Points shared at the John Smith’s Stadium
- Huddersfield Town B 1-1 Newcastle United
- Kyle Hudlin scored the equaliser
- Town disappointed not to win
Huddersfield Town’s B Team played their first group stage game of the Premier League Cup this evening against Newcastle United at the John Smith’s Stadium, where the points were shared.
Disappointed to have not scored more, Town drew against Newcastle United this evening in the Premier League Cup with Kyle Hudlin equalising for Town.
A standout player throughout the game, Neo Eccleston created the first chance for Town in the opening minutes as he sent a good ball into the box and to the feet of tonight’s captain Josh Austerfield. However, despite the excellent delivery, Austerfield was surrounded by Newcastle defenders as he was at close range to the goal and was unable to take his chance before the ball was taken off him.
Tom Iorpenda was the first to have a shot on target in the sixth minute after he collected a nod back from Kyle Hudlin following a corner ball. Last season’s Academy Player of the Year tried to volley the ball over Aidan Harris, but the ‘keeper collected the ball safely.
Great defending was shown by Cathal Heffernen of Newcastle United as he denied Luke Daley the chance to tap in the ball from close range. This chance fell after Hazeem Bakre backheeled the ball into the path of overlapping Eccleston and he delivered an excellent low ball into the path of Daley.
Our best chance of the first half came from Charles Ondo on his return from international duty – Iorpenda did well to chase down the ball from a corner and invited a challenge before he turned on the defender marking him. Iorpenda sent the ball back to Ondo just outside the box, who then fired the ball through the players into the box and just wide of the goal.
A great ball was sent by Austerfield to Daley on the left, which saw him run into space, but his shot from outside the box was blocked by an oncoming Harris.
Iorpenda had the last chance of the first half in added time as his shot from range went high and over the bar.
The planned substitute of David Adewoju for Tom Lees came at half time as the defender played his first 45 minutes since last season since suffering from injury.
Daley saw the first chance of the second half with great feet around the edge of the box, but his instinctive effort went well high and wide.
A pin-point long ball was delivered to the feet of Daley next to the box by Yuta Nakayama, but Daley’s ball into the box was blocked out for a Town corner.
The best chance for our visitors came in the 63rd minute as Town had to scramble by the goal to clear the header off the line following a corner ball, before Ben Parkinson hit the rebound wide.
Newcastle’s James Huntley received the first yellow card of the game for dissent alongside a member of the Magpies’ technical staff.
The first goal of the game came for our visitors after Chris Maxwell came for a high ball and couldn’t claim under a challenge, so the ball dropped to Josh Donaldson who calmly put the ball into the empty net.
We tried to reply almost instantly with Ondo beating his man down the left and sending a deflected cross to Hudlin, but he is beaten, and Newcastle poke the ball clear.
However, Hudlin found the equaliser after he latched onto the ball from Mustapha Olagunju, he moved the defender out of the way and fired the ball past the ‘keeper from a narrow angle.
Huntley received his second yellow card and was sent off after an altercation with our goal scorer, Newcastle United finished the game with 10 men.
The young Newcastle ‘keeper made a great save in the final minutes of normal time to get a strong hand to Hudlin’s shot and stopped Town taking the lead.
After the first group stage game of the Premier League Cup, Town have one point.
Town’s Team (3-4-3)
Chris Maxwell; Yuta Nakayama (Myles Bright, 61’), Tom Lees (David Adewoju, 46’), Mustapha Olagunju; Neo Eccleston, Tom Iorpenda, Josh Austerfield (c), Luke Daley (Omari Mrisho, 80’); Charles Ondo, Kyle Hudlin, Hazeem Bakre (Cian Philpott, 61’)
Unused Sub
Francis Hurl
Goal Scorer
Kyle Hudlin (72’)
