Williams and Stanković play in competitive game
- Town’s Elite Development Team draws with Brentford B
- Jon Gorenc Stanković & Danny Williams play important minutes
- Micah Obiero scores, along with an own goal
A competitive game at PPG Canalside ended all square on Saturday morning as Town’s Elite Development Team and Brentford B netted twice apiece.
Mark Hudson’s team included First Team squad members Ryan Schofield, Jon Gorenc Stanković and Danny Williams; the latter making his return from a relatively long-term injury.
Town fell behind inside two minutes when Brentford scored with the first attack of the game. After a breakaway, Town got bodies behind the ball to recover – only for the eventual shot to take a deflection and beat Ryan Schofield in goal.
The Bees tried to turn the screw thereafter and Town had to stay strong. The Young Terriers lost the ball in their own half inside the 10th minute, allowing Brentford to break and shoot towards goal from around 25 yards out. Schofield parried as the ball bounced awkwardly in front of him, with his teammates getting back to eventually clear their lines.
Town’s first effort came a minute later as winger Aaron Rowe found space to shoot from outside the area, with the ball flying just wide of the upright.
Brentford’s danger on the counter remained and it took good blocks from Schofield and left back Ben Jackson to deny them on the quarter-hour mark, with the ball eventually being fired over the crossbar.
Schofield had to be alert two minutes’ later to spring from his area to head a long ball clear.
However, the Terriers equalised in the 20th minute, with Williams playing a key role. The USA international burst into the final third and played a great ball to striker Micah Obiero, who finished well first-time.
The game finally settled down thereafter, with both sides cancelling each other out as the game reached half time.
There was still time for a chance apiece. Brentford broke down their left and flashed a ball across goal in the 37th minute before Town winger Olly Dyson should have put his side ahead after being put through on goal by Isaac Marriott, only for the goalkeeper to save the effort with his legs.
The referee turned down a Brentford penalty appeal just before calling time on the half.
Town had the first real chance of the second 45 minutes through Rowe. This time he hit the target from 25 yards out, but his effort was straight at the ‘keeper.
Captain Scott High flashed two great crosses into the box thereafter without a killer touch from a forward, only for Brentford to retake the lead in bizarre fashion in the 67th minute. Centre back Rarmani Edmonds-Green played a pass back to Schofield and the Brentford forward charged down the clearance, with the ball ricocheting into the net.
Thankfully, Edmonds-Green helped Town get back on level with a quarter of an hour remaining. The centre back won a header in the box and when the ball hit the post, a defender mistakenly diverted the rebound past his goalkeeper.
Brentford blazed over from six yards in a golden chance to net a third, whilst Jackson came closest to netting a winner for Town with a late low drive that was turned behind by the ‘keeper.
Town’s team (4-3-3)
Ryan Schofield; Ben Jackson, Jon Gorenc Stanković, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Demeaco Duhaney; Scott High (c), Danny Williams (Dom Tear, 46’), Isaac Marriott; Aaron Rowe (Mason O’Malley, 73’), Micah Obiero, Olly Dyson
Unused subs
Luke Mewitt; Jake Barrett, Romoney Crichlow-Noble, Harry Spratt
