Following last year’s goalless affair, both University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam players went into this game hoping to get one over their local rivals.
Early scares for Sheffield at the back, as Hallam forward Ben Smith was able to intercept a pass and get a shot away, but wouldn’t trouble Jonty Kearns.
Hallam set up in a solid 4-4-2 formation, making things difficult in midfield for Sheffield and resulting in many of the early duels being won by those in maroon. An early cross by Hallam winger Fin Lambert zipped across the face of goal, but there was nobody at the back post to convert, continuing to apply the pressure onto Sheffield.
Hallam continued to dominate the midfield, leaving the Sheffield midfielders with limited time on the ball with their compact and aggressive approach. Angelo Tambini was disposed again by the Hallam attackers, leading to a corner which bounced around the Sheffield box before being cleared away.
Sheffield continued to attempt to play out from the back, and play some free-flowing attacking football when they broke through the Hallam lines, but things didn’t seem to be clicking.
Around halfway through the first half, Sheffield finally seemed to have settled and began creating some chances; Will Harrison bombing down the left flank was fouled, and his superb delivery found Liam Burt at the back post, but his shot was dragged just wide of the post.
Sheffield began to find some joy on the counter attack, Alex Weall swiped at twice while carrying the ball forward and brought another free-kick, but this one not as effective as the first. Both fullbacks for Sheffield began to get forward and caused Hallam some problems, facilitating the one-touch football that they began to play as the first half went on.
It wouldn’t be a derby game without a heavy challenge, a late challenge from captain Will Donnelly is waved away, much to Hallam’s dismay leading to two big challenges in retaliation from the Hallam centre-backs, which the referee does penalise.
Another precise ball from Harrison finds Donnelly with a free header, but he cannot convert it, keeping the game goalless.
It wasn’t just one-way traffic though, Hallam’s Mackenzie Ross floated a ball into the Sheffield box from a free-kick, finding Smith, whose header was tipped over acrobatically by Kearns. The resulting corner once again bounced around the box, with a few attempts blocked well by Sheffield before the shot finally broke through the yellow wall and tipped wide again by Kearns.
The final five minutes of the half became an end-to-end affair, with Tambini driving from the edge of his own box to the opposition area, before a superb interception stopped Sheffield from maybe taking the lead just before the break.
HT: University of Sheffield 0-0 Sheffield Hallam University
The second half began similarly to how the first ended, both sides taking turns attacking and defending; Burt found himself out wide for Sheffield but couldn’t capitalise. It wouldn’t be long before the first change for Sheffield, with fresher Yasin Rezaei entering the field of play.
Burt started to cause the Hallan defence trouble on the counter-attack, driving forward from midfield but his shot once again wouldn’t trouble Hallam goalkeeper Jay Rabone. The following corner led to a spectacular and ambitious bicycle kick attempt from Sheffield defender William Stevenson, which would not trouble the goalkeeper.
Hallam replied with their own spectacular attempt, Matt Bodsworth trying to catch Kearns out from long range on the volley, which wasn’t too far away.
Around the sixty minute mark, Weall found himself behind down the left wing and was brought down by Barclay Lloyd-Foster, but the referee once again waved it away; Lloyd-Foster found himself the wrong side of the Sheffield winger, and some may say was lucky not to give away a penalty.
As the game progressed, Sheffield seemed to be in control and causing the most problems, but not many clear cut chances for either side. There was stoppage in play due to a head injury for Bodsworth after a coming together with Tambini, which resulted in his withdrawal from the derby.
Since his introduction, Rezaei had caused problems when on the ball, and a reverse pass from Weall slipped him through, opening his body onto his right foot but his shot was straight at the goalkeeper.
Into the final moments of the match, a Harrison ball once again hung in the air asking questions, it was met by Tambini whose header looped into the box to meet fullback Charlie Line a few yards from goal. His header somehow flies over the bar, leaving everyone on the pitch and spectating with their hands on their head in disbelief, but nobody more shocked than Line himself.
The full-time whistle blew on another goalless draw between the two Sheffield sides.
