Huddersfield Town (U17s) 2-0 Doncaster Rovers (U18s)
Football League Youth Alliance
Saturday 17th April 2021
On a warm morning, the lads created a difficult situation for themselves as Conor Falls was able to put Huddersfield ahead during what was a very frustrating opening 45 minutes. Rovers' performance improved after the re-start but not before Ernaldo Krasniqi had doubled the hosts advantage from the penalty spot.
Jack Goodman enjoyed the best opportunity for a consolation in the dying stages when he showed excellent technique to bring down a cross into the area though his subsequent attempt flew over the woodwork when it seemed impossible to miss.
Two changes were made to the starting xi from last Saturday's deserved 4-2 win over Bradford City as Charlie Bell was unavailable which paved the way for Lewis Cunningham to return in his usual left-back position, whilst Ethan Bojang skippered the team from midfield in place of Jack Raper.
It was Huddersfield who began much the brighter, implementing facets of their possession-based game-plan from the outset, and they twice went close to making a very early breakthrough. The Terriers first chance saw a looping lob-shot from inside the area end up on the top of Rovers 'keeper Luke Chadwick's net, then only a minute or two later, another youngster wearing a blue and white shirt received a pass in a dangerous position but was only able to fire into the side-netting from about 10 yards.
From an early stage it was evident that Huddersfield were very good at retaining the ball and moving it around - thus testing Rovers' shape and organisation. Nevertheless, it was quite clear that Donny were sitting far too deep and Alex Wolny, playing as a sole striker, cut a lonely and isolated figure on his own up top for large swathes whenever the ball went forward. The support from out wide simply wasn't there!
Will Hollings' game almost came to a premature end on the quarter-hour mark when Bobby Faulkner won possession high up the pitch, though his momentum meant he accidentally followed through with a tackle on his team-mate. The sound of studs clattering against the shin pad was loud and it looked horrible but thankfully Hollings was able to continue after some treatment.
Only a few minutes later, Huddersfield took a deserved lead given they'd had most of the possession, created more chances and been in the ascendancy for longer spells.
Trying to play out from the back, Lewis Cunningham was dispossessed following a heavy pass to him and the Terriers moved the ball quickly from the right channel to the edge of the box where Falls' accurate low drive beat Chadwick to make it 1-0.
The goal needed to provoke a response from Rovers but with Wolny so isolated on the front-line, openings were extremely sporadic and whenever the ball was moved forward, it came back pretty much straight away - thus, it was a frustrating watch from the sidelines!
Chadwick was kept busy in Doncaster's goal - gathering a relatively comfortable low free-kick from 25 yards and showing good hands to claim quite a few crosses and when he was eventually beaten (from a set-piece delivery), the referee judged him to have been fouled by a Huddersfield player.
Despite the frustrations going forward, Rovers finished the first period with a flurry of half-chances from which they might have equalised.
Michael Nesbitt would have scored a sensational solo goal if his venomous 35-yard drive on the back of a run and a couple of touches to find space, not flew over the upright. More pressure followed and right on the half-time whistle, the still-isolated Wolny created an opening for himself - holding the ball up extremely well having initially gone to ground inside the box before using his strength to twist, turn and unleash a scooping shot which the 'keeper saved.
After the re-start, Corie Cole came into proceedings much more and was soon victim of a scything tackle on the edge of the box following a three-on-three breakaway which came as a result of Wolny's strength to set a move going from the halfway line. The subsequent free-kick into the danger zone caught a glancing header from someone but ended up going narrowly wide of the 'keepers right-hand post.
Cole then linked up with Parkinson a couple of minutes later who'd taken up a clever position inside the box but his 'air shot' allowed the ball to run through to a Huddersfield defender who was only too grateful to pick up possession.
Although Rovers' tempo was improving, the hosts remained dangerous, fluid and good in possession and they almost made it 2-0 when a drilled drive from 20 yards was only parried by Chadwick which required Faulkner to make a crucial interception to deny the striker from the follow-up.
Nevertheless, on the hour mark, it was 2-0.
A cross into the danger zone had the visiting defence stretched one more and, eventually - with home players almost queuing up to score, Nesbitt was judged to have blocked a shot on the goal-line by using his hands. The referee straight away pointed to the spot despite then being heard to say 'I don't agree with it but I've got to give it' (draw your own conclusions from that!) and Krasniqi stepped up from the back to drive a low shot into the bottom-right corner which Chadwick nearly got a hand to.
A series of substitutions then took place with Max Jemson, Goodman and Raper amongst the faces introduced with around 25 minutes or so remaining. It also led to a change in shape with Goodman taking up a position alongside Wolny in attack.
Rovers needed a lucky break if they were going to find a way back into things and it almost came through Faulkner. Again, it was Cole who provided the delivery from which the big defender connected with and his header ricocheted off the near-post and caused a scramble - the outcome of which was successful for the Terriers as the ball was played away to safety.
Huddersfield 'keeper Michael Roxburgh hadn't had a vast amount to do, in all fairness, but he was soon called into action when he palmed away Cunningham's cross-shot from the left flank which initially looked as though it might creep under the woodwork.
Cunningham was then off-target from a free-kick and as precious minutes faded away, Hollings also lacked accuracy with a drive from 20 yards.
The best chance that Rovers created came right at the end of proceedings. Cole provided another inviting cross from out wide which was fabulously taken down inside the box by Goodman, whose touch and technique was spot on though his subsequent effort somehow cleared the upright when it seemed for all the world as if he'd smash the ball into the back of the net.
Overall, the result was a fair reflection of what unfolded.
Huddersfield played some very neat, attractive and clever football - being streetwise when it was required (with things such as knocking the ball away and shirt-pulling) whereas Rovers didn't really get going until after the damage had been done. In terms of opponents whose game is based around 'pure football' this was arguably the toughest test they've come up against this season.
The positives for Rovers were Alex Wolny's performance. Up on his own and isolated against physically taller opponents who weren't going to make life easy, his individual performance suggested he was physically stronger and more creative as he got the better of them on quite a few occasions. When he needed support, especially in the first 45 minutes, sadly it just wasn't there as neither of the wide players in Corie Cole or Tom Parkinson pressed high as much as they needed to and Huddersfield also dictated the midfield battle more often than not.
Cole improved significantly in the second period and produced some good bits of play - even though he was kicked, clattered and drew more fouls than anyone else on the pitch.
This perhaps could have been eradicated by the referee who seemed extremely reluctant to use his cards - even at times when showing one was probably required just to set a precedent. He was weak, wanted to be everyone's best mate with his approach and not someone you'd want to officiate your game every week, but importantly he wasn't the reason for the end result.
With no Youth Alliance fixture pencilled in for next weekend, the season now draws to its conclusion in a fortnight's time when Mansfield Town make the trip to the Keepmoat Stadium.
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