Huddersfield Town player ratings as Terriers go out of Vertu Trophy on penalties
Town trailed Doncaster at the break after a tepid first half before Cameron Ashia equalised early in a better second half, but none of their four penalties found the net in the shootout
Jak Alnwick - 6
In for his club debut. Wasn’t given much of anything to do over the 90 minutes besides Doncaster’s first-half penalty, with Billy Sharp sending him the wrong way. Came off his line to punch away a couple of crosses that needed dealing with and started a swift last-minute counter-attack by confidently claiming a corner. Saved from Luke Molyneux in the shootout but was given no chance by Ben Close or Robbie Gotts.
Lasse Sorensen - 6
Right-back in a familiar and fluid 4-2-3-1 that turned into a 3-4-1-2. Didn’t offer as much attacking threat as Town would have liked in the first half. Curled a shot out for a throw trying to catch Timothee Lo-Tutala off his line. Made an important last-ditch tackle midway through the second half to stop Donny getting clean through on Alnwick. Had a decent shot bravely blocked by a defender’s head after sprinting into the box at speed from the right. Saw his poor penalty saved in the shootout.
Josh Feeney - 7
Partnered Murray Wallace at centre-back. Started the game in convincing and confident sorts with several timely clean challenges and some impressive touches on the ball, but put Wallace in trouble with a poor touch that forced Wallace into action as Town conceded a penalty. Had a good game overall, though, which he needed.
Murray Wallace - 5
Captain on the night. Had to act to try and get beat Tom Nixon to the loose ball from Feeney’s poor touch, but made the wrong decision and got there fractionally late to commit a foul and give away a penalty. Largely steady away after that but was beaten to the byline late on and needed bailing out by Feeney getting across to block the cross from the byline.
Sean Roughan - 6
Back in the side after seven games out injured, playing at left-back. Did well defending his side before being taken off soon after the hour.
David Kasumu - 6
Started the game well and got a few ripples of applause for decent tackles and threatening carries. Had a bit of an unconvincing spell either side of the break but settled back into the game. Put a shot narrowly wide after driving forward from deep to get into the box, and was replaced moments later.
Marcus McGuane - 5
Had a slightly frustrating evening of it with his efforts to beat his man coming to nothing and a couple of clumsy fouls. Went off just after the hour.
Will Alves - 6
Got his first appearance under Liam Manning, which means we can stop bloody going on about it now. Played off the right wing with license to drift inside. Put a shot narrowly wide just after the half hour after beating several men to drive inside and get to the edge of the box. Looked to be trying too hard to make an impression by doing it it all on his own at times. More convincing after half time, particularly on the counter-attack when he had space to run into. Had two shots turned over the bar in quick succession just after Town equalised, and had a shot to the bottom corner superbly saved by an excellent low stop.
Alfie May - 5
Played a fluid role that was sometimes number 10 and sometimes centre-forward. A lot of the right ideas and poor execution in the first half as he was unable to find teammates with his through balls. Fared better in the second half despite being less involved as he released Alves for that chance that was fingertipped wide, and later had a decent injury-time strike that Lo-Tutala did well to turn over the bar. Took the first penalty of the shootout, which the keeper saved.
Mickel Miller - 5
Saw plenty of the ball on the left wing and looked to cut inside when the opportunity presented itself, but like the rest of his teammates in that first half, his final ball was lacking. Taken off at half time in what we understand was a planned change.
Bobby Wales - 5
Made his first start for the club. Put in a bit of an uneven first half with some nice touches and lay-offs, but also a few silly fouls and poor passes that squandered possession. Got the ball away to Cameron Ashia as Town broke from a Doncaster corner to equalise.
Substitutes
Cameron Ashia (for Miller 46) - Straight swap on the left wing. Once again made a big impression by skinning Sean Grehan on the counter-attack and cutting inside to score the equaliser — albeit the keeper should probably have saved it. Put a low ball across the face of goal off a similar move that just needed a touch to turn it in. A bit ambitious with some of his later shots. 7
Bali Mumba (for Roughan 64) - Took over at left-back. Didn’t make a real impact on the game. 5
Cameron Humphreys (for McGuane 64) - Kept things tidy for the most part playing in the double pivot. Got Town out of some tight spaces in his own half. 6
Antony Evans (for Kasumu 73) - Another welcome sight on his return from that heartbreaking knee injury he suffered just after his last return. Stepped up to take Town’s decisive fourth penalty and saw his powered effort come back out off the underside of the bar. 5
Dion Charles (for Wales 73) - Unable to reach Ashia’s ball across the face of goal ten minutes from time. Felt he was fouled by Matty Pearson as he raced through to try and reach a long ball but it was six of one, half a dozen of the other. Just needed to find May at the back post with an injury-time counter-attack but put his cross straight at a defender. Had a very poor penalty saved low to the keeper’s right. 4
Unused substitutes: Nik Tzanev, Radinio Balker.
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