Jake Charles & Philip Billing secure fifth straight win
- Jake Charles & Philip Billing score
- Fifth straight win for Huddersfield Town U21s
- Highlights on HTTV on Wednesday
Frankie Bunn’s Town Under-21 side recorded a fifth straight Professional Development League 2 win this afternoon thanks to goals from Jake Charles and Philip Billing.
In the process, the young Terriers ended hosts Millwall’s 100% home record this season, with the 2-0 Town win halting a run of four straight victories on home soil for the Lions.
Both line-ups were young, with Millwall only playing one of the three permitted overage outfielders in the form of 28 year-old winger Lee Martin, formerly of Ipswich Town.
Bunn named no overage players in his team once again, but he did make three changes from the side that won 3-0 at Crewe last time out.
Fresh from international duty with Wales Under-21s, Jake Charles (pictured above) started with Under-18 striker Rekeil Pyke dropping to the bench. Elsewhere joint top scorer Flo Bojaj returned from a groin injury to start in place of Sondre Tronstad, whilst Fraser Horsfall deputised for Danny Kane at centre back as the Irishman returned from his own international summons.
Although Pyke was among the subs, his fellow Under-18 scholars Jacob Hanson and Regan Booty started once again for the Under-21s.
The new-look strike partnership of Bojaj and Charles combined in the 18th minute to give their side a lead. On this occasion Flo was the provider, feeding a pass to Jake in the area; he took aim and fired into the bottom left corner on his weaker right side for his second of the campaign. That goal capped an impressive opening half from the travelling Terriers.
It took until the 54th minute for Town to double the advantage, but the goal was worth the wait. A good cross-field pass from midfielder Duane Holmes was knocked across the area expertly by Bojaj into the path of Danish midfielder Philip Billing (pictured above), who took aim and fired past the goalkeeper with his left foot. Like Charles, it was his second of the PDL2 season.
Today’s victory was the fourth on the road for Town’s Under-21s in that five game winning streak and pulls Town just one point away from league leaders Hull City.
Importantly, with the top two sides from the northern division advancing to the league Play-Offs at the end of the season, it pulls Town four points clear of third placed Coventry City.
Highlights of the game will appear on HTTV on Wednesday!
Town’s team (4-4-2 diamond):
Ed Wilczynski; Jack Senior, William Boyle (c), Fraser Horsfall, Jacob Hanson; Regan Booty, Philip Billing, Duane Holmes, Ronan Coughlan (Sondre Tronstad, 82); Flo Bojaj, Jake Charles (Rekeil Pyke, 76)
Unused subs:
Tadhg Ryan, Joe Wilkinson, Ben Holmes
Town's next home game against MK Dons on 20 October is just £10 for adults at the gate!
