Huddersfield Town and Darlington gear up for FA Youth Cup clash
Nov 16 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
LEE CLARK will be an interested spectator when Town take on Darlington in the second round of the FA Youth Cup at the Galpharm tomorrow (7.00).
There’s a top prize on offer for the winners in the shape of a third-round trip to Arsenal, who won the competition for the seventh time in 2009 and were FA Premier Academy League champions last season.
Town reached round two with a 5-1 home win over Morecambe, when Michael McCaffery (2), Dominic Dickinson, Jahsia Donaldson and Matty Crooks scored.
Huddersfield-born midfielder Crooks, who started out at Manchester United, subsequently stepped up to figure on the first-team bench in the FA Cup tie at Cambridge.
“It’s a great competition which provides invaluable experience for our up-and-coming players,” said Clark.
“It’s also a great chance for myself and my staff to check on their performances first hand.”
Town were 2-1 winners at Darlington in last season’s first round and went on to beat Atherstone before a 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth.
Graham Mitchell’s side didn’t have an FA Premier Academy League game on Saturday.
Darlington, who play in the Football League Youth Alliance under Craig Liddle, were 2-1 winners at Accrington in their first-round tie.
Newcastle winger Kazenga LuaLua could have played his last game on loan to League I leaders Brighton.
The 19-year-old, due back in the North-East in January, has been ruled out for 10 weeks after damaging his ankle.
Brighton boss Gus Poyet is now ready to bring in another loan player.
