Training work paying off in game for the Young Terriers
- Huddersfield Town Under-17s work on fight zones against Blackpool
- Goals from Conor Falls, Ernaldo Krasniqi and Myles Bright in 3-3 draw
- Oran Thompson happy with mixture of positives and lessons to take from the game
Huddersfield Town’s Under-17s were pegged back late on as they drew to Blackpool on Saturday, although there was a good mixture of positives and lessons to take from the match for the Young Terriers.
The visitors provided a tough, physical test throughout the match; however, it was the Young Terriers who came out on top in the first half.
Working on their fight zones, they won the ball back in midfield and, using their work the on attacking phases earlier in the season, inflicted a swift counter-attack and had the ball in the back of the net in a matter of seconds, with Conor Falls getting the final touch.
Then shortly after the break, they managed to increase their lead to three thanks to Ernaldo Krasniqi from close range and Myles Bright with a brilliant solo effort. The goals came just a matter of minutes apart, with the whole side showing great intensity and awareness to keep their opponents penned in.
However, the lead began to slip away when Blackpool won and converted a penalty on the hour mark. The visitors pressed on as the clock ran down, and despite matching their opponents for the majority of the game, the Young Terriers conceded twice more in the final minutes.
And after the match, Under-17s Coach Oran Thompson believed that the Young Terriers had a good balance of positives and learning points to take from the game.
“There’s certainly a lot of positives, we knew they’d be a physical side, we started well and did well to win our individual battles in the first half,” he said.
“Conor’s goal in the first half was really pleasing to see. It’s something we’ve worked on, the pressing side of the game and we’re currently covering fight zones, so to win the ball back in the area they did with the surprise pressing and to go on and take the chance was something we’ve been working on, so I was really happy to see that today.
“Then to carry on at the start of the second half, the players went back out there engaged and proactive, and got two more goals to show for it.
“It’s a big point we’ve been making recently, especially in the fight zone, they have to be engaged in the game and be ready when the transition occurs, and the attackers were when they got those goals, reacting quickly in dangerous areas.
“The biggest lesson they can learn the way the game ended was concentration. When they’re getting tired can they concentrate that little bit more, can they keep the structure and maintain their decision making, managing the game, so it’s a learning curve for them. It was a great entertaining game but there’s a couple of little mistakes we can look back at and help the lads improve.”
The next test for the Young Terriers will be on Saturday, when they host Fleetwood Town in the Youth Alliance Cup!
Town’s Under-17 Team (4-3-3)
Nicholas Bilokapic; Luke Daley, David Adewoju, Josh Okpolokpo, Brodie Spencer; Ernaldo Krasniqi (Sonny Whittingham, 87’), Darnel Baxter-Alleyne, Myles Bright ©; Donay O’Brien-Brady, Conor Falls, Gulutte Zunda (Charles Nduwuisi-Ondo, 24’)
Unused subs
Evander Grubb, Shane Maroodza, Michael Stone
Scorers
Conor Falls 32’, Ernaldo Krasniqi 54’, Myles Bright 56’
Final score
Huddersfield Town Under-17s 3-3 Blackpool
