Points shared in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup
- Huddersfield Town U19s 1-1 Blackpool
- Share of the spoils in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup
- Danny Isaac scores and Francis Hurl saves a penalty
Town’s Under-19 side drew in their latest EFL Youth Alliance Cup fixture on Saturday morning, sharing a 1-1 draw with Blackpool at the Millers Oils High Performance Complex.
With Francis Hurl saving a penalty in the first half and both sides scoring in the second, the points were shared thanks to an equaliser from Danny Isaac.
Our eventual goalscorer had the first chance of the game in the opening five minutes as he ran towards a loose ball that was rolling into the box, but the Blackpool ‘keeper did well to get to the ball first and hold onto it under pressure.
At the other end of the pitch, Anthony Gregory produced a great clearance by the back post after a good low cross was sent into the Town box.
Our Young Terriers put in a good shift in the first half, keeping the score level with great defensive tackles, Dan Vost in particular made a good challenge at the edge of the box and cleared the potential danger of the goal.
Just after the half hour mark, trialist Milkyas Mebrahtu ran onto the ball just outside the box and shot across the face of goal.
Blackpool were awarded a penalty in the 36th minute as trialist Emick Katika was forced to make a tackle inside the box, however, Hurl read the situation well and went the right way to make the save by the left post, poking it round the goal and out for a corner which was defended well.
In the final minute of the first half, Gregory put his body between the Blackpool forward and Hurl and made sure the ball was delivered to our ‘keeper safely, which meant that we went into the break all square with the Seasiders.
Despite making a great save at close range to deny a strike from the visitors after the break, the ball went out for a corner, which then found the head of one of the Blackpool players by the far post for him to nod the ball into the back of the net, and with the Seasiders enjoying a good spell, Hurl denied them a second goal less than 10 minutes later as he dove to his right and kept Town in the game.
Two minutes later, in the 77th minute, Isaac drew Town level with Blackpool with a great finish from a narrow angle after a determined push up the field from Dan Vost and Aaron Ojungu.
Our ‘keeper had a great game on Saturday, which was underlined by another excellent save in the 80th minute as he threw his body in the way of the shot to block a chance for Blackpool to regain the lead.
An open encounter, our youngsters had the final chance of the game following a free kick in the 90th minute. Vost was over the set piece in the attacking half and sent it into the box, finding the feet of trialist Luke Schofield, who shot from just outside the area but he was denied by the Blackpool ‘keeper.
Town's Team (3-4-3)
Francis Hurl; Aleaxander Asaba, Anthony Gregory, Kieran Francis; Gabriano Shelton, Dan Vost, Luke Schofield, Emick Katika; Milkyas Mebrahtu, Danny Isaac, Aaron Ojungu
Unused Subs
Alex Walpole, Omari Mrisho
Goal Scorer
Danny Isaac (77')
