Young Terriers beaten on the road
- Doncaster Rovers 3-0 Town B
- Friendly defeat for Young Terriers
- More Stadium experience for Academy side
Huddersfield Town B Team suffered a 3-0 defeat against Doncaster Rovers at the Eco-Power Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
It was a fast start to the game as Doncaster pressed high and forced Etienne Camara into conceding an early corner. The subsequent set piece was partially cleared by Town towards the edge where a Rovers man hit a first-time effort over the bar.
On 11 minutes, Town had their first opportunity of the game through Jaheim Headley, who sidestepped the defender before sending a powerful drive that went high over the target.
Rovers almost opened the scoring a minute later, but goalkeeper Jacob Chapman made a superb save down to his right to parry a curling effort wide from just inside the area.
Town were struggling to whittle the resolute backline of Doncaster and it took until the 25th minute for them to have a shot on target. Aaron Rowe received a pass inside from Brodie Spencer, with the winger sharply cutting the ball onto his left foot and rifling an effort at goal that was blocked by the goalkeeper.
However, despite the Young Terriers’ forward presence in possession, the home side took the lead from a ball over the top that was excellently brought down and placed past a hapless Chapman.
As the half came to a close, Connor Shanks went close to levelling the game. Town were pinned in their half until an interchange of passes saw them hit Rovers on the counterattack, with Shanks sprinting down the right-hand side before drilling a shot towards goal that went narrowly wide of the far post.
It was a sloppy start to the second period from the Young Terriers. Loick Ayina attempted to carry the ball forward but was dispossessed on halfway, with Rovers switching the play and delivering a superb ball into the corridor of uncertainty where, fortunately for Town, the forward sliced a shot over the bar from three yards out.
The home side made five changes on the hour, which saw several experienced heads be replaced by youthful legs that injected some life into Rovers.
Doncaster should have added a second on 63 minutes, as a looping corner towards the back post was headed wide by an unmarked man.
Town tried to get forward in search of an equaliser; however, on many occasions these attacks fizzled out with an overhit cross or a misplaced pass in the final third, allowing Rovers to regain possession and counter.
On 74 minutes, Chapman made a superb double save to keep Town in the game. The 21-year-old first made a stop to deny a poke towards goal, with the ball rolling to the edge, where Chapman rushed out and saved again from point-blank range.
Danny Grant then went close with ten minutes remaining. The ball was worked out to the left where the winger cut inside and sent a rasping effort towards the target that was superbly tipped over the bar by the ‘keeper.
Rovers then confirmed a deserved three-goal victory with two late goals whilst the Young Terriers were pushing.
Town B Team Line-up (4-4-2)
Jacob Chapman; Brodie Spencer, Loick Ayina, Etienne Camara, Jaheim Headley; Aaron Rowe (Luke Daley, 71’), Scott High, Ben Midgley (c) (Kit Elliott, 81’), Danny Grant; Connor Shanks, Micah Obiero
Unused Subs
Michael Roxburgh; Ernaldo Krasniqi
