Under-18s continue winning start to the season
An early goal from Jake Charles extended Town winning start to the Under-18 Professional Development League season at the expense of Derby County on Saturday morning.
Frankie Bunn and Tony Carss’ team has now won its opening three games of the new season thanks to this single goal victory at Canalside, which was watched by First Team Manager Mark Robins and Coach Steve Taylor ahead of the First Team game at Barnsley.
The only goal of the game came as early as the eighth minute when Jake Charles – once again playing just off the main striker – cleverly used the run of winger Jake Hanson as a decoy to take away a defender before striking a superb shot from range past the Rams’ goalkeeper and in off the post.
There were chances for both teams throughout the 90 minutes, with Derby going closest to an equaliser in the 14th minute when a striker hit the post with a header.
Derby should have also levelled just after the half hour mark when a striker should have done better with a header, which he directed straight at Town custodian Sam Guthrie.
For the Terriers striker Rekeil Pyke went close to his second of the season, but full back Bradley Carroll’s 49th minute cross just evaded him in the area before his solo strike from range flashed just over the crossbar in the 65th minute.
The visitors pressed towards the end of the game, but Town’s young side held out well to record a clean sheet and another three points.
Town U18s vs. Derby County (4-4-1-1):
Sam Guthrie; Mikey Starkey, William Boyle, Joe Wilkinson (c), Bradley Carroll; Jake Hanson (Jack Boyle 89), Ben Holmes, Ben Atkinson, Regan Booty; Jake Charles; Rekeil Pyke (Trialist 86)
Unused substitutes:
Ed Wilczynski, Fraser Horsfall, Danny Kane
