Adam Hammill scores on his return to the pitch
A 1-0 win against a visiting Coventry City gave Frankie Bunn’s Under-21 side three points thanks to a first half goal from the returning Adam Hammill.
Huddersfield Town’s Development Squad started brightly in its tie against Coventry City’s Under 21s at the John Smith’s Stadium and a fantastic solo effort from Hammill (pictured above) gave the Terriers the lead after 17 minutes.
This was Hammill’s first game of the season and the 26 year-old started to make up for lost time as he cut inside onto his favoured right side and curled his shot past ‘keeper Corey Addai.
From then on Town pressed as Coventry’s midfield worked tirelessly to regain possession. Both sides dabbled with the ball in the middle of the pitch, though Town looked to quicken the pace going into the half-hour mark.
Murray Wallace delivered a long-searching cross which Flo Bojaj plucked out of the air before directly his shot goal-ward, yet the Coventry stopper stood equal to his low effort and tipped the ball around the post.
Hammill tried to double Town’s lead shortly before the interval again, teasing the Coventry defence with some fancy footwork before wrapping his right foot around the ball - though this effort was not as accurate as his first.
First year scholar Rekeil Pyke was introduced for the second half, replacing Bojaj, and the young striker made an immediate impact after he barged through the Coventry defence to deliver a cross for Joe Lolley who struck his shot over the bar.
Shortly after, defender Wallace must have thought he had doubled Town’s lead, only to see his header from very close range fly wide of Corey Addai’s near post.
Nevertheless, Town’s pressure persisted as Hammill vigorously pestered Coventry’s full-back. He did manage to pick fullback Jacob Whitmore’s pocket on one occasion although his effort from an ambitious 40-yards failed to catch ‘keeper Addai off his line.
Town then made two further changes following the introduction of young Pyke. Goal-scorer Hammill and Lolley made way for Ben Atkinson and Joe Wilkinson mid-way through the second half.
Coventry did manage to test ‘keeper Joe Murphy, however these were routine saves for the former Coventry City ‘keeper.
Captain Dion Kelly-Evans came close for the visitors although his driven effort from range zipped past Murphy’s cross-bar and out for a goal-kick.
The visitors did make one change approaching the end of the second half; 16 year-old Bassala Sambou who scored two goals in the two sides’ under 18s clash at the weekend was brought on for Danny Swanson.
However, the next chance fell to youngster Pyke to put the game to bed. Philip Billing rolled a weighted pass to the forward who took the ball in his stride, only to see the door shut by a desperate challenge from Coventry captain Kelly-Evans.
Town have now won seven of their last nine fixtures in the Professional Development League 2, and record 22 points from a possible 27.
The Development Squad travels to Cardiff City in its next league fixture on Monday 17 November.
Town’s U21s vs Coventry (4-3-3):
Joe Murphy; William Boyle (c), Murray Wallace, Anthony Gerrard, Jacob Hanson; Duane Holmes, Philip Billing, Sondre Tronstad; Adam Hammill (Ben Atkinson, 81), Flo Bojaj (Rekeil Pyke, 46), Joe Lolley (Joe Wilkinson, 75)
Unused Subs:
Lloyd Allinson, Joe Wright
