Sheffield United suffer a shock 2-0 loss in the pre-season friendly against FC Halifax Town.
The Blades were hoping that their trip to the Shay would be a confidence booster as well as a good work out, but they ended up having egg on their face after they suffered an embarrassing 2-0 defeat.
That threat of a Halifax win was there straight away when they started off as the better team and came close to taking the lead when Jordan Sinnott’s free kick smashed into the woodwork.
Eventually though the game turned back to United’s favour as you’d expect and they had a number of chances on goal. Paul Coutts forced an impressive save from Halifax’s new goalkeeper Steve Drench while Matty Done matched Sinnott by also hitting the post. Despite coming close, the game would be goalless in the second half.
As is customary in these pre-season friendlies, both teams started to drastically change their team in the second half with Stefan Scougall and Marc McNulty, who both had loan spells away from Bramall Lane last season, hoping to impress and get back into the first team.
The Blades did start the game well with James Wilson almost turned in a Chris Hussey corner, but as more and more changes happened, Halifax took the lead.
After 76 minutes, Halifax started to play football much better than the level that they are at and eventually it was played to Connor Hughes who was able to put the ball into the bottom corner and past a flying Aaron Ramsdale.
And then ten minutes later Halifax doubled their lead when Sheffield United were unable to clear a corner and Richard Peniket was there to punish them and knock the ball in.
The game would finish 2-0 with Halifax claiming a confidence boosting upset while United have had their problems exposed with the task now being for manager Chris Wilder to sort them before the season proper starts.
