Pre-Season Friendly

> 9.8.2007

It may have been a goalless draw, but it was as entertaining a goalless draw as you'll witness, as both sides contributed to a fine display of football at a sunny Keys Park this evening. manager Phil Starbuck gave the clearest indication of his starting line-up against Frickley a week on Saturday, picking nine of the eleven that played against Wrexham on Saturday, with only Gordon Simms missing out; he was replaced by Paul Robinson. Reece Styche also gave way to the returning Ross Dyer up front

 It was Dyer who was involved straight from the off, having an early chance on goal, but hitting wide of the mark. Winger Simon Forsdick was also in the thick of it, causing havoc down the left hand side with his pace and trickery

Ross Dyer was another involved from the start, getting in a shot that rebounded to Forsdick, but before Forsdick could put the ball in the net he was ruled offside by the referee. Tom Marshall was next to try his luck in the early stages, a powerful free kick just missing the post

The dangerous Forsdick was causing Sheffield United's youngsters all sorts of problems with his wing play, regularly beating opponents and getting quality crosses in for the likes of Dyer and Alan Nagington

Dyer's cheeky lob mid way through the half almost paid off after a drop ball, but his effort dropped narrowly over the bar. For the Blades, they found the experienced Hednesford back line a tough nut to crack, with the impressive Marshall and Gary Suchareywcz stopping them playing in and around the area

Nagington and Dyer were next to link up in a flowing Hednesford move, with the striker turning towards goal but firing wide of the target

The second half brought more promise from both sides, as they committed men forward in search of that elusive goal. Sucharewycz's header was well saved following a Reece Styche corner, followed by Styche himself having a go from fully thirty yards

Substitute Keenan Meakin-Richards, becoming more and more involved in the first team as pre-season has gone on, followed Styche's effort with a twenty five yards effort of his own five minutes later, but it was Nagington that really should have scored on the hour mark, gambling on the bounce of the ball after it had beaten the two Sheffield United centre halves. With the goal at his mercy, he fired the ball straight at Hernandez in the Blades goal

Sheffield United continued to press themselves, and Rene Gilmartin needed to be alert to block an effort from the impressive Kyle Walker on seventy five minutes

Danny Blair's bright cameo, on for Nagington late on, saw him continue where he left off against Gresley. His involvement saw the ball fall to Dyer, who probably should have shot at goal, but instead passed to substitute Liam Hebberd, and the chance was gone

A late effort from Styche again found the stand rather than the net, and both sides will have left the pitch happy with their evening's work  cds

The New Saints (H)

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