Young Terriers play third pre-season game on Tuesday afternoon
- Huddersfield Town’s new Under-17s play FC Halifax Town
- Young Terriers show another step forward in their play
- First positive result will be a boost to the new players
Huddersfield Town’s new Under-17 scholars continued their progression just three weeks into their time at the Club in Tuesday afternoon’s friendly against FC Halifax Town.
The Young Terriers’ original game against Airbus UK was postponed over the weekend, so the Shaymen stepped in to give George Danaher’s youngsters a third pre-season test after previous home games with Bradford City and Blackpool.
After just over 20 days in the building, the scholars are still learning the fundamentals of our playing style, but they will have enjoyed a morale-boosting 4-1 win in the sunny conditions at Canalside.
Town were two goals to the good inside the opening six minutes.
The first goal came through a penalty, with attacking midfielder Hakeem Sandah winning the ball back high up the pitch before drawing a foul. That allowed striker Joseph Johnson to step forward and send the goalkeeper the wrong way for his first goal in Town colours.
The second came two minutes’ later, with a fluid attacking move ending with Sandah sweeping home winger Fope Deru’s low cross.
Halifax got a goal back before the interval through their own penalty, conceded by Town left back Ajay Weston.
A smattering of older players were introduced by Town in the second 45 and one of those players restored the two-goal advantage in the 52nd minute, through another penalty. Deru ran clear of the Halifax defence and was brought down by the goalkeeper, allowing Charles Ondo to step forward and convert.
Second year scholar Ondo, who came to the Club as a left back, has been playing as a striker recently and completed the scoring with three minutes remaining. He collected another pass from Deru before turning past the last defender, onto his favoured left foot, and driving a low shot past the goalkeeper’s left side.
The Under-17s are back in action on Friday evening, in the traditional pre-season friendly at local neighbours Emley.
Town’s team (4-3-3)
Sam Taylor (Matthew Pattison, 59'); Ajay Weston (Michael Stone, 59’), Michael Parker (c), Jeremy Stewart, Dylan Helliwell; Tom Iorpenda (Neo Eccleston, 46’), Cian Philpott (Sonny Whittingham, 59’), Hakeem Sandah; Tyree Sanusi (Charles Ondo, 46’), Joseph Johnson, Fopefoluwa Deru
Unused subs
Archie Sheppard, Donay O’Brien-Brady
Final score
Huddersfield Town U17s 4-1 FC Halifax Town
Scorers
Joseph Johnson (4’), Hakeem Sandah (6’), Charles Ondo (53’, 87’)
