Did not go today as sadly me and the lad could not really justify spending £50 on tickets and another £30 on train tickets etc especially when there were no trains to Bolton from Manchester (done that replacement bus route before and it was painful!) but watched on a stream…..and really pleased I managed to see the game by some form today……credit to those that went that got the reward of our best performance of the season.

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It was three wins on the bounce for the Blades as they beat Bolton at the University of Bolton Stadium (I know!) with a superb performance where they dominated the previously unbeaten home side. Goals from Duffy, Freeman and Fleck accounted for the Wanderers but in truth it could have been even more. United played some lovely football and controlled the game from start to finish.

Duffy came back for Norwood and United playing in all yellow were straight out of the blocks and Sharp found Stevens whose shot on the angle was parried behind. From a clever short corner from Norwood the ball was pulled back to Fleck and his powerful shot was pushed onto the bar by Alnwick. It bounced down but the referee confirmed it was not over the line. It was a superb start and United were unlucky not to lead. However, 5 minutes in they did lead as Fleck, Freeman and then Basham were involved and the ball was played back and DUFFY arrived into the box and expertly passed it into the corner. A lovely move and finish. United were dominating and Norwood and Fleck controlling the ball with Duffy getting on it at every chance. Freeman and Basham were surging down the right and O’Connell and Stevens doing likewise on the other side.

Buckley fell in the box in Bolton’s first real attack but it was theatrical then Basham did well to clear. The same man got forward and played in Sharp who linked with Clarke but the ball was cleared for a corner with Sharp waiting to pounce. From the corner Basham fired inches wide with the keeper beaten. The second goal was not long coming. The midfield trio for United continued to pull the strings in the build up but the end result was not quite what even the away side expected. Clarke was involved in the initial play and fed FREEMAN. His low cross was stepped over by Clarke and the ball drifted in off the far post past the stunned Alnwick. If Clarke had meant it; then it was brilliant. Freeman looked as surprised as anyone when the ball hit the net!

United continued to dominate and Fleck ran off two players and brilliantly advanced at pace. He tried an audacious chip from 25 yards that beat Alnwick but drifted just over. Bolton had offered nothing in comparison but Henderson had to be alive to scoop round a ball at the back post and from a corner soon after Wheater actually got the ball goalwards but Clarke got back to kick away right on the line. It was a crucial moment just before the break.

Clarke had to go off with a tight hamstring at half time and McGoldrick came on. The substitute nearly made a stunning impact as he hit a dipping half volley that Alnwick tipped over. It was a stunning save at full stretch. Freeman then fed Sharp after a good run from the right wing back but the captain’s shot was blocked.

Freeman then volleyed wildly over after a lovely ball from Norwood. Magennis had a rare header drift wide and Ameobi came inside and had an effort blocked but it was the away side that still looked the more threatening. Basham had a surging run that saw him beat his man but Sharp missed badly when it came over. Stearman came on for Duffy as United tried to ensure they preserved the clean sheet.

On 73 minutes, the third goal came. Neat passing and patient build up saw Stevens get behind the defence and send over a low cross which FLECK buried as he came in to attack the ball. This effectively killed the game and many home fans headed for the exits.

United could have had more as Sharp again was in but sent his shot just wide on the angle. Freeman then had a shot blocked before Woodburn came on for Sharp. Bolton threw on former Blades man Donaldson but other than a few long range Ameobi efforts did not really muster anything and looked well beaten as the additional 4 minutes passed without any real incident as United saw things out easily in a dominant away performance.