Central League win for our Young Terriers against Accrington Stanley
- Accrington Stanley 1-3 Huddersfield Town B
- Tom Iorpenda puts Town ahead in the first half
- Brace from Ernaldo Krasniqi from bench in second half
Huddersfield Town’s B Team were victorious in their Central League game on Tuesday afternoon as they beat league leaders Accrington Stanley away from home.
Our B Team secured all three points away from home in the Central League yesterday as they travelled away from home to Accrington Stanley, who were previously undefeated in this competition, thanks to a goal from Tom Iorpenda in the first half as well as Ernaldo Krasniqi’s second half brace – as the youngsters bounced back from their defeat to Aston Villa last week.
The game started with an early Town free kick within the opening minute after Kian Harratt was fouled in the attacking half, just outside the box. The set-piece was taken by Ben Midgley and found the head of Mustapha Olagunju, who played his first full 90 minutes since returning from long-term injury, but Max Clayton made the save.
At the other end of the pitch, quickly after, Jack Massey tried to find Owen Devenport in the box with a low cross, but Iorpenda was there to defend and knock the ball out for a corner.
Two quick successive corners were played for Town in the seventh minute and Olagunju was close to making contact with the ball both times as he leaped into the air, but nothing came of them.
Hudlin fancied his chances from range and shot from well outside the box, but this was saved well by Clayton and he got the ball back out fast for Accrington Stanley to have a chance at the other end. Lewis Trickett shot from the edge of the box and it looked like the ball was going to go in the bottom right corner, but Jacob Chapman made the save.
Great play was shown from Iorpenda and Ben Midgley to get the ball forwards and to Myles Bright, he ran up the field and passed the ball out wide to Luke Daley who tried to find Hudlin in the box, but this was defended well by Accrington Stanley’s back line as they denied the cross.
Town’s first goal came in the 39th minute a beautiful strike from Iorpenda. The 17-year-old received the ball in the middle of the pitch and carried it forward before he shot from 30 yards out – it went straight past Clayton and into the side of the net.
This was shortly followed by two quick chances for our hosts to equalise, their initial shot was saved by Chapman whilst the rebound was blocked by Iorpenda just in front of the goalline, which meant we were still in front as we went into the second half.
The second half started with the same end-to-end competitive spirit that the first half had, as Town wanted to add to their advantage and Accrington Stanley wanted to equalise.
After he received the ball on the edge of the Town box, Bailey Sloane shot from a narrow angle and this went just wide of the goal.
Our Young Terriers had a great chance in the 58th minute as Sonny Whittingham intercepted the ball halfway in the attacking half for Town, he ran towards the box before he sent the ball through to Hudlin on the side of the box, but his cross was denied.
Krasniqi scored his first goal and Town’s second in the 67th minute, with his first touch after coming off the bench. He struck the ball from the centre of the box after a corner from Midgley and made his presence felt immidiately.
A third goal was almost immediately added by Harratt, but this flashed just past the post and went out for a goal kick.
Headed into the final 15 minutes of the game, Iorpenda sent a lovely cross into the box after a corner, which found the head of Hudlin by the far post but this was read well by Clayton and he made the save.
Harratt had two chances close together towards the end of the game as he turned and shot from the corner of the box but the ball took a deflection and went out for a corner, which was defended well so nothing came of it. His second chance came as he ran through Accrington Stanley’s defence to the edge of the box but his shot was saved by Clayton.
Krasniqi’s brace was completed in the 87th minute, again from range, straight from a throw-in by Donay O’Brien-Brady – another great strike into the side netting.
A goal from Accrington Stanley in the 89th minute denied Chapman the clean sheet, but Town secured the three points in the Central League and they move to fourth in the table.
Town’s Team (3-4-3)
Jacob Chapman; Mustapha Olagunju, Tom Iorpenda, David Adewoju; Brodie Spencer, Sonny Whittingham (Ernaldo Krasniqi, 64’), Ben Midgley (c), Luke Daley; Kian Harratt, Myles Bright (Donay O’Brien-Brady, 64’), Kyle Hudlin (Conor Falls, 76’)
Unused Subs
Cian Philpott, Michael Stone
Goal Scorers
Tom Iorpenda (39’) Ernaldo Krasniqi (67’, 87’)
