Town narrowly beaten at home
- Town B 2-3 Stockport County
- Young Terriers fall just short against Sky Bet League 2 side
- Goals from Pat Jones (x2)
It was a highly positive afternoon for Huddersfield Town’s B Team when they welcomed a very strong Stockport County side to the Millers Oils High Performance Complex on Saturday afternoon.
An excellent performance from our B Team in the first half, and a great effort, and great experience, from our Under-19s and trialists in the second, saw the Young Terriers unfortunate to be on the wrong end of the 2-3 scoreline.
The game got off to a fast-paced start, only broken up by set pieces. Eventually the first chances of the game came when Callum Camps and Paddy Madden both had efforts on goal blocked by Loick Ayina.
The visitors’ early pressure paid off in the 11th minute, as they took the lead through Will Collar who finished a Macauley Southam-Hales cross to open the scoring.
Jon Worthington's side responded well to going behind, stringing together several passes in behind the Stockport defence. Joel Mumbongo ended up with the ball in the final third, but was dealt with by four of the visitors' defenders.
Despite some minor chances for the Young Terriers, the experienced football league opponents proved to be very difficult to break down. Pat Jones and Mumbongo found themselves caught offside a few times by the structured opponents in the opening 20 minutes.
However, eventually the relentless running of Jones paid off when the young Welshman found himself in behind the visitor’s defence and onside. He found the back of the net with a cool finish into the bottom left corner.
Just four minutes later and Jones was at it again as Town made it 2-1. Danny Grant created the chance with a fantastic turn to get in behind the defence before he passed to Jones to get his, and Town's, second of the game.
Just after the half hour mark, Jones nearly had his hat-trick when a ball looped over the Stockport defence straight to the feet of the winger, who cut inside and shot straight across the face of goal, forcing a good save from Ben Hinchcliffe in the Stockport goal.
Despite being on top of the game after taking the lead, Stockport were not without chances as Scott Quigley had a close-range effort saved by Nicholas Bilokapic, who displayed some terrific reflexes to keep the game level.
Town made five changes at the start of the second half, fielding a younger side with several trialists.
The Young Terriers continued piling on the pressure from off, with Myles Bright having an immediate shot at goal on the half-volley, which was headed off the line by the Stockport defence.
Not long after Bright's shot, Ibrahim Jalloh saw an effort blocked also from a half volley.
The 53rd minute saw Stockport level the game through a lethal counterattack, finished with a Madden header which looped over Bilokapic into the back of the net.
The visitors nearly took the lead moments later, but Quigley headed the ball just wide of the post.
As the clock showed an hour played, Town made six further changes to their line-up.
In the 76th minute, Stockport reclaimed the lead as Ryan Rydel curled a sensational free-kick past substitute goalkeeper Michael Roxburgh.
With ten minutes left to play the game was nearly levelled after a four man move starting with Eccleston ended with Conor Falls getting crowded out by the Stockport defence.
Almost immediately afterwards Town had another chance, when a late run into the box from Jalloh allowed him to have a shot which rattled off the crossbar!
The Young Terriers couldn’t quite pull themselves back into the game, but it was an all round excellent afternoon for Town’s youngsters against their newly promoted Sky Bet League 2 opponents.
B Team Line-Up (4-4-2)
Nicholas Bilokapic (Michael Roxburgh, 60’); Luke Daley (David Adewoju 46'), Ben Jackson (c) (Shane Maroodza, 60’), Loick Ayina (Ibrahim Bakare, 60’), Brodie Spencer (Neo Eccleston 46'); Danny Grant (TQ Addy 46'), Etienne Camara (Ben Midgley 46'), Brahima Diarra (Ernaldo Krasiqi, 60’), Pat Jones (Ibrahim Jalloh 46'); Joel Mumbongo (Conor Falls, 60’), Myles Bright (Donay O’Brien-Brady, 60’)
Unused Sub
Sonny Whittingham
Town Scorer
Pat Jones (23', 27')
