Dean Whitehead’s youngsters put into practice what they’d worked on in training
- Town’s U19s have been working on attacking transitions in training
- Dean Whitehead’s side were narrowly beaten by Salford City
- Youngsters will continue their development work in training
Huddersfield Town’s Under-19s side continued to develop the transitional element of their game as they were narrowly defeated 5-4 by Salford City at PPG Canalside on Friday afternoon.
Despite a Kit Elliott hat-trick and a sensational strike by second half substitute Scott High, Town were unable to complete a comeback against a strong Salford City side, but Dean Whitehead maintained that the objective of the match was to work on the transitional game.
“In training we are working on transitioning from deeper positions and getting up the pitch and into advanced positions quickly,” he said.
“We approached the match with the focus to transition from certain areas of the pitch effectively, seeing how quickly we could move up the pitch, create chances and score goals.
“When we are in transition and we do win the ball back in deeper positions, we always say to them the first thing to focus on in the transition phase is to look forward and be positive with their passes or drive forward with the ball. That goes for runners on and off the ball.
“If we win the ball in the middle of the pitch it is a shorter transition, but it happens just as quick, and then if we win the ball higher up we then go directly to goal.”
The Young Terriers are currently undergoing a two-week transition phase and they are continuing to work on applying it to different sectors of the pitch.
Whitehead’s side executed what they have been working on in training in the first half in the build-up to their first goal.
Town won the ball in a deep area of the pitch and Sam Sharrock-Peplow rapidly drove forward from left-back before releasing a trialist, who cut inside and slipped in Remi Thompson. The forward was cynically brought down, and Elliott converted from the spot with confidence.
Elliott displayed his composure to dispatch a second penalty in the first half, before completing his hat-trick five minutes from full-time.
High scored the goal of the afternoon as he received the ball 25-yards from goal and unleashed an exceptional strike that rocketed into the top right corner of the net.
Town’s Under-19s team vs Salford City (4-3-3)
Giousue Bellagambi; Sam Sharrock-Peplow (Mustapha Olagunju, 46’), Seth Meeson (Trialist, 46’), Nassim Kherbouche (Aaron Rowe, 46’), George Alfieri; Taylor Annakin (Josh Austerfield, 46’), Will McCamley (Scott High, 46’), Remi Thompson; Trailist, Kit Elliott (C), Micah Obiero.
Final Score
Huddersfield Town U19s 4-5 Salford City
