Weekend Review

 Friday


Doncaster Rovers 0 - 3 Leeds United @ The Keepmoat Stadium


Dean Saunders' unbeaten run as Doncaster Rovers manager came to an abrupt halt on Friday night as Leeds United thumped his side 3-0.

Danny Pugh celebrates the opening goal in a 3-0 win for Leeds United at The Keepmoat Stadium.


Goals from Danny Pugh, Ross McCormack and Tom Lees condemned Rovers to their sixth defeat of the season and halted their progression out of the relegation places in The Championship.




Bristol Rovers 5 - 2 Rotherham United @ The Memorial Stadium


Rotherham's recent miserable run of form continued as Bristol Rovers ran out 5-2 winners at The Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Bristol were 3-0 up after half an hour, but were pegged back by two goals from Rotherham after the break. 

          Scott McGleish sends Bristol Rovers on their way to an emphatic 5-2 win over The Millers.


Guy Branston was making a starting return for The Millers after signing from Bradford City on loan for a second spell with the club. His debut was brought to a swift end in the second half however when he was shown a straight red card for a two-footed challenge. This led to two more goals for Bristol, who inflicted Rotherham's fourth straight defeat in League Two.






Saturday


Portsmouth 2 - 0 Barnsley @ Fratton Park


A managerless Portsmouth side greeted Keith Hill's Barnsley at Fratton Park, after Steve Cotterill left to take the vacant post at Nottingham Forest on Friday night. 

              Luke Varney grabs a second and ultimately three points for Managerless Portsmouth.


A wonderful strike from David Norris sent Pompey on their way in the second half, before former Sheffield Wednesday striker Luke Varney clinched three points for the home side and inflict Barnsley's first defeat in eight games.






Sunday


Sheffield United 2 - 2 Sheffield Wednesday @ Bramall Lane


It was a tale of two halves at Bramall Lane in the 126th Steel City Derby. United started the brighter of the two sides and were ahead early on afetr Stephen Quinn converted in off the post in front of the Kop. 


The Blades went into half time two goals to the good after Ched Evans latched onto a free kick and headed home into the near post.

                        Ched Evans doubles United's lead at Bramall Lane in the first half.


Sheffiled Wednesday responded in the second half but had to wait until the 84th minute to make a reply. Chris O'Grady getting his first goal for The Owls after heading Rob Jones' flick on in off the bar.


The equalizer came from the League's top goalscorer Gary Madine, who controversially out-jumped United goalkeeper Steve Simonsen to head home a point for Gary Megson's side, who are now five games unbeaten in the league.

                    The Wednesday bench celebrates after Gary Madine's late leveller at The Lane.

Blackpool Boys Join Blades

Blackpool midfielder Matt Phillips and striker Billy Clarke have both joined Sheffield United today on an emergency one month loan deal.

Clarke, 24, has made just four starts this season, whilst Phillips, 20, has hardly featured at all for The Seasiders.

Phillips and Clarke are expected to deputise for United on Sunday against Wednesday.

Manager Ian Holloway was more than happy for his players to seek first-team football at Bramall Lane and told the BBC;


"I want Matt (Phillips) to regain the total confidence he had in himself last year. Wherever I played him he was great.

"He scored from right-back against Blackburn. He played right wing at Manchester City and ripped their left-back apart, but he doesn't look quite the same at the moment.

"As for Billy (Clarke), I believe he needs to regain confidence in his body. He has spent a whole year getting over an injury and he is probably in a worse mental state than all of us because he never even kicked a ball in the Premier League and we are out of it again. 

"I don't think it will take him long to get his sharpness and belief back."

The duo are expected to be thrown straight into the mix in Sunday's Steel City Derby when Sheffiled Wednesday make the short trip across the city to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Millers Land Defensive Duo

Rotherham United today completed the loan signings of Guy Branston and Jon Harley from Bradord city and Notts County respectively.

The pair are eligible to play tonight away at Bristol Rovers and are expected to be included in the starting line-up.

New defensive duo: Branston and Harley join The Millers on emergency short-term loans.

Millers boss Andy Scott opted to bring Guy Branston back to Rotherham United after previously playing under Ronnie Moore between 1999 - 2004. He signs on an emergency three-month loan from fellow League Two outfit, Bradford City, who he joined in the summer.

Jon Harley joins on an emergency one-month loan deal from League One Notts County. The former Chelsea and Sheffield United man is keen to get some games under his belt after losing his place at Notts County under Manager Martin Allen.

Steel City Sunday: The Preview

Sheffield United vs. Sheffield Wednesday @ Bramall Lane (Sunday, 12pm KO)

Here it is. The big one.


Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday go head-to-head for the first time this season, and for the first time in the new Millennium when both clubs have been in the third tier of English Football.


A sold out Bramall Lane (and 8,000 watching a special 'Beam Back' at Hillsborough) will play witness to what is predicted to be a real cracker of a game, which is getting harder to call as the week goes on.


There are so many elements to consider in this game. Former Owls player and manager Danny Wilson is now the man in the hot seat at Bramall Lane, who will be experiencing his first game against Wednesday as United boss on Sunday. 


Gary Megson is another former player, now of course, the manager. It is Megson's side who have the upper hand in this fixture in terms of form, but as we all know, form counts for nothing in this local derby.

Last time at the Lane: Jamie Ward gives United the lead at The Lane, as The Blades win 3-2.

Last time at Hillsborough: Darren Potter fires Wednesday into the lead in the 1-1 draw.


Our bloggers:


Paul, Sheffield United;

"It’s the biggest match for the fans and the biggest match League One will ever see. 

"Some of my best friends are Wednesday fans and I’m sure they will give me a right hammering if they win, but it would only be the same the other way round.

"They say that the formbook goes out of the window when it comes to these games; I really hope this is true because we are certainly not in form and they are. 

"I'd like to think that we are at home and that gives us the edge but ask Huddersfield and Charlton about our home form. The Blade in me thinks we will win, the brain says I'd be happy with a draw.

"I’m saying 2-1 to the Blades..."

Read Paul's thoughts on the Sheffield United page: 
http://sportyorkshire.blogspot.com/p/sheffield-united.html

Don, Sheffield Wednesday;

"I genuinely fancy us on Sunday and how could I not based on our start to the season?

"I was speculative about the Owls' start to the season, but ultimately positive and that positive feeling has done nothing but grow!

"Going into the game on Sunday at Bramall Lane is going to be electric! Sheffield literally focuses on nothing else. Everyone talks about if for weeks no matter what the context, whether you're an avid fan or a member of the Emergency Services, the city really does stop for Derby day. 

"I just can't call it and by the looks of things, neither can anyone else. Playing Devil's advocate allows me to be synical and say; 'We are due a defeat' but the Owl on my shoulder says; 'We can continue an unbeaten run'..." 


Read Don's thoughts on the Sheffield Wednesday page: http://sportyorkshire.blogspot.com/p/sheffield-wednesday.html

Key men:

Player: Harry Maguire

Team: Sheffield United   

Position: Defence

Young Harry McGuire will get his first taste of a Steel City derby on Sunday after graduating from United's youth set-up last season. He has been ever-present at the back for The Blades this season and will be thoroughly tested on Sunday against Wednesday's front line.

Player: Rob Jones

Team: Sheffield Wednesday 

Position: Defence

Lifelong Owl Rob Jones was handed the captaincy by Gary Megson in the summer and has helped shape the core of Wednesday's back line this season so far. This is also his first Steel City Derby.

Player: Nick Montgomery      

Team: Sheffield United

Position: Midfield

Despite being rule out due to injury recently, Nick Montgomery is tipped to make an early return to the side for the visit of Wednesday on Sunday. His experience in this particular fixture could prove vital for Wilson's side.

Player: Jose Semedo

Team: Sheffield Wednesday

  

Position: Midfield

Owls midfielder Jose Semedo has been the key man in midfield so far this season, after breaking joining from Charlton in the summer. He could be the key to an Owls win on Sunday.

Player: Ched Evans

Team: Sheffield United

Position: Forward

Ched Evans has had a summer to forget at Sheffield United after relegation to League One and a court case to boot. But his return to the side has proved to be a real source of goals for The Blades which they'll need to overcome their Steel City rivals.

Player: Gary Madine

Team: Sheffield Wednesday

Position: Forward


Former Carlisle United striker Gary Madine goes into this game as the League's top goal scorer with ten out of ten games. His ability to hold the ball up and find the back of the net will be crucial for The Owls on Sunday.

Weekend Preview

Doncaster Rovers vs. Leeds United @ The Keepmoat Stadium (7.45pm KO, Friday)

Rovers boss Dean Saunders has a plethora of new faces to show-off at The Keepmoat Stadium on Friday night, as his Doncaster Rovers team face Leeds United in front of the Sky Sports cameras.


New loan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland could deputise in goal for Rovers, who could also hand a debut to Pascal Chimbonda in the back four.

Big names: Chimbonda and Kirkland could debutise tomorrow night for Doncaster Rovers against Leeds.




The recent partnership of John Parkin and Billy Sharp looks promising for Doncaster, who will be looking to get one over their Yorkshire rivals after the recent defeat to Leeds in the Carling Cup.

Leeds are currently mid-table in The Championship after going unbeaten in their last three games, winning 1-0 at home to Portsmouth last time out at Elland Road. 




Portsmouth vs. Barnsley @ Fratton Park

Barnsley are in fine form in The Championship recently and will travel to face Portsmouth on Saturday believing they pick up back-to-back wins in the league. Veteran striker Andy Gray has led the line superbly in recent games and the form of young captain Jacob Butterfield seems to be improving with every game. 


The bad news for The Tykes going into the game at Fratton Park is the loss of midfielder David Perkins, who will be out for a month with a hamstring injury.

Former Colchester midfielder, Perkins, will be missing on Saturday for The Tykes.


One distraction for the home side could be the speculation over the future of their boss Steve Cotterill, who has been linked with the vacant post at Nottingham Forest since Steve McClaren left the club. Former Tykes boss Mark Robins has also been linked with the job at the City Ground.






Bristol Rovers vs. Rotherham United @ Memorial Stadium (7.45pm KO, Friday)

Rotherham United will be looking to finally put an end to their miserable recent run of just one win in their last six league games, scoring only once in the last three. Miller boss Andy Scott is still in the market for loan defenders after publicly critisising the back four in recent matches.


One man who has been in the firing line recently is Millers defender Tom Newey, but he told the Sheffield Star that the team is working hard to put things right;


“We are working very hard in training to put it right. It has not been easy because we have not had a settled back four.

“Saying that, it is not just the back four; it is the team. There were some individual errors we made at Port Vale and against Sheffield United but these things happen. No one means to make a mistake but we have to try and cut them out. I am very confident with the squad that we have got that we can turn the corner quickly.”

Millers defender Tom Newey believes Rotherham can turn the corner away at Bristol Rovers.

Bristol have lost the last two games themselves, but could go level on points with The Millers with a win. Rovers have struggled to adapt to life back in League Two following relegation from League One last season.

Saunders Signs Kirkland

Doncaster Rovers manager, Dean Saunders, clinched another signing coup yesterday when he snapped up former England keeper Chris Kirkland on loan from Wigan Athletic, subject to paperwork being completed and league clearance.

Kirkland was once the most expensive goalkeeper in British transfer history when he joined Liverpool for £6 million at the age of 20 in 2001.

He started his career at Coventry making his first team debut as a teenager and quickly shot to prominence as one of the most promising young keepers in the country.

The 6ft 3in Leicester born shot-stopper, now aged 30, won eight England Under 21 caps and went on to become a regular member of the senior squad making his debut against Greece in 2006.

Kirkland was unlucky with injury problems while at Anfield but joined Wigan permanently in October, 2006 and went on to make over 130 first team appearances.

His loan spell will last until January and he is eligible to play against Leeds United at The Keepmoat Stadium tomorrow night.

Result of the Weekend

Another 3 Goals, Another 3 Points for The Owls

Sheffield Wednesday 3 - 1 Chesterfield @ Hillsborough

Sheffield Wednesday overcame their local rivals Chesterfield at the weekend with an impressive 3-1 win. It's now six games unbeaten at Hillsborough for Wednesday, who moved up to second place in the league on Saturday.

The Owls started the brightest, and were rewarded after Lewis Buxton headed home from inside the penalty area from a set piece. Then early in the second half, Gary Madine fired home from 20 yards against the run of play, taking his personal tally into double figures, after managing 10 goals so far this season.

Gary Madine celebrates with team mates after his strike made it 2-0 to The Owls.

Chesterfield came back well however, enjoying the majority of possession late on as they looked to claw their way back. The pressured finally paid off, as former Owls striker Leon Clarke volleyed home from inside the box from a Spireites corner. 

John Sheridan's men were reduced to shots from outside the area as they tried desperately for the equaliser. But Wednesday always looked a threat on the counter attack, and they grabbed a late goal to seal the three points. Winger Ben Marshall on loan from Stoke claimed his second goal for the club after curling a superb effort into the bottom corner from the left hand side.

Loan midfielder Ben Marshall curled home the clincher late on to seal a 3-1 win.

Owls: Bywater, Buxton, Jones, Batth, Bennett, Lines, O'Connor (J Johnson 53), Semedo, Marshall, Madine (McGoldrick 90), O'Grady (Sedgwick 72).

Unused Subs: O'Donnell, Reynolds

Chesterfield: Fleming, Talbot, Howden, Downes, Grounds, Mendy, Allott (Whitaker 76) Randall, Westcarr (Bowery 46) Clarke, Morgan

Unused Subs: Smith, Clay, Ford