It took a controversial handball decision on Fede Fernandez for Sheffield to get their breakthrough. However, the hosts were easily the better team tonight. Newcastle surged late but their pathetic first 70 minutes have doomed them to an embarrassing 1-0 defeat at Bramall Lane.
Steve Bruce made no changes after a woeful first half in which Newcastle went down to 10 men. The hosts continued their dominance to start the second half forcing an excellent save from Karl Darlow on a point-blank effort by Jayden Bogle.
After 25 minutes into the second half, the Blades, despite having so much possession, didn’t create anything of note other than the Bogle shot. Newcastle were pinned back but Sheffield struggled to generate anything of real quality.
The hosts found their breakthrough when Fernandez was ruled to have handled the ball after a tussle with Billie Sharp in the box. The referee initially waved away calls from the Sheffield players but awarded the penalty after taking a look at it. Sharp took and converted the penalty.
Steve Bruce made a succession of attacking changes after the goal. First Matt Ritchie came on for a hobbled Paul Dummett while Andy Carroll replaced Fernandez soon after. The combination of the goal and substitutions gave Newcastle more impetus to get forward.
In the 83rd minute, Callum Wilson got another chance. He won the ball up the pitch and laid it off to Jeff Hendrick. The midfielder swung in a cross that Wilson headed straight to Aaron Ramsdale. Jacob Murphy replaced DeAndre Yedlin after the chance.
Ten men Newcastle pushed for an equalizer and the Blades looked far from comfortable but it was way too little too late. Sheffield have won their first match of this Premier League campaign while Newcastle are on a stretch of 8 winless matches in all competitions.
201 comments so far
magicmac54
Jan 12, 2021 at 10:33 PM
Comment #201Wor B @193
Jesus that was funny wor and made me really laugh, thanks for lifting my doom and gloom, its hard to beat a bit of humour fella lol