Championship - United hold on to win Sheffield derby

Eurosport - Sun, 20 Sep 12:26:00 2009

Sheffield United almost blew a three-goal lead before winning a pulsating Steel City derby 3-2 against Sheffield Wednesday at Bramall Lane.

FOOTBALL 2009-10 Championship - Sheffield United's Jamie Ward celebrates scoring the opener against Sheffield Wednesday - 0

First-half goals from Jamie Ward, Darius Henderson and an own-goal from Lewis Buxton gave the hosts a commanding lead, but they had to hold on at the end as Wednesday came storming back in the second half.

Marcus Tudgay volleyed in from the edge of the box before half-time substitute Etienne Esajas smashed in a long-range free-kick to worry the home crowd.

United opened the scoring with just seven minutes gone when a corner was headed goalward by centre-half Chris Morgan as he rose above marker Darren Purse.

The ball took a deflection and landed perfectly for Ward to turn and slot home from close range for his fourth goal of the season.

United doubled their advantage eight minutes later, another set-piece having Wednesday at sixes and sevens.

The ball into the away penalty area was not dealt with and when Ched Evans found a yard of space, he fired towards goal where Henderson was lurking.

The striker managed to just get enough on the ball ahead of three defenders to divert it past Lee Grant.

Wednesday almost pulled one back after 25 minutes when one of many Michael Gray deliveries into the box found Tudgay, whose powerful header forced Mark Bunn to tip over the crossbar.

Ward's evening came to a premature end seven minutes later when he appeared to pull a hamstring after a challenge with Jermaine Johnson.

The game appeared over as a contest three minutes before half-time when Wednesday full-back Buxton headed into his own goal from close range after a tangle with Henderson.

Wednesday had other ideas though and the introduction of Esajas almost led to the visitors claiming an unlikely point.

Esajas headed towards goal with virtually his first touch, but the ball hit Luke Varney and deflected out to Tudgay, who hammered past Bunn to reduce the arrears to 3-1.

On 53 minutes Esajas tried his luck with a free-kick, Bunn only able to parry before Varney sliced to Tudgay who fired a volley over from a few yards out.

With 20 minutes of the second half gone the Dutch forward scored the goal of the game with an incredible strike from a free-kick fully 30 yards out which Bunn barely saw as it flew into the bottom corner.

Ten minutes later Lee Grant pulled off a reflex save to keep Wednesday in the hunt, but despite the best efforts of Esajas and Tudgay United held on to claim the three points and bragging rights.

Sean Calvert / Eurosport

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  1. oh yaeh forgot to mention weve got more fans than u­ any way wat do hillsbourgh do to get rid of tickets a­ free pack ov bacon to every custermer ure only eating­ ure self u piggy @#$% UP THE BLADES THERES ONLY 1 TEAM­ IN SHEFFIELD UNITED UNITED UNITED nxt time it will be­ 1000- 0 to the blades u silly little piggy club u might­ aswell relurgate ure self now save ure self now­ hahahaha

    From mad1gamer23, on Wed 23 Sep 12:33PM

  2. UP THE BLADES UP THE BLADES U PIGGYS U PIGGYS ­ sheffield united deserved the win theres only 1 team in­ sheffield united united united wensday are propa @#$%­ they cant even kick the ball striaght united could have­ left the pitch and wensday still wouldent have scored­ there no better than a under 5 years old team ive seen­ girls play better than them no offence u sexy yorkshire­ lasses but wensday r rubbish we shud get rid of­ hillsbourgh staduim turn it in to something better like­ a toilet warehouse thats wat it is now anyway

    From mad1gamer23, on Wed 23 Sep 12:27PM

  3. As someone who is neither a United fan or a Wednesday­ fan who went to the match I have to say Wednesday were­ the better team and deserved to win, United are a kick­ and run team very little skill. Neither team will get­ promoted this season but give it 2/3 years and­ Wednesday will go up.( I support Manchester United)

    From rodders, on Tue 22 Sep 7:52PM

  4. As someone who is neither a United fan or a Wednesday­ fan who went to the match I have to say Wednesday were­ the better team and deserved to win, United are a kick­ and run team very little skill. Neither team will get­ promoted this season but give it 2/3 years and­ Wednesday will go up.( I support Manchester United)

    From rodders, on Tue 22 Sep 7:51PM

  5. barn owl, u think cos u did a double first in 90 yrs,­ uv got bragging rights, u mug the blades are years in­ front of weds, get ready for your relegation dogfight,­ when ur play plymouth thats ur biggest game of season,­ to see who finishes bottom lol lol, your ground still­ smells of turds after the flood or is that the @#$%­ football bein played at hillsborough these days, im­ tipping or hoping you was in crowd to watch the­ destruction unleashed on your scummyteam­ lololololol..if wardy stopped on i reckon it would have­ been 8-0 i heard at half time the weds players were­ getting changed laws had to beg them to come back­ offered them some bannanas lol SUPERSHEFFUTD can­ you read this barnowl you MUPPET

    From the blade, on Tue 22 Sep 7:38PM

  6. IT TOOK 95 YEARS TO DO THE DOUBLE OVER US BARNOWL LETS­ SEE WHO IS STILL GOING ON ABOUT THAT WHEN WE BEAT YOU­ AT SWILSBROUGH IN 7 MONTHS TIME

    From didmo1974, on Mon 21 Sep 1:16PM

  7. BEING BETTER IN THE SECOND HALF DOESNT WIN YA GAMES­ WHEN YOU PLAYED @#$% IN THE FIRST HALF AND ARE 3 NIL­ DOWN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IN LOOK AT THE LEAGUE 6 POINTS­ AHEAD AND 9 PLACES AND LONG MAY THAT CONTINUE ALSO­ HEARD THAT BLACKWELL IS LOOKING AT TWO NEW STRIKERS­ THINK HE SHOULD LOOK AT BUXTON WITH FINISHING LIKE­ THAT. UP THE BLADES THE BEST TEAM IN SHEFFIELD AND­ ALWAYS WILL BE ...

    From didmo1974, on Mon 21 Sep 1:08PM

  8. Blade you silly little person. Sorry can not­ understand half of what you write. you must speak a­ different
    language. You certainly have a large chip­ on your shoulder. I suppose it must have come from­ last
    season WHEN YOU LOST BOTH LOCAL DERBY GAMES. Hope­ you learn to spell when you reply.

    From BARNOWL, on Mon 21 Sep 9:19AM

  9. i hope that @#$% ALAN WILEY , doesnt referee another­ game at the lane again . how could he book 6 united­ players and only two pigs,why didnt he send off owls­ player for taking off his shirt when he scored , any­ other referee would have done in premship , so whats­ the difference . johnson should have had a red card for­ the foul on ward , if it had been morgs or any one of­ uniteds half backs , they would have been off , no­ doubt about it . it was a brilliant match to watch only­ cardsharp, whistleblower, wiley spoilt it . come on u­ blades keep up the good work .

    From ben t, on Sun 20 Sep 7:01PM

  10. barn owl u muppet u go back to school u weds scum 3-2­ that was the score wasnt it lol did you enjoy ur crappy­ team get beat by sheffields only club why dont your­ rename urselfs hillsborough wednesday no-one in likes­ weds so please crawl back under the little stone u­ normally live u freak super sheff utd utd utd utd utd­ utd

    From the blade, on Sun 20 Sep 5:44PM

  11. LMAO of barnfowl - To theblade, Go back to school you­ clown.Why don't­ you learn to spell,and speak the­ queen's­ english.?
    IN your post 25 you wrote -­ Captian­ was lucky not to get sent off mmmmm what is­ captian ??? pot kettle black come to mind.

    From wendyroebuck67, on Sun 20 Sep 4:42PM

  12. IN answer to post 25 - first of all i don't know­ how you have got the nerve to say we are a dirty team­ when all of the first half you were kicking the­ blade's rather than the ball,how was morgan lucky­ not to get sent of ?? he got the booking for time­ wasting not a foul,And you mention nothing of­ o'connor's luck,two double two footed­ challenge's and a yellow card,that should have been­ a red ,it was intentional you could see it in his­ eye's.If hendo had got that goal disallowed it­ would have been harsh all the pundit's have said­ so,he should not gone down like a big fairy,Give you­ that the fowl's played some good football in the­ second half pity the first half they were not in it,but­ it was two little to late,the ref gave you soft free­ kick's and the only one that was any good was the­ second goal,the other's were wasted.The blade's­ played much better after you pulled the second goal­ back and looked the more likely to score again,you have­ grant to thank for if it had not been for him it could­ have been 5 or 6 - 0 in the first half and insted of a­ few that left at half time i am sure it would have been­ a lot more.Take of your blue and white spec's and­ admit on the night united were a little better than­ your lot and move on.UNITED HAVE THE BRAGGING­ RIGHT'S FOR 7 MOTH'S GET USED TO IT.

    From wendyroebuck67, on Sun 20 Sep 4:39PM

  13. To theblade, Go back to school you clown.Why don't­ you learn to spell,and speak the queen's­ english.?

    WHICH MATCH WERE YOU WATCHING ? Probably had­ your face up your backside from where you speak.

    From BARNOWL, on Sun 20 Sep 4:32PM

  14. What a dirty set of players ,blades realy are .Captian­ was lucky not to get sent off ,and was BUXTON held and­ pushed from behind .? course he was .Who did that I­ wonder.?
    You were very lucky. Did the blades come out­ of the tunnel second half.? Don't remember seeing­ any,OWLS
    were all over you boys,you never got a look­ in.

    From BARNOWL, on Sun 20 Sep 3:47PM

  15. the blade - i did mean march,not next year as in next­ season.

    From wendyroebuck67, on Sun 20 Sep 11:41AM

  16. we wont be playin weds next year were goin up utd utd­ weds fan thought they were gettin a result lol lol lo l­ weds scum it could hae been 6-0 at half time talk about­ rattled

    From the blade, on Sun 20 Sep 8:54AM

  17. After the game last night we went to the pub and had a­ couple of pint's of WARDS then fancied a pie­ ofcourse i had HENDERSON'S relish on it and washed­ it down with a nice cool bottle of BUXTON'S water.­ HAHAHAHAHA
    Post 21 - yes wed did score 3,thank's­ for the 3 point's.I have a single but really fancy­ a double.Roll on next year.

    From wendyroebuck67, on Sat 19 Sep 9:33PM

  18. its about time we got 1 over on the owls well done­ blades, dont think automatic promotion is garanteed­ this year but playoffs is a must.UP THEM RED N WHITES

    From david.murphy70, on Sat 19 Sep 9:20PM

  19. wednesday did score 3 dimwit

    From Shaun, on Sat 19 Sep 7:25PM

  20. 18th September should be 'Kevin Blackwell­ day!'
    UP. THE. BLADES!

    From John, on Sat 19 Sep 3:53PM
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