The University of Sheffield survived a brief Sheffield Hallam fightback to secure
victory over their near neighbours, thanks to their first-half display. Both sides had
beaten each other during the league season, with Hallam having the bragging rights
regarding league positioning, but UoS were the superior force yesterday afternoon.
There was a bumper crowd on what was the penultimate event at Sheffield Hallam
Sports Park, with vocal support behind both goals. Those in attendance had to
witness all four seasons of weather across a few hours, with rain, wind and sunshine
all playing their part in the game.
To the action then, which began with challenges flying in the middle of the park, but it
was a tackle in the area that paved the way for the game’s first flash point. A lofted
ball sent a UoS winger clear, but he was upended by Jay Rathbone, and the referee
pointed to the spot. After a delay caused by an injury to the keeper, Seb Robbemond
stepped up to take the spot-kick, sending the keeper the wrong way to open the
scoring in cool fashion.
Hallam had previously started brightly, and they were undeterred from that setback
as they went in search of a quick response. A free-kick on the far side evaded
everyone in the middle, including Elliot Murray who agonisingly failed to get any
contact on the ball as it whistled behind for a goal-kick.
Both keepers were kept busy approaching the halfway point of the first period, with
Rathbone in particular keen to rectify his error. That opportunity arrived when he
made a superb point-blank save to keep the scoreline at just a goal, before dealing
well with an inswinging corner.
But the University of Sheffield wouldn’t have to wait long for their second. It started from goalkeeper Finn O’Leary, whose clearance was flicked into the path of Alex Weil. His first-time pass sent a UOS attacker through, and he delicately chipped over the despairing Rathbone, much to the delight of the supporters at the far end who were making all the noise.
His opposite number was called into action soon after, making a double save to deny
the impressive Nick Benson from distance, and then the rebound produced an
equally impressive stop from O’Leary.
As the weather darkened, so did Hallam’s prospects of making a recovery. They were dealt what looked to be a fatal blow in terms of turning the game around when Mark Ashley volleyed in the third on the spin.
UoS should’ve added a killer fourth before the break. Matt Jadhav’s pass out from
the back was intercepted by Gareth Lee, but he dragged his effort wide when clean
through on goal.
After the interval, Hallam came out chasing a deficit, which they looked to address
from the off. It took only seven minutes for them to force O’Leary into an
unbelievable save to preserve his clean sheet. Nick Benson was the man denied by Uni of Sheffield’s keeper from four yards out, before the hosts came even closer to
finding a route back into the contest. After O’Leary made another stop, the ball came
crashing off the woodwork as Hallam came within an inch of a goal. That finally
arrived just after the hour mark, beginning when a player in maroon was cynically
stopped in his tracks forty yards from goal. The set-piece resulted in confusion in the
area, and Ben Brown was the sharpest to react and deservedly pull a goal back for
Hallam.
After weathering the storm from the hosts after that goal, UoS were limited to
chances on the counter-attack, but they sealed the victory on one such foray
forward. Gareth Lee played Mark Ashley in on goal, and while his effort from wide
was saved, Will Brooks made no mistake with the rebound to put the result beyond
doubt.
That knocked the stuffing out of Hallam; even their main man Benson failed to
direct a header goalwards as the minutes ticked by. Rathbone and O’Leary
continued to end their plaudits for their performances, both producing saves in the
final 10 minutes but it was the latter who was celebrating at full-time.
UOS were the side that secured valuable varsity points by beating their bitter rivals
Sheffield Hallam 4-1. Up next in this battle between the two universities is the
Cycling Hill Climb and Time Trial this evening.
All Image Credits: Flynn Robbins (please note that images are not of the M1 football fixture)