Friday night’s football action focuses around the first leg of the League One semi-final play-off as Stevenage host Sheffield United. United are fancied by most to follow their city rivals Wednesday into the Championship but can they justify favouritism?
This is the post-season that the Blades probably did not want, having spent so much time in the top two in League One only to falter late in the game and surrender the initiative to Sheffield Wednesday – who took great delight in obliging.
Danny Wilson’s men only lost one of their last 12 matches in the regular season but the last three games proved their undoing – starting with losing at MK Dons on April 21.
United still had the chance of automatic promotion but could only draw their last two games to finish three points behind Wednesday and in the dreaded play-offs.
In theory, Wilson’s charges have been handed the easier last-four clash as they take on the side that finished sixth in the table, courtesy of a better goal difference.
However, one of those late draws was suffered at the hands of the Boro, who had actually gone 2-0 up in the Bramall Lane fixture, only to be denied the three points by an 85th-minute equaliser.
Gary Smith’s men may well be the outsiders to triumph at Wembley, but they can take plenty of confidence into the play-offs against United, not least because of that recent draw.
Stevenage also won the fixture at Broadhall Way earlier in the season so should be relishing the play-off match-up as they go into Friday’s fixture having lost just one of their last 16 games.
The hosts have also made Broadhall Way something of a fortress, having lost just three times at home, and they have been installed as the favourites at 11/8 to win the first leg, with United priced at 2/1 and the draw is on offer at 9/4.
In fact, the Boro have only been beaten nine times this season in the league, but the big problem for Smith and his men is finding ways to win – the club has been held to 19 draws this season, 10 of which came in the last 16 games of the season and seven of those were in March.
However, a 3-0 win over Bury to ensure a play-off place as well as their season record against the Blades, who will be the side suffering the weight of expectation, should set them up well for the first leg – especially with the home crowd behind them.
The goals have been spread around among the Stevenage players with Chris Beardsley, Luke Freeman and Michael Bostwick scoring seven, while captain Mark Roberts has chipped in with six and may well tempt some at 20/1 to score first, while Scott Laird needs to be considered at 12/1 as he has notched eight times this season.
United have scored plenty of goals this season, but they of course are shorn of top-scorer Ched Evans, although Richard Cresswell (6/1) and Lee Williamson (10/1) have both regularly found the net this term.
The Blades carry an obvious threat having been there or thereabouts for automatic promotion for most of the season, but Stevenage have nothing to lose and will be going all out to secure an advantage to take to Bramall Lane next week.
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