Sheffield United extended their winning pre-season to three wins out of three after defeating established League Two side Harrogate Town 4-1 on Tuesday evening.
It was an excellent start to proceedings as the Blades bossed the game from start to finish. The likes of Callum O’Hare, Anis Slimane and Andre Brooks really stood out in the first half, and it was the latter pair which combined for United’s opener.
Good work from Slimane down the left saw him dance past his marker at the byline and he weighted a cutback to the onrushing Brooks who kept his composure and tooked the ball home with the inside of his left foot.
Here is 1st goal. Sorry missed it earlier. pic.twitter.com/BX4TYu0dqb
— Tommo (@FPL_Blade) July 23, 2024
Brooks had a spell in the Sheffield United team in the Premier League last season when Chris Wilder returned to the club. Some of his performances rightfully earned praise from the gaffer. One thing that was really missing from his game was composure in shooting areas, but he’s evidently worked on that aspect over the summer.
Boyhood Blade Andre Brooks on his first senior goal
Speaking to SUTV about his goal, the boyhood Blade said: “It’s been coming to be fair. I had a couple of chances last season and I’m happy to put it away this time. I thought Rhian was going to touch it but I shouted over to him and he just left it and it fell to me so nice and I put it in the back of the net.
“The gaffer says to us all the time ‘just keep the ball, don’t force anything and it will come’ and tonight it did.”
By the time the full time whistle blew against Harrogate, the United team was full of players from the development team. There were plenty of impress performers in the second half, notably Sai Sachdev, who was the only player to play the full 90.
Brooks, who has produced several electrifying performances for the development team over the last few years, has played a lot of games with the current youth crop, and he was happy to see some of them impress on Tuesday night. “Sai was good and Marshy and Owen came on and linked up for the 3rd goal so I’m happy for them,” he said.
Chris Wilder on the Sheffield United youth prospects
Wilder and Sheffield United have a plethora of young talent at their disposal, and so far in pre-season the young players have stepped up.
The Blades chief sang their praises after Tuesday night’s win, he said on SUTV, “I had a chat with them before we all started first day back and I said ‘you’re going to get an opportunity’. First impressions with everybody, to the supporters, to us, to themselves and they’ve took every chance they’ve been given. Whether it’s Femi, Boyesy, young Dovy, Ryan One, Louie Marsh, they’ve all took their opportunity and shown they’re going to be good players. It’s exciting.”
The next test for the Blades is a short trip to South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham United, and it provides another chance for the young crop of players to excite and show everybody what they’re about.
