HUDDERSFIELD FA Minors kept their semi-final hopes alive after a 1-0 victory against Barkston Ash.
The team went into the game knowing that to qualify from the group stages they had to win both remaining fixtures.
The slender victory still keeps their hopes alive but, should semi-final qualification be decided on goal difference, then this was a missed opportunity.
In the first 15 minutes, neither side threatened to score, but from then on, Huddersfield dominated and should have scored several more.
Barkston Ash goalkeeper Luke Langley saved a free kick from Ben Burnett and a header from David Pearson, but the closest Huddersfield came to scoring was in the 27th minute when Josh Rogers fired over the bar.
In the second half, Huddersfield were even more dominant.
On 48 minutes, both Daniel Carr and Rogers went close and 14 minutes later, a slight miscue by keeper Langley gave Adam Webb the chance to try a speculative lob from 40 yards but he was narrowly wide.
A minute later and David Pearson scored the only goal of the game with a fierce 20 yard shot low to the keeper’s right.
Chances still came Huddersfield’s way but more often than not they were off target.
Carr had an effort charged down by the keeper and Alex Thomas made a great tackle to win possession but then shot wide from 10 yards.
Rogers had a shot blocked, and in the last minute, two more efforts from Carr and Rogers went narrowly wide.
Overall, Huddersfield played well and were far the better team. A scoreline of four or five would not have been an injustice.
It is now all down to the last two matches as Bradford meet both Leeds and Huddersfield and any of these three teams could go into semi-finals with Harrogate who top the table.
