Town’s youngsters eliminated from the FA Youth Cup

- Huddersfield Town Under-18s defeated by Peterborough United
- 2-0 defeat sees Terriers eliminated from the FA Youth Cup
- Young Terriers create lots of chances, but can’t capitalise

Huddersfield Town’s Under-18 side was eliminated from this season’s FA Youth Cup at the Third Round stage by visitors Peterborough United at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Posh started the game well and deserved their advantage in the first-half, but a red card for the visiting goalkeeper changed the flow of the game.

Despite this, Mark Hudson and Dean Whitehead’s youngsters couldn’t convert their chances and Peterborough scored a second on the breakaway to seal passage to the Fourth Round.

The visiting side started the better and took the lead inside 14 minutes through lively forward Oliver Shackelton. He received a pass between Town’s defensive and midfield lines around 25 yards out and wasn’t closed down quickly enough by centre back Jordan Eli, allowing the forward to take aim and bend a low shot home via a kiss off the near post in impressive fashion.

Matty Daly, the 17-year-old midfielder who impressed with David Wagner’s First Team in pre-season, was a highlight on just his third game back from injury and he created Town’s first chance of note. His ball inside the full back found winger Aaron Rowe and his first-time cross found Kit Elliott beyond the far post, who tested the goalkeeper.

Then the sending-off came in the 27th minute, when Posh goalkeeper Blackmore wiped out Kit Elliott wide on the pitch. As much as the opportunity to score, the heaviness of the challenge saw the referee produce a red card.

Unfortunately for Town, his deputy Joshua Allen had a very impressive night.

It looked like Peterborough would be down to nine men just after the half hour when Micah Obiero raced through towards goal. Right back Douglas looked to clean the forward out just before he entered the penalty area, but to the disbelief of everyone in the ground he signalled that the defender had won the ball and waved play on!

Peterborough still carried a threat on the break and Town ‘keeper Giosue Bellagambi had to be alert to save impressively with his legs from Shackleton after the first goalscorer broke clear of Town’s defensive line.

One of Town’s biggest chances came two minutes before the interval. Daly found Obiero on the edge of the box and he turned it around the corner for Elliott to race clear, but he could only poke the ball wide of target under pressure from two men.

Town dominated the ball in the second half and soon hit the post through full back Ben Jackson’s cross that evaded everyone. Then, before the hour mark, Rowe turned down a golden shooting opportunity after playing a one-two with Obiero, preferring to try and get the ball onto his right foot.

Daly soon curled a shot towards goal that the goalkeeper turned behind and then Obiero dragged a first-time shot wide when another Jackson cross was deflected into his path in the penalty area.

Elliott fired over and wide as the game entered the final 20 minutes, but then Town was hit with a sucker-punch with quarter of an hour remaining. Centre half Olagunju gave Shackleton too much space and he rolled the ball into the area for teammate Flynn Clarke to flick home past Bellagambi for Peterborough’s second.

Town kept plugging away without success, with prolific Under-17 striker Kian Harratt coming on and causing problems. First he collected a square ball after a superb jinking run from Obiero, only for a defender to block, then – after Jackson had himself had a shot fly just wide – Harratt had a point-blank header saved.

There was still time for another added time effort when Harratt nodded a cross down into the path of strike partner Elliott, but once again the Peterborough goalkeeper saved.

Town’s team (4-2-3-1)
Giosue Bellagambi; Mason O’Malley, Jordan Eli (Josh Austerfield, 82’), Mustapha Olagunju, Ben Jackson; Scott High (c), Tom Bell (Jaheim Headley, 46’); Micah Obiero , Matty Daly (Kian Harratt, 62’), Aaron Rowe; Kit Elliott

Unused subs
Harrison Davison-Hale; Mohammed Diaby

Gate
301