Blades test kicks off huge period

LEE CROFT

Latics’ wing wizard writes every week for Chron Sport

GETTING 90 minutes under my belt against Manchester United’s reserves was a real positive for me this week.

We were up against a good side too: Adnan Januzaj scored a couple of goals while Andreas Pereira and Paddy McNair both played, as did some of the other young pros who have featured in their first team this season. We were beaten 4-0 and it was a tough game, but a useful exercise.

Unfortunately, that game came on the back of the disappointment of having Swindon called off. The lads were a little gutted as it was another game we had been looking to win.

But we now look to Sheffield United tomorrow, a ground I personally have enjoyed success at in recent years. It’s a game we have every confidence of winning. They are 12th at the moment, but will still believe they can make the play-offs.

It is such an up-and-down league. Barnsley had lost eight in a row in the league earlier in the season yet now they are up there in sixth place. Any team that can put a consistent run stands a chance.

Looking past Bramall Lane tomorrow, it is clear that the home match against Blackpool is a massive one for us on Tuesday.

When we drew with them at Bloomfield Road a month ago, it left us eight points behind. Now the gap is one point and we have two games in hand over them.

A huge eight days then rounds off with our home derby against Rochdale.

These are the sorts of games everyone wants to play in — the sorts of fixtures that you look forward too all season.