Behind-closed-doors win for the Young Terriers
- Huddersfield Town B 4-2 Rangers
- Midfielder Michael Stone nets a brace
- Conor Falls and trialist forward also score
Jon Worthington’s B Team enjoyed a good game against a side from Scottish giants Rangers at the Millers Oils High Performance Complex on Wednesday afternoon, winning 4-2 behind-closed-doors.
Midfielder Michael Stone, pictured above, led the way with an impressive brace from set pieces, adding to goals from strikers Conor Falls and a second half trialist.
A few players from the First Team squad got minutes under their belts too, with Brahima Diarra, Tom Edwards and Josh Austerfield all playing around an hour.
The game started in even fashion, with the Glaswegians having a fair share of the ball and threating first when Archie Stevens broke into the penalty area. Fortunately, goalkeeper Jacob Chapman reacted well and came out to smother the shot bravely at the forward’s feet.
Frenchman Diarra was a bright spark at the other end, causing the Rangers defence some difficulty. Twice his quick feet led to chances in the opening 19 minutes – first he beat Yfeko before pulling back to Tom Iorpenda, who shot just wide, before trying his own luck having driven inside left back Fraser, only to fire over from the edge of the box.
Between those efforts, a lovely reverse pass set Rangers forward Nsio into space in our area, but his miscued his shot badly wide.
The away side did take the lead in the 26th minute when the unfortunate Austerfield deflected a wide free kick over Chapman and into the far corner, but that lead was short-lived thanks to Stone. His first of the game restored parity in the scoreline – a typically excellent free kick into the top corner after Iorpenda had been tripped by Yfeko on the edge of the box.
Loick Ayina stung the palms of Rangers goalkeeper Munn soon after and then Town took the lead for the first time a few minutes before the interval through Falls.
The Northern Ireland Under-21 international is still on the comeback trail following injury but had led the line excellently during the first half and deserve his goal. That came in the 41st minute, when Town caught the Scottish side trying to play out from the back. Stone’s forward pressure forced a loose pass that Shane Maroodza seized up; he strode into the penalty area before squaring to Falls, who swept the ball home comprehensively from near the penalty spot.
Falls was withdrawn in a planned change during the interval, and it took his replacement – an 18-year-old striker – just under a minute to make it three! Diarra dribbled towards the penalty area and although he was tackled, the rebound fell to the forward, who curled the ball beautifully over the goalkeeper and inside the far post.
The sides exchanged half chances thereafter, with Chapman doing really well to dive to his left to deny McKinnon’s smart volley in the 69th minute, before Stone got his second in the 77th minute. That came from the penalty spot after Maroodza was tripped entering the area, with the former Stoke City man sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from 12 yards.
Rangers did grab a consolation four minutes from time, but the Terriers maintained their concentration to see out the game.
Town’s team (3-4-3)
Jacob Chapman; Loick Ayina (c), David Adewoju, Charles Ondo; Tom Edwards (Cian Philpott, 58’), Josh Austerfield (Dan Vost, 61’), Tom Iorpenda, Shane Maroodza; Brahima Diarra (Myles Bright, 61’), Conor Falls (Trialist, 46’), Michael Stone
Unused substitutes
Francis Hurl; Dylan Helliwell
Town goals
Michael Stone (30’, 77’p), Conor Falls (41’), Trialist (46’)
