Scunthorpe VS Sheffield Utd

Scunthorpe v Sheffield Utd
17/10/2009, 19:00

(19) SCU: W02-01 D01-01 L02-04 F08-06 A08-13
(16) SHE: W02-01 D02-02 L01-03 F11-06 A07-09


The teams didn't play one another last season as Scunthorpe who finished 6th in the League 1 last season came through in the Play-Offs to earn promotion here.


Scunthorpe were stunned in their opening match in this class when they were hit with a 0-4 defeat away at Cardiff City. However they were quick to make good with that 3-2 home win when they hosted Derby County here at Glandford Park a week later . They also had their second win here when they beat Preston North End 3-1 here but that was after they had suffered 2 prior consecutive defeats at the hands of Middlesbrough (0-2) and QPR (0-1). Last time out here they were held to a 2-2 draw by Doncaster Rovers.


The home side will obviously depend very much on their top striker Gary Hooper (5 goals) to get them the winning goals here. He seems to blend very well with Paul Hayes and the duo looks set to stop the visitors from going away with any points.


United (Blades) missed out on promotion to the EPL despite finishing 3rd in the C'ship League last season. They were beaten 1-0 by Burnley in the Play-Off final and though they have vowed to make it this time around, they have started the season on a very poor note by their standards.


They have to failed to win at home on 4 occasions, having been held to draws by Leicester (1-1), West Brom (2-2) Ipswich (3-3) and Doncaster (1-1) and the loss of those 8 points sees them at the lower end of the table though they have yet to lose at home. They lost their last 2 away matches very narrowly going down 2-3 to Coventry and 1-2 to Swansea.


But for that 0-0 away draw against Boro at the Riverside, the Blades have scored in every game. That 17 goals tally in the 11 matches played (average 1.5) says that they will be able to hit a couple of goals past the newly promoted hosts. No doubt much will depend on Jamie Ward (4 goals) to get them the needed goals. He missed out with a hamstring problem in that 1-1 home draw but hope to return following a lull in the fixtures (international week).


A confident vote for the visitors – bet on it!

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