Under-19s and Under-17s in action on Tuesday
- Academy sides play in pre-season friendlies on Tuesday
- Under-19s face senior opposition at Tadcaster Albion
- Under-17s continue learning against Sheffield Wednesday
Huddersfield Town’s Academy players continued their pre-season preparations through a pair of friendlies offering very different tests on Tuesday.
The Under-19s not currently with Carlos Corberán’s First Team squad travelled to Tadcaster Albion yesterday evening to face senior opposition in Paul Quinn’s Northern Premier League outfit.
The Young Terriers, playing their fourth pre-season game, started the game with lots of possession, but faced the expected test against the more physical hosts and goals either side of half-time from Jack Crook and Simon Russell condemned them to a 2-0 defeat.
Town started the evening the brighter of the two sides and created their first real sight of goal inside the opening ten minutes. Will McCamley showed good persistence down the left to get to the by-line, before firing an inviting ball across goal for Myles Bright, who saw his goal bound effort well blocked.
Another nearly moment followed shortly after for the visitors, who were forcing all the early pressure. Sam Sharrock-Peplow cut inside onto his stronger left-foot and saw his cross deflect inches over the head of the on rushing McCamley.
However, the Young Terriers failed to make their early dominance show and were punished midway through the opening period following a wonder goal from Crook. He darted his way past several challenges in the middle of the park and fired an unstoppable effort past Bellagambi into the far corner.
Despite the home side’s growing presence in the game after the opener, the away side were still able to pose a threat on the counter. Lively midfielder Bright fed a neat through ball for Kian Harratt, whose attempted chip was well saved.
Town’s hopes of finding a route back into the game, however, were made twice as hard just five minutes into the second half, when the hosts were awarded a spot-kick following a challenge from Ernaldo Krasniqi. Russell stepped up and converted from 12 yards, despite the best efforts of Giosue Bellagambi.
Danny Schofield’s youngsters refused to let their heads drop following the concession of a second goal and created a string of decent opportunities that, perhaps, on another night would have been taken.
The best chance fell to Loick Ayina when he was found unmarked in the six-yard box by a McCamley corner, but he could only divert his header just past the post.
Earlier in the day, Jon Worthington led the Under-17s in a technical test against a Sheffield Wednesday Academy side.
After just five weeks together, the Under-17s are still learning and, despite a brace from striker Robson Shipley, were defeated by the visitors at Canalside.
The next Academy side in action will be the Under-19s again, who face another senior side in Hyde on Friday night.
Huddersfield Town Under-19s vs Tadcaster Albion (4-3-3)
Giosue Bellagambi; Luke Billam (Trialist 65’) Loick Ayina, Tom Bamford (c), Trialist; Ernaldo Krasniqi, Myles Bright; Will McCamley; Jaheim Headley (Darnel Baxter-Alleyne 72’), Kian Harratt, Sam Sharrock-Peplow
Unused subs
Nicholas Bilokapic, Josh Okpolokpo
Final score:
Tadcaster Albion 2-0 Huddersfield Town’s Under-19s
Huddersfield Town Under-17s vs Sheffield Wednesday (4-3-3)
Michael Roxburgh; Charles Nduwuisi-Ondo (Brodie Spencer, 75’), David Adewoju, Jeremy Stewart, Gulutte Zunda; Donay O’Brien-Brady, Michael Stone, Sonny Whittingham (c); Conor Falls, Andre Edionhon (Trialist 10’), Robson Shipley
