TOWN’S young guns fired the reserves to success as they notched a 3-1 home win over Grimsby Town at AFC Emley’s Welfare Ground in the totesport.com league.
An early penalty from midfielder Spencer Harris and second half strikes from strikers Michael McCaffrey and Aiden Chippendale brought Huddersfield success.
It certainly proved a bonus for Town boss Lee Clark, who said: “I was delighted with the performance.
“The youngsters have all done well and I was really pleased with the workout.”
But it was hard work at times in the opening half as Town, who included trialist defenders Mark McChrystal (pictured left) at centreback and Mat Sadler (pictured right) in the left back slot, tried to find their feet.
The opener from the spot on seven minutes was the product of Town causing enough mischief in the dangerzone to drag Grimsby’s Matt Bird into man-handling his marker rather than any cogent pattern of play, and the Mariners got themselves back on terms on 21 minutes.
Again the goal had little to do with opening up a defence by skill – it had more to do with the most liberal application of the ‘non-interference’ for an offside that will probably ever be seen and winger Ryan Crowther crossed for Danny North to net while the Town defence stood static firmly in the belief that the goal would not stand.
But having found their rhythm after the break Town were going to be the only winners and after Chippendale and centreback Leigh Franks had both gone close, they carved out the best move of the game.
On trial Sadler, who looked comfortable and composed throughout, started the move in his own third of the field and collected a return pass before threading through an excellent ball for Chippendale to angle his shot into the corner of the net.
On 75 minutes Chippendale again showed his abilities as his persistence in gaining possession rattled the Grimsby defence and he managed to feed the ball to McCaffrey to fire home.
Town had looked steady at the back as keeper Matt Glennon marshalled his troops, but there was a late glitch as right back Jack Hunt was exposed by a long ball and his professional foul to deny North a run on goal led to a red card.
Town: Glennon, Hunt, Sadler, Harris, Franks, McChrystal, Atkinson, Nightingale (Powell half-time), McCaffrey (Birtles 80 mins), Chippendale, Ridehalgh. Subs (not used): Bower, McClean, Colton.
