No complaints after draw with Stamford, says Shaw

The dust was shaking off a Sheffield side that came off the back of a two week break. Debutant Kuda Muskwe who arrived on load from Rotherham last week had a positive start to his Sheffield career, and looked the brightest for club in the opening stages.

Stamford were persistent with the long ball over the Sheffield defence in the opening 20 but the defensive line stood firm. It was this tactic though that almost led to an opening goal for Stamford. As the ball looped in the air off the head of a Sheffield defender, Ball lined up a volley from 18 yards which keeper Louis Jones saved down low to his left.

Sheffield came close too when Andrew Gascoigne picked up the ball on the wing and cut inside onto his favoured left foot before rifling a low, driven shot against the post. The danger was cleared and Stanford regained possession.

Stamford strikers Adams and Fortnam-Tomlinson had chances but nothing was troubling the on-loan Jones in the Sheffield goal.

Then Chapman who, with reminiscence of his wonder strike against Stocksbdrige, fizzed a free-kick from range just inches from the top left corner, Haystead could only stand and watch.

Sheffield manager Mark Shaw said: “I think we deserved the three points in the end, but we haven’t played for two weeks so not losing, I can’t complain.

“We had the better chances, second half I thought we were the better team.”

“Stamford have been playing week-in week-out, and today they settled for a point.”

Sheffield FC: Jones, Turner, Brown, Nyoni, Lawrence, Chapman, Gascoigne (C), Finlaw, Muskwe (Osbourne 65), Worrall (Gregory 70), Williams (Yates 78). Attendance: 229.