Five things for Yorkshire clubs to learn from midweek action

UNDILUTED joy was thin on the ground for Yorkshire football fans late on Tuesday night, unless you are a Doncaster Rovers supporter at any rate.
Graphic by Graeme Bandeira.Graphic by Graeme Bandeira.
Graphic by Graeme Bandeira.

While the hardy Keepmoat faithful savoured three unanswered second-half goals in their local derby over Chesterfield - Dean Saunders’s Spireites to boot - there was a bitter chill for followers of Sheffield United and York City.

For Barnsley, there was a familiar songsheet - although a half-decent performance at London Road. As for Bradford’s faithful, honour remained intact but no wished-for statement-maker against League One leaders Coventry.

Five observations from the midweek action:

1: Sheffield United. The case for the defence is shambolic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Blades’ defending was of the rabbits-in-headlights variety against Shrewsbury, who had a beano in hitting three goals in the space of 10 bewildering minutes and added a fourth just after the break to stun the Lane followers. Neill Collins paid the price after being substituted at the break, but others were equally culpable. Playing for a big club like the Blades - the biggest fish in League One - requires character, aptitude and bottle, particularly in testing times. How they could do with a defensive lieutenant in the Paul Stancliffe mould of old.

2: Bradford City. Close, but no cigar. Another clean sheet, mind.

Despite a 0-0 draw with Coventry, the glass is resolutely half-full for Phil Parkinson and so it should be. His City side have the look of stayers in the League One play-off stakes, Defensively, the Bantams are rock-solid, having now not conceded in a staggering 668 minutes - you can fly almost half way around the globe in that time.

Keepers Ben Williams is keeping clean sheets for fun and City look established and well set for the Christmas and New Year. Ten unbeaten, just the job.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

3: Barnsley. Another decent offensive performance, but those defensive failings.

Lee Johnson labelled his side as brilliant at Peterborough, which might be over-egging the pudding after a 3-2 loss, Barnsley’s ninth in their last 10 League One matches, lest we forget. For all the good work going forward, the state of the defence remained lamentable, with the Reds coughing up a couple of cheap concessions. With the dismissal of Kevin Long, another re-jig is likely for the weekend derby with the Blades - when you will be able to cut the tension with a knife.

4: Doncaster Rovers. Ferguson got the response he was looking for.

Whisper it gently, but Doncaster are finding some consistency and neighbours Barnsley are entitled to be a tad envious. A fourth clean sheet in five was just what the doctor ordered, with Rovers’ persistence after a low-key first-half against Chesterfield displayed by way of three goals upon the restart. Another goal for the rejuvenated Andy Williams will have warmed supporters present on the resumption, as will Cameron Stewart’s late strike. It’s only leaders Coventry away next, mind.

5: York City. Just where do the Minstermen go from here?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Minstermen’s increasingly torrid campaign descended to a new unwanted low after a grim 6-0 drubbing at Pompey, all the goals arriving in a one-sided second period. It was the sort of desperate half that all those present in the away end will have nightmares about for a fair while.

For Jackie McNamara, it’s a baptism of managerial fire south of the border. While he bids to offload several players - with the likes of Keith Lowe, John McCombe, Josh Carson, Marvin McCoy and Tom Platt made available for loan - he somehow has to forge a fighting unit capable of pulling away from the relegation quicksand. A deeply worrying time for York after seven straight losses.