Young Terriers draw at Canalside
- Town B draw 2-2 with Blackpool
- Important minutes for several First Team players
- Josh Ruffels and Connor Shanks on the scoresheet
Huddersfield Town’s B Team drew 2-2 with a Blackpool XI at Canalside on Tuesday afternoon.
The game saw several First Team players from both teams picking up important minutes.
Town twice led in the game through Josh Ruffels and Connor Shanks, but they were pegged back on separate occasions in the second period.
The first chance of the game fell to Ruffels, who took a loose ball and drilled a shot wide of the target from 20 yards after four minutes.
Moments later, Mipo Odubeko drove into the middle and attempted to slide Josh Koroma through on goal. However, the goalkeeper raced off his line and got to the ball ahead of the winger.
Town took a deserved lead after a quarter into the fixture. Odubeko again linked up with Koroma, with the winger finding his teammate with a low cross. Koroma set the ball perfectly for Ruffels, who guided a sumptuous half-volley into the bottom corner from the edge.
Blackpool then had their first opportunity of the game on 20 minutes before Jordan Rhodes almost capped off his return to footballing action with a goal.
Rhodes swept up a heavy touch from a Tangerine defender and bared down on goal. The forward tried to go around the ‘keeper, but he managed to prise the ball off the toes of Rhodes and avert the danger.
On the half-hour mark, Koroma saw a deflected effort saved before Loick Ayina rifled wide after winning possession on halfway.
Blackpool, arguably, ended the first half the stronger side and went close with two shots from the left that were placed wide of the far post.
Ryan Schofield then made two excellent stops – one being a low block before he held onto a shot – to ensure Town held their lead going into the break.
The visitors enjoyed a brighter second period after netting on 48 minutes.
A shot deflected towards the back post where an unmarked forward was on hand to level the game.
Blackpool almost put themselves ahead on 53 minutes, but they could only drag wide after cutting in from the left.
Koroma was then denied on the hour, as the ‘keeper got across and tipped the winger’s curling effort wide of the top corner.
The Young Terriers went back ahead on 62 minutes when a Ben Jackson corner was prodded home at the back post by second half substitute Connor Shanks.
However, Blackpool again got back on level terms six minutes later, as they powered home in the middle after a save from Schofield.
Schofield then had a busy last 15 minutes as the Tangerines ramped up the pressure.
The 21-year-old goalkeeper’s most important stop came with four minutes remaining.
Blackpool worked the ball into the area and took a snapshot towards the target, but Schofield managed to parry the ball onto the crossbar before the ‘keeper jumped up and pounced on the loose cause.
Town survived the late onslaught, though, to claim a draw.
B Team’s Line-up (3-4-3)
Ryan Schofield; Loick Ayina (Luke Daley, 46’), Ben Jackson, Etienne Camara; Danny Grant (Jaheim Headley, 46’), Jon Russell (Myles Bright, 46’), Josh Ruffels, Rolando Aarons (Brahima Diarra, 46’); Josh Koroma, Jordan Rhodes (Kian Harratt, 61’), Mipo Odubeko (Connor Shanks, 46’)
Scorers
Josh Ruffels (16’), Connor Shanks (62’)
