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Monday May 11, 2009 Finished

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Sheffield United

  • Halford 59’

Preston North End

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  1. Sheffield United reach Wembley

    Sheffield United reach Wembley

    Sheffield United reached the Championship play-off final after a 1-0 second-leg win over Preston to progress 2-1 on aggregate. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Sheffield United
    • Preston North End
    • 90+5' And it is all over!! Sheffield United reach the play-off final at Wembley!!
    • 90+4' United break and Naughton brings the ball forward... he has men to play in... he hesitates... he passes to Cotterill on the left flank...
    • 90+3' Preston cannot get the ball forward as United kill it...
    • 90+2' Naughton wins a free-kick but to his credit does not stay down for long.
    • 90+1' A Parkin header loops just over the bar, agonising for those fans. Kenny was a touch worried.
    • 90' Four minutes to be added on, to boos from the home fans and cries of encouragement from the away end...
    • 89' ... and ultimately Howard strays offside.
    • 88' Preston running out of time as they attack the United box... Quinn breaks clear though...
    • 87' Howard and Wallace all arms and the latter goes down holding his face... he needs to get on with the game. Six of one and half a dozen of the other.
    • 86' Naughton playing in Quinn, where he is just crowded out under pressure...
    • 84' Preston pumping the ball into the box time and time again. They will not give up... Carter turns and shoots, over the bar.
    • 83' United change: Leigh Bromby on for Halford.
    • 82' Would you believe that Halford is down hurt again... this time he looks crocked. His goal could take the Blades to Wembley, but he may not get the chance to play there...
    • 81' Wallace chasing into the corner and goes down after a nudge from Morgan. He wins a free-kick - but he went down very easily.
    • 80' Parkin under a long throw... Kenny emerges to catch cleanly. The home fans, biting their fingernails, heave an audible sigh of relief.
    • 79' One thing is certain: we have a game on our hands as both sides give their all in the last quarter of an hour.
    • 78' Mawene booked for a foul on Beattie as United looked to counter... dangerous position here.
    • 76' Quinn finds Howard and his control lets him down - PNE clear at the last moment!! End to end!!
    • 75' Preston still attack Kenny's goal as their fans try to suck the ball between the sticks...
    • 74' And Preston almost bag an equaliser at the other end as Howard clears off the line!! Throw-in to them - and St Ledger blasts one just wide via a deflection!!
    • 73' Beattie with a chance in the box... he hesitates and Preston block... Howard shoots and is that a handball in the six-yard box from a defender? The ref says not...
    • 72' Preston changes: Neil Mellor and Darren Carter on for Sedgwick and Nicholson.
    • 71' Morgan awaits an attacking free-kick... and he wins it, directing his header well wide of the far post.
    • 69' United sitting back a little now they have the lead, only natural, and allowing North End to come forward.
    • 68' Parkin dispossessed and here come the Blades... appeals for a foul on Cotterill waved away.
    • 67' United survive the resultant free-kick and Kenny clears.
    • 66' Nicholson tries to volley from 20 yards but it is charged down then Quinn is booked for a late tackle.
    • 66' Preston send one into the mixer and Parkin almost gets a shot away as Kilgallon clears...
    • 64' The massive Parkin forces Kenny into a save as he turns and Walker gets it away under pressure from Wallace... Jones then has a shot from distance that flies wide.
    • 63' Well Preston needed to do something - and they have.
    • 62' Preston change: Stephen Elliott on for Brown.
    • 61' Walker again on the right bangs a shot low to the near post where Lonergan claims it.
    • 60' Walker's cross from the right was pinpoint and Halford rose to glance a great header right into the top corner and set the Kop celebrating behind the goal.
    • 59' YOU BETCHA THERE IS!! UNITED HAVE THE LEAD!!
    • 58' A moment of calm. Is there a storm coming?
    • 57' Morgan, who is subject to legal proceedings as a result of his elbow on Iain Hume of Barnsley, back to hack clear as Preston come forward themselves via a direct route.
    • 56' Cotterill again attacking down the right and crossing brilliantly for Halford, but he commits a foul as he looks to head for goal.
    • 55' Preston looking to play keep-ball to take the heat out of the situation. They lose it though and Beattie leads the charge... he comes inside and shoots over the far top corner!!
    • 54' Cotterill down the right, crossing for Beattie to head down... Lonergan palms it away and Preston survive!!
    • 52' Former Leeds defender Matthew Kilgallon sees a shot deflected behind... another corner.
    • 51' Corner to United. Cotterill to take.
    • 50' No away goals tonight, so if the scores are level - 1-1 on aggregate at present - we go to extra time and penalties.
    • 49' BEATTIE STRIKES THE OUTSIDE OF THE POST!! He played a lovely one-two with Quinn and struck it from 20 yards - and it had beaten Lonergan all ends up. United's fans thought that had gone in.
    • 49' 'When the ball hits your head, and you're sat in row z, it's Wallace...' it doesn't have the same ring to it, does it? A looping Brown header is easily claimed by Kenny.
    • 48' Parkin lays off to Nicholson, who finds Jones... when his cross is headed out Wallace looks for a first-time half-volley - way over the bar!!
    • 47' Preston counter after a promising opening for United.
    • 46' The second half underway to the strains of the 'Greasy Chip Butty' song from the stands.
    • - To read the commentary from the first match, click here.
    • 45+4' Half-time at Bramall Lane - United had almost 50 per cent of the territorial possession in the final third, while there was around 14 per cent in their goal area and 39 in the middle of the park. Thank you, TV stats man.
    • 45+3' A wicked left-footed cross is just past Lonergan's far post as Jones does enough to block out Halford. Blackwell was trying to head it in himself in the dugout...
    • 45+2' Eighteen-year-old United starlet Kyle Walker crosses after advancing from full-back but it goes out for a goal-kick.
    • 45+1' Home attacker Beattie gets one out of his feet and bends it... over the bar. Not a bad try, but a yard over.
    • 45' Halford is recovered and United look to attack.
    • 44' And after a word with his linesman, Wiley shows former Barnsley man Parkin a yellow card.
    • 43' Halford down hurt again, winded this time. You can't blame him for that.
    • 42' Halford looking at the ball as he brings it down... and Parkin comes in with a straight leg to stud him in the midriff. That was a disgraceful challenge...
    • 41' Mawene is a brave man as he stands nose to nose with United centre-half Chris Morgan after the latter nudged him in the back. In the end a smile and a word from ref Alan Wiley calms it down.
    • 40' To see the latest news from the division, check out our Championship page here.
    • 39' Montgomery with a great tackle near the point where the penalty area meets the by-line and Wallace is up quickly to chop him down in the corner. Yellow card.
    • 38' A wicked low cross from the right causes chaos in the Preston backline... they scramble it clear.
    • 37' He is on his feet a couple of minutes later, still clutching his left shoulder.
    • 35' Mawene jumps with Halford and the man in red and white stripes lands awkwardly on his shoulder. The Blades physio is on.
    • 34' To see where these sides finished in the Championship table, click here.
    • 33' Cotterill on the right for United stands one up to the back stick: Mawene with an excellent head up and away as Beattie crashes into him from behind. Free-kick.
    • 32' A chance for Irvine's side to pump the ball into the box from a free-kick... Billy Jones's ball is headed away by Chris Morgan.
    • 31' The team in changed all yellow now pinning United back, but without the goalmouth action.
    • 30' This is better from Preston, the Sheffield club running out of steam a little bit.
    • 29' Chris Sedgwick, who used to play for United's South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham, with a neat turn from a throw to blaze a half-volley just over. That had Kenny worried...
    • 28' For Preston news and info, click here.
    • 27' Check out our Sheffield United team page by clicking here.
    • 26' Halford shows scant respect for the fact that it was him who injured Lonergan by striking from distance - over the bar. Only joking, Blades fans... it was an accident and he has every right to do so.
    • 25' Howard turns and strikes, a few yards wide of the upright. Will the visiting keeper be able to keep them out if he is struggling like this?
    • 24' Lonergan taking smelling salts to right himself - he is struggling and his physio is hanging around near the goal in front of the Preston fans.
    • 23' Wide man Ross Wallace hits it into the wall to cheers from fans in the Kop behind the goal.
    • 22' Preston win another set-piece, this one in the final third... a chance for a strike at goal...
    • 21' Beattie penalised for a foul on Sean St Ledger to nip another attack in the bud.
    • 20' Lonergan receives more attention from his physio following that Halford clash. He nutted the back of his head after the keeper claimed the ball - it was an accident though.
    • 19' Montgomery with a poor cross as United players charge into the box. Their end product has to improve...
    • 18' Preston cannot keep up their attacking intentions and back come the Blades, Halford winning a free-kick.
    • 16' Scot Barry Nicholson brings the ball forward and unleashes hell from 30 yards... it whistles over the top of Paddy Kenny's goal. The temperature is rising...
    • 15' North End goalie Lonergan challenged by Greg Halford, on loan from Sunderland... he drops it and Jones clears.
    • 14' Beattie on the right, spinning to shoot and Eddie Nolan charges it down... United still attacking...
    • 13' United still coming at Preston, winning another throw. Preston can threaten on the counter, although for now they are reduced to tracking back.
    • 12' Left-back Kyle Naughton, only 20, drops a shoulder to set up a cross for his United team-mates... it is too far ahead of them.
    • 11' Cotterill tearing down the right, looking up for this one tonight... he wins a throw-in.
    • 10' The home side are having the best of the territorial possession so far.
    • 9' Irishman Stephen Quinn offside on the top side after Nick Montgomery delayed his pass.
    • 8' TV bosses, no doubt, have decreed that these legs be played so close together. It's a shame for those players who haven't made it after picking up niggles at Deepdale.
    • 7' Howard makes a bit of space on the left and bends in a cross that away keeper Lonergan takes under the crossbar.
    • 5' The managers urging their players on from the touchline. There is a special feeling around play-off semis: the entire season condensed into a pair of matches.
    • 4' Free-kick for Preston on the left. Parkin is the target but United survive as it flies too long.
    • 3' David Cotterill jinking towards the North End penalty area, stopped outside it by calm Frenchman Youl Mawene.
    • 2' Andy Lonergan makes an easy stop low down as Howard turns and shoots.
    • 2' Early free-kick for Brian Howard to bend in; the home fans urging their team onwards.
    • 1' It is South Yorkshire versus Lancashire in Sheffield - United kicking from right to left in this first half.
    • - The Blades have also lost in two play-off finals in the last 12 years or so. Who will make it this year?
    • - Preston have reached the play-offs three times in this division in recent years, twice making it to the final - and losing.
    • - The atmosphere is building inside Bramall Lane - a place in the final at Wembley at stake.
    • - Midfielder Lee Williamson remains on the sidelines as he completes a three-game suspension, while Richard Chaplow and Michael Hart remain on the injured list.
    • - Alan Irvine's side made it through the first leg unscathed. Chris Brown is preferred to Neil Mellor in attack, and starts alongside 'Beast' Jon Parkin.
    • - On-loan midfielder Jon-Joe O'Toole is sidelined after rupturing his ankle ligaments in training last week, while Kyle Walker continues at full-back in place of the injured Gary Naysmith.
    • - Kevin Blackwell has a number of injury problems to contend with as he prepares his Sheffield United side: strikers Darius Henderson and Jamie Ward limped off at Deepdale on Friday and are not fit. David Cotterill, not risked on Friday due to a calf problem, and Craig Beattie deputise.
    • - Sheffield United and Preston North End head into this Championship play-off semi-final second leg level at 1-1.

  • Summary

    • 76' Quinn finds Howard and his control lets him down - PNE clear at the last moment!! End to end!!
    • 74' And Preston almost bag an equaliser at the other end as Howard clears off the line!! Throw-in to them - and St Ledger blasts one just wide via a deflection!!
    • 73' Beattie with a chance in the box... he hesitates and Preston block... Howard shoots and is that a handball in the six-yard box from a defender? The ref says not...
    • 64' The massive Parkin forces Kenny into a save as he turns and Walker gets it away under pressure from Wallace... Jones then has a shot from distance that flies wide.
    • 60' Walker's cross from the right was pinpoint and Halford rose to glance a great header right into the top corner and set the Kop celebrating behind the goal.
    • 59' YOU BETCHA THERE IS!! UNITED HAVE THE LEAD!!
    • 49' BEATTIE STRIKES THE OUTSIDE OF THE POST!! He played a lovely one-two with Quinn and struck it from 20 yards - and it had beaten Lonergan all ends up. United's fans thought that had gone in.
    • 45+3' A wicked left-footed cross is just past Lonergan's far post as Jones does enough to block out Halford. Blackwell was trying to head it in himself in the dugout...
    • 42' Halford looking at the ball as he brings it down... and Parkin comes in with a straight leg to stud him in the midriff. That was a disgraceful challenge...
    • - Sheffield United and Preston North End head into this Championship play-off semi-final second leg level at 1-1.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Alan Wiley

  • Sheffield United

    Manager: Kevin Blackwell

    Captain: Chris Morgan

    Starting line-up

    • P. Kenny
    • K. Walker
    • C. Morgan
    • M. Kilgallon
    • K. Naughton
    • G. Halford Goal Substitution Out (83′)
    • B. Howard
    • N. Montgomery
    • S. Quinn Yellow Card
    • C. Beattie
    • D. Cotterill

    Subs

    • L. Hendrie
    • D. Webber
    • L. Bromby Substitution In83′
    • A. Lupoli
    • B. Sharp

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Preston North End

    Manager: Alan Irvine

    Captain: Paul McKenna

    Starting line-up

    • A. Lonergan
    • B. Jones
    • S. St. Ledger
    • Y. Mawene Yellow Card
    • E. Nolan
    • C. Sedgwick Substitution Out (72′)
    • P. McKenna
    • B. Nicholson Substitution Out (72′)
    • R. Wallace Yellow Card
    • J. Parkin Yellow Card
    • C. Brown Substitution Out (62′)

    Subs

    • L. Neal
    • L. Chilvers
    • D. Carter Substitution In72′
    • N. Mellor Substitution In72′
    • S. Elliott Substitution In62′

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

Comment 33 - 52 of 92

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Come On Mellor.
    Give us the goal we need

    From Lee, on Tue 12 May 4:21AM

  2. GO ON SHEFFIELD - - DOWN WITH THE PRESTON!!!! READING­ V SHEFFIELD FINAL, COME ON­ URZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!

    From pkelly725, on Tue 12 May 4:20AM

  3. SHEFF UTD = SUE CULTURE TRAMPS AND­ SCRUBBERS................WEST HAM UTD

    From paul.oxley977, on Tue 12 May 4:18AM

  4. reading - sheffield utd final!!!!

    From pkelly725, on Tue 12 May 4:16AM

  5. Put Mellor on he will score 10

    From kevell2003, on Tue 12 May 4:14AM

  6. COME ON PRESTON GET BACK IN IT , YOU CAN DO IT ,

    From paul g, on Tue 12 May 4:12AM

  7. sheffield - burnley wembley final COME ON BURNLEY!

    From chris, on Tue 12 May 4:11AM

  8. still time preston
    but bring on the Sheff u

    From westam42, on Tue 12 May 4:11AM

  9. Go Preston even though liverpool own
    liverpool for the­ win

    From kevell2003, on Tue 12 May 4:11AM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    WHAT A LOAD OF WEST HAM @#$%.

    From jonjo, on Tue 12 May 4:11AM

  11. Preston and West ham are @#$% teams.

    From wb, on Tue 12 May 4:11AM

  12. Come on Sheffield!!! You deserve promotion more than­ they do!!!

    From archervsi, on Tue 12 May 4:11AM

  13. COME ON PRESTON FINISH THEM OFF

    From paul g, on Tue 12 May 4:09AM

  14. SWANSEAhave done both these little sides ,we should be­ ther jack army ,next season here we march,TK swansea­ jack

    From Tony, on Tue 12 May 4:07AM

  15. come on preston 2-0

    From nicolasweeney1, on Tue 12 May 4:06AM

  16. go on Preston
    but look forward to seeing Sheff u
    west­ ham

    From timothy, on Tue 12 May 3:58AM

  17. sheff wednesday
    da best

    From stephen.mather01, on Tue 12 May 3:54AM

  18. GOOD LUCK TO PRESTON FROM ALL AT WEST HAM UNITED , HOPE­ YOU GOT YOUR OWN TEVEZ

    From paul g, on Tue 12 May 3:54AM

  19. sheff u in the prem would be like playing manopaly go­ passt bramell lane and collect 3 points :0)

    From Danny, on Tue 12 May 3:54AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    COME ON PRESTON BEAT THE SHEEP SH.....S.

    Yorkshire­ Puddings

    short arms deep pockets.

    AL A MAN U­ SUPPORTER

    From alan, on Tue 12 May 3:53AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

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