Second Clarets Cup game ends in defeat
- 3-1 defeat on Tuesday afternoon for Town’s U17s at Burnley
- Darnel Baxter-Alleyne on the scoresheet for Town
- Second game of Group A campaign in the Clarets Cup
Huddersfield Town’s Under-17s side were beaten 3-1 by Burnley following a second-half comeback in the Clarets Cup.
The Young Terriers had taken a first-half lead courtesy of a composed finish from midfielder Darnel Baxter-Alleyne but conceded three goals after the break, resulting in defeat at Barnfield Training Centre.
Two players above the Under-17 age bracket are able to play in the competition and Taylor Annakin and Sam Sharrock-Peplow both started for Jon Worthington’s side.
That was largely because Town were without Ernaldo Krasniqi, Pat Jones, Robson Shipley and Andre Edionhon through international duty, whilst Luke Billam missed the game through injury.
Both sides matched each other well in the opening exchanges but it was Burnley who had the first real chance of the game after an attacker connected with a cross from the left but couldn’t quite steer his volley towards Michael Roxburgh’s goal.
Town, wearing the fiery coral third kit, had to be patient in search of their first opening and made the most of it when it came after 21 minutes. Having won the ball back in defence, the Young Terriers worked the ball forward and found Darnel Baxter-Alleyne in behind the hosts’ defence.
Town’s number 8 composed himself before placing his shot into the far bottom corner past the goalkeeper.
That was the first of two quickfire attempts for the midfielder who miscued the next minutes later after some good linkup play down the left with Sharrock-Peplow.
Burnley were then in search of an equaliser in the time that remained in the first half but didn’t quite have the edge to break through the Town defence before the break, despite creating several opportunities.
Two powerful efforts in the ten minutes leading up to the break were off target as Worthington’s side went into the break narrowly ahead.
After a brief chat with the coach and a quick turnaround, the game was back under way and it was the hosts who dealt the first blow of the second half, as they got back on level terms following a fine solo run and finish from the left side.
An important clearance from Taylor Annakin at the back post kept the scores level but the hosts did get the go-ahead goal soon after an attacker connected with a whipped free kick to finish from inside the box.
The Clarets then stretched their advantage soon after, as a move worked its way to a player in space on the left side who finished past the diving Roxburgh.
The Terriers did try to get back into the game in the latter stages as winger Gulutte Zunda caused problems for the hosts’ defence having cut in from the left side, but he couldn’t find the net on either of the two occasions he tried his luck, the first being denied by a low save before the second flew over the bar in the closing minutes.
It meant that Town couldn’t make it two wins from two in the Clarets Cup group stage and were succumbed to their first defeat of the competition following last week’s win over Doncaster Rovers.
Despite the defeat, Academy Coach George Danaher insists there are things that the Young Terriers can take forward and build upon.
“It’s a disappointing result but a really good learning curve for the lads. We tried to set them a bit of a game plan to see if they could follow it which they were unsuccessful with, but we saw what we’re trying to do in there in patches.
“There were some really good individual performances. Defensively in the first half, we were secure, the wind was up a lot, so I thought the two centre-halves dealt with that well.
“Mikey (Michael Roxburgh) made some good decisions too. I think it’s that decision making in those conditions which was good in the first half.
“We weren’t trying to do silly things; we were trying to go a bit longer and play over their press so there were some positives there.”
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)
Michael Roxburgh; Luke Daley, Loick Ayina, Joshua Okpolokpo, Taylor Annakin; Myles Bright, Ben Midgley (c), Darnel Baxter-Alleyne; Gulutte Zunda, Brahima Diarra, Sam Sharrock Peplow (Trialist, 57’)
Final score
Burnley 3-1 Huddersfield Town Under-17s
Scorer
Darnel Baxter-Alleyne 21’