English League One
2012-05-14 - Sheffield United vs Stevenage
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English League One Play Off Semi Final Second Leg
Monday 14 May 2012 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
The First Leg ended 0-0
Sheffield United
Sheffield United have never won a Play Off game in their history, but they will be confident they can get the job done in this tie after earning a 0-0 draw at Stevenage on Friday evening. Danny Wilson is urging his side to focus in this one and not take anything for granted as they still have a job to do at Bramall Lane.
The team finished just 3 points behind local rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the automatic promotion spot, but that means they are the big favourites in this Play Off series and they have to manage that expectation. Sheffield United finished the regular season with a 16-4-3 home record, scoring 54 goals and conceding 27 in those games. Only Sheffield Wednesday won more home games this season, while no team managed to score more home goals.
The Blades missed the chance for automatic promotion as they failed to win any of their last 4 League games, picking up just 3 points from the possible 12 available. Previous to this poor run of form, they had won 6 games in a row in the League. Sheffield United have lost just 1 of their last 9 games at home, winning 6 of those.
Ched Evans and James Beattie are unavailable, while Richard Cresswell will need to pass a late fitness test. Johnny Ertl should be available for selection.
Stevenage
Stevenage are looking to earn back to back promotions after sneaking their way into the Play Offs on goal difference. They were a little disappointed that they couldn't take a lead to Yorkshire for this second leg, but they also have no fear having scored twice in a draw at Bramall Lane last month.
They finished 6th in League One this season having earned 73 points which meant they pipped Notts County to the final Play Off spot thanks to a superior goal difference. Stevenage have a 8-9-6 away record in the League, scoring 33 goals and conceding 21. That means that only three teams ended up with fewer losses than Stevenage on their travels this season.
The side lost just 1 of their last 17 League games, although they actually only won 5 of those games. It has to be said that 4 of those wins actually came in their final 6 League games and that was enough to get them into this position. Stevenage have won just 1 of their last 8 away games in the League, but they have only been beaten in 1 of their last 6.
Gary Smith has a fully fit squad from which to make his selections on Monday evening.
Head to Head
This will be the fourth time the teams meet this season and actually just the fourth time they will be meeting in their history.
Stevenage won 1 of those games, while the other 2 have both ended in draws including the 0-0 in the first leg of this Semi Final tie.
The teams drew 2-2 at Bramall Lane a little over two weeks ago.
Prediction
I was actually surprised to see the first leg end goalless considering both sides are better going forward than they are at defending. I was particularly surprised that Danny Wilson set his Sheffield United side out to be tough to beat rather than looking to bring an advantage back to Bramall Lane.
This second leg should be different as one goal is going to force the other side to come out and attack, while Sheffield United have been the best scoring side at home in the League this season. It is unlikely that they will sit back in this one as they look to book their place at Wembley and I think an entertaining game could be in hand.
Stevenage will have no fear of playing on this ground having earned a 2-2 draw here at the end of April and they are likely to still go forward in search of the goals that could see them through.
With the tie in the balance as it is, I think we are going to see goals in this one. It reminds me of the Birmingham City-Blackpool Play Off Semi Final in the Championship when the first leg was surprisingly low-scoring before the high-scoring second leg.
Any goal will force the game to open up and it could make the odds against quotes on the Overs look a little silly. That will be my play in this game.
The Pick :
Sheffield United 2-1 Stevenage
