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News Articles > Oxford United 3-4 Huddersfield Town B Team

Oxford United 3-4 Huddersfield Town B Team


19/08/21


After a 3-1 defeat to National League side Altrincham, Huddersfield Town B were on the road as they faced Oxford United u23s in what was the team's biggest game of the season up to this point. A win at Oxford would guarantee Town's B team 6 top-quality fixtures against Category 1 and 2 academy sides, as they would qualify them for the group stage of the Premier League Cup.

Town Team

Town lined up in a 433, Nicholas Bilokapic in goal, with Jaheim Headley starting on the left of a back four, with Brodie Spencer on the right. The captain Ben Jackson started on the left of a centre back pairing with Nassim Kherbouche - Tom Lees was originally planned to start this fixture to gain match fitness until his last-minute call up to the first team. A midfield three of Jon Russell, Ben Midgley and Brahima Diarra. First team players Danel Sinani and Rolando Aarons started in the wide areas upfront and Kian Harratt, who has the one first team appearance to date, started through the middle.

Match Report

Town got off to a flying start, a goalmouth scramble as Brahima Diarra blocked an Oxford player's attempt to clear onto the crossbar, before Ben Jackson struck a low powerful shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner in the 7th minute. Town doubled their lead 5 minutes later, Danel Sinani picking the ball up outside the area and struck a fierce effort into the top corner.


A rare Oxford attack brought the hosts back into the game as Joel Cooper kept up the top quality goals on display as he riffled a shot into the bottom left corner from outside the box, leaving Bilokapic with no chance. Kian Harratt then extended Towns lead as he scored a proper strikers goal, receiving the ball with his back to goal in the box and instinctively firing the ball into the net from left hand side of the goal.
Sinani was replaced at half time by Myles Bright, in what was Sinani's first proper run out in blue and white. Town won a free kick moments into the second half. Ben Jackson stepped up and fired it in off the post. All four of Town's goals were of real quality. Rolando Aarons was replaced just before the hour mark, with former Leicester City academy man Shane Maroodza replacing him. Oxford bossed the second half, firing in a free kick, before getting within one goal of an equaliser with 10 minutes to go. Town nearly scored a fifth through Jackson who had been impressive all game from centre back as he made a darting run before dragging his shot just wide.

My thoughts on the game

It was good to watch the academy play, there was a big online support, over 700 fans were watching the stream at one point. I hope the club continues to broadcast the B team games as it gives fans an opportunity to watch the academy players come through.
Ben Jackson was very solid, there were a few times he made a poor pass or got pressured when in possession, but his attacking play and long passing were very impressive, captained the side well and was Town's best player. Jon Russell and Brahima Diarra didn't really have their grasp on the midfield that I was expecting them to have. It was good to see Kian Harratt, back amongst the goals after a difficult 18 months.
It was disappointing to see Town collapse in the second half against a League 1 club's academy side, but as I said in the introduction to this piece, it guarantees Town to play in a top-quality competition against top academy sides.
The win puts Town in group G with Birmingham City, Newcastle United and Watford of the Premier League Cup.