Carr, Crooks and Leonard score in victory
Danny Carr and Matt Crooks continued their good form in front of goal during pre-season as the Terriers recorded a comfortable victory over Radcliffe Borough.
Max Leonard scored Town’s third to round off an impressive first half for Steve Eyre’s men, who had earlier scored through the aforementioned pair.
Captain Crooks rounded off an impressive individual display with a second from close range late in the second half.
Eyre’s men wasted no time in getting to business at Radcliffe with summer signing Danny Carr putting the Terriers ahead with seven minutes played. The former Dulwich Hamlet man converted well at the back-post after Crooks had done well down the right.
At the other end Radcliffe showed potential in attack and twice crafted shooting opportunities, but on both occasions finished tamely at Lloyd Allinson.
The home side were made to pay for their poor finishing with Crooks making it two in the 25th minute, converting Tom Smith’s low cross.
The Terriers dominated possession for the remainder of the half and saw Carr go close twice. The former Reading scholar saw a shot cleared off the line after he had rounded the Radcliffe ‘keeper before the stopper did well to gather his snapshot five minutes later.
However, Town did have their third on the stroke of half-time with Max Leonard doing well to slide the ball home after Duane Holmes’ vision had opened The Boro’s defence.
With the slope to the home side’s advantage in the second 45 they were the first to carve out an opening when Allinson was forced into a low save from the edge of the area. Their possession continued during the opening 15 minutes, but Town’s central pair of Liam Ridehalgh and Smith marshalled play superbly.
In attack, Town were getting plenty of joy from balls down the side of the two Radcliffe central defenders and in the 72nd minute one should have resulted in the fourth goal. Charles raced through and after rounding the ‘keeper shot wide under pressure from the recovering Radcliffe defenders.
The Terriers’ attacking pressure continued as the game became stretched, allowing the visitors more time on the ball. Town’s central midfielders used it to great effect in the 77th minute switching the ball to Robbie McIntyre whose cross was diverted onto the bar and over by the onrushing Duane Holmes.
Crooks put the icing on the cake of an impressive display in the 83rd minute when he calmly guided the ball home from inside the six yard box.
Town’s team (4-3-2-1):
Lloyd Allinson (Ed Wilczynski, 77); Robbie McIntyre, Liam Ridehalgh, Tom Smith, Joe Wilkinson (Bradley Carroll, 69); Matt Crooks, Duane Holmes, Dale Hopson; Jake Charles (Danny Kane, 73); Max Leonard, Daniel Carr (Philip Billing, 62)
