Terriers defeated soundly at PPG Canalside
- Town U18s lose to Sheffield United- Jordan Hallam gets hat-trick in five goal defeat
- Highlights on HTTV later
Town’s Under-18 side missed the chance to climb into Professional Development League 2 North Play-Off spots after being comprehensively defeated by second placed Sheffield United at PPG Canalside onThursday morning.
The young Terriers could have jumped above the Blades with a win, but instead it was Travis Binnion’s side that capitalised on some early poor play from the hosts and never looked back.
After his recent stint with the First Team, Lead Professional Development Coach Tony Carss was back to take charge of an Under-18 side featuring three Under-16 players and a trialist in the starting XI; Everton left back Spencer Myers making his second start for Town.
However, it was United attacker Jordan Hallam who stole the spotlight with a first half hat-trick that put his team into an unassailable lead.
His first goal came inside five minutes when a Town defender was penalised for handball on the edge of the penalty area, allowing Hallam to step forward and bend a powerful free kick into the left hand side of Ryan Schofield’s goal.
Town’s best spell of the game followed for the next 10 minutes, but the best effort the youngsters could muster was Lewis O’Brien’s flicked header over the bar from Luca Colville’s left-sided cross.
Instead it was Hallam who scored the next goal in the 19th minute. Town midfielder Sam Warde, who will now join up with the Republic of Ireland Under-18 squad for Sunday’s friendly against England, dallied on the ball and was robbed of possession, allowing Hallam to advance and smash the ball smartly into the bottom corner from 18 yards out.
Hallam had four more efforts before the end of the half and completed his hat-trick with the last action of the first 45 minutes. Carss will have been very disappointed to see a United goal kick bounce and send Hallam clear, who expertly lobbed the ball over Schofield.
Warde hit two efforts off target early in the second half and then striker Rekeil Pyke looked to be hauled down in the area as he tried to turn Myers’ low cross from the left home, but no penalty was given.
Instead it was United who absolutely killed the game with a fourth in the 66th minute; Under-16 ‘keeper Schofield came for a free kick delivered into the area and didn’t make it, allowing centre back Joseph Cummings to sweep home from a narrow angle.
United managed the game well as it entered the final stages and even scored a fifth with five minutes remaining; Captain Callum Semple firing home from close range after a Blades corner caused a scramble in the area.
Highlights from the game will appear on HTTV later.
Town’s team (4-2-3-1):
Ryan Schofield; Spencer Myers, Dylan Cogill, Jordan Williams, Rarmani Edmonds-Green (Adam Edgar, 70); Olly Dyson (Alfie Raw, 46), Sam Warde; Luca Colville, Jack Boyle (c), Lewis O’Brien; Rekeil Pyke (Cedwyn Scott, 61)
Unused subs:
Owen Brooke, Mason O’Malley
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