Birmingham City 1-0 Sheffield United
A depleted United struggle to create at St. Andrews, with keeper Fran Stenson keeping it close
United’s winning run came to an end with a narrow defeat at St. Andrews, with the Blades’ shorn of some of their top performers this season due to injury. Keeper Fran Stenson kept it close and United had a couple of chances to level, but ultimately Lily Agg’s goal was enough for the hosts.
The club confirmed the unfortunate news that – as suspected – probable Player of the Season Izzy Goodwin would miss the rest of the campaign after picking up an ankle injury against London City that required surgery. Jess Sigsworth was also ruled out for the final two games with injury, and the starting XI against Birmingham was also missing regular starters Bex Rayner and Ella Kinzett.
With those four unavailable, United played a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 with Sophie Haywood as the central striker. Tamara Wilcock made a rare start, with Alanta Brown and Jodie Hutton also coming into the team.
Without Rayner and Goodwin in particular – the creator and the finisher – this was always likely to be a stiff test for United, and the start of the game was played almost exclusively around the Blades’ box. Rachel Brown prevented a certain goal with a timely clearance facing her own net, and United had regular difficulty finding a way through Birmingham’s press.
For the first half in particular, this was as one-sided a game as the 4-0 City inflicted on United at Bramall Lane earlier this season. As in that game, United were reluctant to deviate away from playing every goalkick short (Stenson possibly played as many passes as any outfield player in yellow in this first period) and Birmingham squeezed up to close off any possible route through midfield. It was a bit disappointing to see United banging their heads against the same wall that proved so robust at the Lane, but with so many attackers missing perhaps I shouldn’t be too critical.
After 20 minutes, the Blues missed a fantastic chance when the ball squirmed through to Libby Smith on the corner of the six yard box, but she picked out the crossbar instead of the back of the net.
Hutton looked to have got slightly lucky to avoid a card after an aerial clash with Charlie Devlin – in fact, the decision went in United’s favour – and then Smith got in again but shot weakly at Stenson, minutes before the Blades keeper smothered a one-on-one.
United had barely had a touch in Birmingham’s half but at least looked to have kept it level heading into half-time, before Agg struck in injury time. Rebecca Holloway played a brilliant lofted pass over the Blades defence, which Agg brought down on the run and clipped past Stenson from close range for a deserved lead.
That pattern continued into the second half. Smith anticipated Charlotte Newsham’s backpass and Stenson again had to block in the six yard box, with the Blades keeper tested again from out wide minutes later.
A Hutton freekick found Molly Graham free at the far post but she hooked her cross straight into the arms of the Birmingham keeper, before the Blades once again got themselves in a tangle from a short goalkick that required an acrobatic save from Stenson.
Finally, the Blades created a chance as Haywood outmuscled a City defender and played a one-two with Hutton. The United striker pulled the ball back to Alanta Brown, but her shot was tipped onto the bar by the City keeper.
Eva Butler came on for Wilcock, with Charley Docherty replacing Ash Hodson ten minutes later. For the Blues, former Blade Jade Pennock came on and only another outstanding save from Stenson stopped her making it 2-0, with the Blades keeper getting a strong hand to a low shot inside the box.
Considering how little ball United had in the Birmingham half, I thought Butler did well – a couple of nice runs on and off the ball, and a willingness to try something different. She arguably gave the City centrebacks a harder time in her 20 minutes on the pitch than they’d had in the first 70.
Docherty, too, made a positive impact, winning United a corner from which they had their best chance of the game with five minutes left. Hutton’s delivery was typically dangerous and Graham got up well at the back post but couldn’t quite get enough on the header under pressure from the defender and hit the side-netting.
Striker Ellie May got a rare runout as the game entered four minutes of added time. United, though, couldn’t fashion another chance and were – yet again – indebted to Stenson for pulling off another brilliant close-range stop moments before the final whistle.
Blackburn Rovers (H), Sunday 28th April, 14:00 kick-off
And so to the final game of the season, as United play Blackburn on Sunday at the Lane. There’s nothing at stake for either side (Blackburn 99.9% certain to finish 6th, United 100% certain to finish 7th) – and as it happens, precious little going on around the rest of the league too.
Lewes’ relegation was confirmed alongside Watford last weekend, and Palace’s winning run means they’re all-but certain to earn promotion to the WSL with a final day matchup with Sunderland now largely immaterial. The Eagles are only three points ahead of second-place Charlton but have a goal difference advantage of +22 thanks to being - by far - the best attacking side in the league. It’s done, and United’s win over Palace earlier this year looks more impressive by the week.
The last meeting between United and Blackburn was all the way back in September, and was an open, enjoyable watch even as Rovers came from behind to win 2-1. Izzy Goodwin got her first Blades goal in that game, and although she’ll miss Sunday’s rematch, I hope we’ll see Rayner in particular return to the side. Apart from anything else, she as much as anyone deserves warm applause for her season – and don’t be shocked if it’s her last appearance in red and white.
Finally this weekend, United’s U21s play the PGA Cup Final against Chelsea on Saturday in Northampton. That will probably mean no Eva Butler, Tamara Wilcock and a couple of others in the squad for Blackburn, but the very best of luck to the U21s against a prestigious opponent.
