Hudson’s side plays out goalless draw on Saturday morning
- Town’s Elite Development Team draws at Oxford United
- Mark Hudson’s Young Terriers can’t find goal to cap decent performance
- Striker Micah Obiero goes closest to breaking the deadlock
Huddersfield Town’s Elite Development Team couldn’t find the goal that would have capped a good performance on Saturday morning, drawing 0-0 with hosts Oxford United.
Town controlled large periods of the game in Abingdon but couldn’t find a goal against a well-organised host side.
Played in lovely September sunshine, Mark Hudson’s young side kept the ball well from the outset and forced Oxford back early on, although it was United that had the first half-chance of the game – forcing goalkeeper Luke Mewitt to claim a low cross with a clean pair of hands.
It took Town 34 minutes to work the opposition goalkeeper, with left winger Aaron Rowe jinking his way inside the area before laying the ball back to full back Mason O’Malley; his low shot was gathered well by the Oxford custodian.
After a goalless first 45, Town continued in the same vain in the second-half, keeping the ball well and pushing Oxford back.
Town did create an early second-half chance as 16-year-old midfielder Tom Bell played a great through-ball that led to a shot from the edge of the box by striker Micah Obiero, which flew just inches wide of the top corner.
Oxford’s direct style of play did keep Town honest, but the chances did start to come a little more frequently for the Terriers. A 64th minute counter-attack down the left led to another shot at the goalie from Rowe.
Another scrambled chance from a corner was kept out by the Oxford goalkeeper soon after before winger Olly Dyson blazed over from a tight angle as the game entered the final 10 minutes.
Oxford’s best chance came in the 85th minute when a player placed a presentable opportunity wide, with Mewitt narrowing the angle quickly.
Hudson’s men continued to probe until the death, with substitute Ben Jackson fizzing a cross-come-shot across the face of goal and midfielder Isaac Marriott firing a shot well over on the turn. However, the game did finish in an eventual stalemate.
Highlights from the game will appear on #HTTV next week.
Town’s team (4-3-3)
Luke Mewitt; Mason O’Malley, Harry Spratt, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Demeaco Duhaney (Ben Jackson, 67’); Scott High (c), Isaac Marriott, Tom Bell (Kit Elliott, 64’); Aaron Rowe (Romoney Crichlow-Noble, 85'), Micah Obiero (George Danaher, 83’), Olly Dyson
Unused sub
Gabriel Rosario
