Report: Huddersfield Town U23s 3-1 Bristol City U23s

Thursday, September 8th 2016

A spirited second-half performance from City Under-23s wasn’t enough as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Jack Boyle smashed Huddersfield ahead from inside the area before strike partner Rekeil Pyke doubled the home side’s advantage with a cute backheel.

City pulled one back through Jake Andrews’ superb free kick but Luca Colville scored two minutes from time to secure victory for the hosts.

Jamie McAllister was without three of his four full-backs for the trip to Yorkshire and was forced to name himself on the bench.

Captain Kodi Lyons-Foster and Andrews became makeshift right and left-backs respectively, while Lloyd Kelly partnered Aden Baldwin in the centre.

Experienced goalkeeper Joe Murphy started in goal for Huddersfield on his return from injury and the former Scunthorpe United stopper found the ball at his feet on numerous occasions in the opening exchanges due to City’s high press.

However, it didn’t take long for the Terriers to break City’s defence down as they took the lead in the 6th minute.

Sam Warde’s deep cross was superbly clawed away from underneath his crossbar by Jojo Wollacott, who was clattered by Pyke, and Boyle picked up the loose ball to fire home.

McAllister’s side continued to adopt their pressing style and it almost paid dividends as forward Dan Sweeney latched on to Jacob Hanson’s weak back pass but good only send his shot flashing across the face of goal.

Huddersfield used the right side as their main outlet in the first period and when Regan Booty cutback back to Boyle, it took a smart Lyons-Foster block to keep the scoreline at 1-0.

An almost-calamitous error at the other end almost provided City with an equaliser as Huddersfield centre-back Danny Kane’s sliced clearance looped over Murphy but fell just wide of the left-hand post.

With the pace of the game slowing midway through the first half, it needed a piece of brilliance from Pyke to liven up proceedings.

Substitute Ollie Dyson’s wayward shot was going harmlessly wide of goal but Pyke produced a lovely backheel which deceived Wollacott and found the bottom corner.

Despite a positive start to the second period, the development squad found chances few and far between and the introduction of James Difford just before the hour saw the young Robins switch to two up top.

City’s new forward line of Difford and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans were quick to combine as the former passed to the latter whose deflected effort fell kindly for Murphy.

Lemonheigh-Evans warmed Murphy’s gloves again moments later curling straight at the 35-yard-old from 25 yards.

Murphy was called into action again as Difford’s fierce drive stung the palms of the Irishman and Andrews could only head the follow-up wide.

But Andrews didn’t take long to amend for his miss as he sent a sensational free kick into the top corner with a little help from the crossbar.

City pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages but Huddersfield wrapped the game up on the counter attack through Colville’s cool finish.

City U23: Wollacott, Lyons-Foster, Baldwin, Kelly, Andrews, Moss, Morrell, Trialist (McNulty 66), Dowling (Difford 57), Omofe, Sweeney (Lemonheigh-Evans 30). Not used: Easterbrook, McAllister.