors at 0-0.
‘Complacency’ is a good word to summarise this game, with potentially ‘foolishness’ being another – both of which can or cannot be directly aimed at Richie Smallwood, due to his unnecessary recklessness in getting sent-off. Although, of course, the whole defeat cannot be solely attributed to Smallwood’s dismissal, however it helped a lot in re-energising the home side and their crowd. Although the first-half wasn’t the best, Rovers had more of the ‘better’ chances during the first 45 minutes and following Basham’s dismissal. Tony Mowbray’s team selection would probably down to fitness, rather than simply ‘form’, however, for the first 70 minutes of the game, it arguably worked due to the suppressed nature of the home side. All in all, however, the nature of the goals that are currently being conceded, need to be addressed sooner rather than later, otherwise Rovers and Mowbray may start looking over their shoulders in fear. Here’s hoping that the January transfer window has come at just the right time for Rovers.
With that disappointing defeat in the record books, Rovers’ poor festive form has seen them tumble down into 16th place, cemented on 31 points from, what is now, 25 games played with a goal difference of -9.
West Bromwich Albion are next on the fixture list for Mowbray’s men, as the Blues host the Baggies at Ewood Park, at 3pm, on New Year’s Day. Then, after that, Rovers enter the FA Cup and make the trip to St. James’ Park, to face an inconsistent Newcastle United side on the 5th January, with kick-off scheduled for 5:30pm. Following the battle with Rafa Benítez’s men, Rovers earn a week-long break, before returning to league action at The Den, where they face Millwall on 12th January, (5:30pm), which is also live on Sky Sports.
