Opening Skirmishes

So, the season has already opened, with the first Love, the Blades, achieving one win and one draw (and one defeat in the League Cup). Third league game today, away at Colchester. Up the Blades!!

Around South Yorkshire, Wednesday have kept pace with the Blades (albeit, infuriatingly, one division higher) coming from 2-0 behind to earn an opening day last minute draw away at Derby, and then earning a good three points at home to Birmingham. Barnsley opened with a home win to Middlesborough, before going down 3-1 to a good Wolves side who ought to be challenging for promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Doncaster Rovers have got off to a great start, with two victories placing them second to Tranmere Rovers on goal difference only. A 2-1 home win against Bury was preceeded by a fantastic 3-0 away drubbing of Walsall. Donny are marking themselves out as one of the teams to watch!

Life back in Rotherham at the New York Stadium got off to a great start with a 3-0 win over Burton Albion for Rotherham United before a tricky away trip to Northampton saw the Millers succumb to a late winner from the home side.
Sheffield's non-league sides had a mixed bag, with Sheffield starting with a fantastic 6-2 away win at Lincoln United, before going down 2-1 at home to Loughborough Dynamo. Hallam seem to have their first four fixtures in the Northern Counties East League all away from home, and had a 2-1 defeat away at Emley and a 1-1 draw at Athersley Recreation sandwiching a 5-3 defeat in the FA Cup Extra preliminary round (in which Liam Morris scored a hat-trick) and a 4-2 defeat to Grimsby Borough in the NCEL League Cup First Round. Both ties were, again, away from home. The most goals would have been seen following Stocksbridge Park Steels, however, who have conceded five in each of their first two league games, losing 5-0 away Blyth Spartans, before putting four past Chorley at home. On that alone, I think a trip to the Look Local stadium on 8th September to see the Steels face Marine in the FA Cup is definitely on the cards for me!