The penultimate game of pre-season pitted Jan Siewert’s side with a test against Sky Bet League 1 side Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Jan Siewert named a young side for the game with a plethora of attacking options all over the pitch, including a start for Aaron Rowe at right-back; a position that may seem unfamiliar to most Town fans.
It would be one of Town youngsters who would create the first notable chance as Matty Daly received the ball on the half-turn and unlocked the Doncaster defence with a neat through-ball. Quaner latched onto it but couldn’t get his shot off before the Doncaster defence found time to get bodies behind the ball and clear.
Town looked cool in possession in the opening stages, probing and moving the ball around patiently, with Bacuna arguably the standout with his expansive range of passing in his deep midfield role for the day.
Elias Kachunga was next to go close as Town progressed the ball forward quickly and Kachunga found space to fire through a crowd of bodies from the edge of the area narrowly wide of the near post.
Town made the breakthrough on the half-hour mark following a swift counter-attack from Town, instigated by Elias Kachunga collecting the ball deep in his own third. The Terriers advanced as Collin Quaner picked up the ball on the wing, taking on his man before laying it into Rajiv van La Parra who curled home from 25-yards - a lovely finish from Town’s Dutch winger.
29' GOAL #drfc 0-1 #htafc: Superb from @vanlaparra17!
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) July 24, 2019
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Doncaster had their first chance soon after through James Coppinger. He fired a sweet strike from distance that forced Kamil Grabara to produce a flying save to his left to deny the veteran midfielder.
There was another chance for Town around the half-time mark. Reece Brown collected the ball on the counter and sent Rajiv van La Parra marauding forward. Rajiv was pushed wide by the Doncaster defence before driving to the byline where he took on his man before firing in a cross that so nearly presented Collin Quaner with a golden chance.
The second-half began with a powerful run forward from Juninho Bacuna, advancing past two before being fouled on the edge of the area. Town doubled their lead from the subsequent set-piece following a neat routine that freed up ‘Bacca’ at the far post for him to place home and double the lead for Jan Siewert’s side.
GOAL #drfc 0-2 #htafc: Bacuna doubles Town's lead following an excellently worked free-kick.
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) July 24, 2019
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Having got Town’s second, Bacuna was taken off on the 50th minute mark and replaced by Lewis O’Brien.
Doncaster defender Joe Wright had received a caution early in the second-half for a heated exchange and received his marching orders on the hour mark following a late challenge on Rajiv van La Parra.
With the man advantage, the young Town side continued to probe and created a succession of notably through Rajiv van La Parra and Josh Koroma that came to no avail.
Isaac Mbenza was introduced with just over 15 minutes of the game remaining; his first minutes since his late report back following international duty with Belgium’s Under-21 side.
Next up for Town is the final pre-season game with the visit of Ligue 1 side Montepellier HSC this Saturday 27 July 2019 at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Town’s Starting Line-up (4-3-3):
Kamil Grabara; Jaden Brown, Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Jon Gorenc Stanković, Aaron Rowe (Scott High, 77’); Reece Brown, Juninho Bacuna (Lewis O’Brien, 52’), Matty Daly; Rajiv van La Parra (Isaac Mbenza, 74’), Elias Kachunga, Collin Quaner (Josh Koroma, 61’)
Unused Subs:
Joel Coleman
Attendance: 3,062 (1,287 Town fans)
