MD13: Sheffield United 1-1 Durham

Jacqui Hand's header earns United a vital point against 4th-place Durham

Consecutive home draws for United have opened up a nice gap on Portsmouth at the bottom of the league, with Jacqui Hand powering in her first Blades goal as United came from behind to draw 1-1 against Durham.

After a poor first half showing, United improved significantly after the break and in the end were good value for a point. Unlike the Newcastle game with its 91st-minute gut-punch, the full-time whistle in this one felt very satisfying, especially as a glance at the league table provides a reminder that Durham are 3 points off the top.

The teamsheet brought encouraging news, with skipper Satara Murray returning to the starting lineup after being a late withdrawal from the previous week’s game as a precaution. Murray played the full 90 here and it’s surely no coincidence that the Blades have looked much, much better defensively in these last two home games with her at the back.

At the closure of the transfer window last week United also brought in further reinforcements, with Connie Scofield joining from London City Lionesses. A 25-year-old midfielder, she played over 1,100 minutes in the Championship last season (16 appearances), setting her apart from most of United’s other January signings – many of whom are still making their first steps in the game. With London City investing so heavily in their team, she’s one of those who have been frozen out in the last few months, and United have capitalised on her availability.

Connie Scofield was impressive on her Blades debut.

With Jade Bailey still out injured, Scofield went straight into the starting lineup against Durham and had a good debut, completing more passes than any other player (at a 91% rate) and winning the most combined ground and aerial duels. She looks like a solid pickup already.

Another January signing, Esther Morgan, made her home debut – switching wings this time. She looked less comfortable out there than on the right against Charlton last week, but as it happens Leanne Cowan had a good game at RWB herself and set up United’s equaliser with a superb cross.

Outside of the real heavy-hitters of the Championship, for my money Durham have one of the better central midfields in the league: Molly Lambert and Beth Hepple are both decent technical players and good athletes (Lambert in particular, who towers above a lot of opponents), while winger Lily Crosthwaite always impresses me every time I see her play. For Scofield and Ella Kinzett (aided at times by Monique Robinson and the two wingbacks) to stand up to that challenge is a decent effort.

The first half was, though, a pretty bleak watch. United barely mustered an attack for 30 minutes as Durham piled up the corners (a frankly-daft 17 in the game), one of which ended up in the net on 24. Michaela Foster swirled it in on her left foot and it dropped over keeper Sian Rogers and straight in for the “Olimpico”.

Rogers has been good this season – and made a vital save at 1-0 – but this was a weak moment. She reacted as though she’d got a nudge but the goal stood.

The rest of the half was a dispiriting slog as Durham slowed the pace right down. This will come across as a backhanded compliment – to be fair, that’s pretty much my intention – but they are a well-drilled side in terms of game management. Lambert and captain Sarah Wilson were quick to get in the referee’s ear looking for yellow cards, with Lambert singling out Robinson as someone she could rile up (not difficult). Robinson did eventually pick up a comical booking for kicking the ball into the stand, despite the fact the protesting Durham player had a ball on a cone a few inches from her feet.

It’s quite noticeable at this level how unified the approach is across the team and maybe speaks to a greater squad consistency that Durham enjoy compared to some other clubs. Of their starting XI, Hepple, Lambert, Crosthwaite, Wilson and Becky Salicki all started this fixture in August 2022. United don’t have anything like that continuity. That consistency has presumably given the Durham coaching set up a bit of an edge and they’re leaning into it with excellent effect – just look at the table. Keeper Rylee Foster did pick up a booking for timewasting after just 59 minutes, though.

Anyway, United struggled, with one jinking, nutmegging run from Morgan about the only thing to get us fans onto the edge of our seats. There were no changes at the break, but the Blades immediately pushed Durham back and began to enjoy much more of the ball around the final third with Robinson and Farrugia getting more involved.

However it was almost 2-0 when Issy Hobson – not for the first time in a difficult game for her – gave the ball away under little pressure. Crosthwaite got the ball into the six yard box and as United dithered Lambert arrived, but fortunately Rogers kicked her shot away from close range. Lambert would also go close again with a dipping 25-yarder that Rogers was able to tip behind.

The equaliser, though, arrived shortly after, as Olivia Page’s forward pass was pounced on by Scofield before Robinson teed up Cowan out wide. The wingback’s first-time cross was a peach and Hand met it with a towering header to power the ball into the net. It was her first Blades goal and well-deserved for her tireless play up front this season, which hasn’t yielded much in the way of actual chances from her team-mates. It was later announced that she has been recalled to the New Zealand squad for the upcoming internationals.

Jacqui Hand celebrates with her team-mates after heading in United’s equaliser.

The only minor tinge of disappointment I have is that the Blades didn’t take another shot for the rest of the game, and were clearly happy with a point from then on. Which is absolutely fine in the context of the season, but in the moment I thought we had a chance to kick on and nick a win that would pretty much have ended any relegation fears. But I get the logic. United did have a moment where it looked like they might snatch one, as substitute Fallon Connolly-Jackson powered into the box but couldn’t quite find fellow sub Eva Butler with her pullback.

Tensions rose a little and Robinson’s substitution felt a wise move, but although Rogers tipped a deflected long range shot away (probably going wide anyway) and Durham added to their corner count, the final moments passed without incident and the Blades celebrated a good result.

There’s no game for United next weekend after their elimination from the FA Cup. They travel to current leaders Birmingham on February 16th and then have a massive game against Portsmouth on March 2nd. The club did a really good job of promoting the Newcastle match in terms of ticket offers (sizeable away support helped); it was noticeable how much smaller the crowd was for the Durham game. Hopefully they can do a similar offer for the Portsmouth game which will be a tipping point for the season in terms of whether we need to spend the remainder of the campaign chilling out or in a flap.

As a final word for this week’s newsletter I just want to shine a spotlight on Olivia Page (who celebrated her birthday on the day of the game), who United signed in the summer of 2023 as a development player and is only now getting her first proper run in the team. She had a difficult game at Charlton but I’ve been really impressed with her last two home appearances. She’s got the size and mobility to excel at centre-back, but it’s her passing that’s made me sit up and take notice.

United are committed to playing through the thirds in their build-up play but while Hobson struggled on Sunday and Murray looks like a player who knows her limitations, there were a bunch of times where Page put her foot on the ball and played a press-breaking pass into midfield. It’s the kind of pass that looks incredibly simple when it comes off but needs the poise and technique to pick it out. Definitely one I’m keen to see more of for the rest of the season.

Thanks as always for reading, get yourself a ticket for that Portsmouth match if you can and come and support the team in the biggest game of the season. Back next week.