Huddersfield Town verdicts as Radinio Balker taken off on stretcher at Harrogate Town
Huddersfield Town verdicts as Radinio Balker taken off on stretcher at Harrogate Town
Michael Duff's side ran out 2-3 winners with goals from Danny Ward, Rhys Healey and Lasse Sorensen, but Radinio Balker had to depart with a concerning injury
First half
Lee Nicholls: No chance on the opener and was simply wrong-footed by a powerful finish on the second. Stayed out for some additional kicking practice with Chris Maxwell and Jacob Chapman at half time.
Ollie Turton: Unable to stop Stephen Duke-McKenna after he got into the box to give Harrogate a second-minute lead. Looked a little unsure of himself at times in the early going and in the final minutes of his 45, failing to block the ball into the box on Harrogate’s second goal. Played the ball up the line that caused chaos for the Harrogate defence thanks to good work by Danny Ward.
Matty Pearson: Stationed in the middle of the back three. Expressed his frustration at the lack of help for the centre-backs in the build-up to Harrogate’s two first-half goals.
Loick Ayina: Composed and calm on the left of the back three, with Harrogate’s better moves generally gong up the other side.
Sorba Thomas: Started at right wing-back having last week played in central midfield. Kept finding and making plenty of space for himself but delivery a mixed bag, the highlight being a promising ball in off a raking Herbie Kane pass, but Rhys Headley just couldn’t keep his header down. One of several players caught on the hop as Harrogate played their way to the byline for former Terrier Matty Daly to cut back to make it 2-2.
Tom Iorpenda: Another chance to impress after his positive showing against Guiseley last weekend. Offering a good middle ground between Hogg’s steel and Kane’s silk with the ability to carry that ball forward to boot. Fantastic cross in from the right for Miller as he headed against the post. Looks more and more like a genuine contender for minutes in the season ahead, despite renewed competition from the transfer market.
Jonathan Hogg: Often the man to act as the fulcrum for other players to play around if forward passing options weren’t available, capably finding the space to do so and tending to keep his work on the ball short, quick and simple. Caught upfield a bit as Harrogate played through the middle to equalise just before the break, with Town’s midfield unit leaving too much space in behind.
Herbie Kane: Got his first outing in a Town shirt. Kept demanding the ball but didn’t always get it when he wanted it. More mobile in and out of possession than we had been led to believe, and spent a lot of time drifting into wide left positions to support Miller rather than staying in the middle to play tempo-setter, but sprayed the ball usefully and well when he did get it in those areas.
Mickel Miller: Another making his first outing for the club, playing at left wing-back. Took on some of the set piece duties despite Thomas’ presence on the pitch, which was interesting, though we’re not sure what to read into that. Helped force the equaliser after getting past his man and firing the ball into a congested box for Ward to flick home. Unlucky to hit the post after getting to the back post to win a header from Iorpenda’s cross, then cut out a dangerous cutback on a Harrogate counter-attack a few minutes later. A bit over-ambitious with some of his passing and shooting but looks promising, insofar as these games tell us much at all.
Danny Ward: Dangled a led to divert a stiff Miller cross into the bottom corner and level things up eight minutes in. Really good work to put his man under pressure and force the error that allowed striker partner Rhys Healey to put the visitors ahead. Looks sharper than he has for a long time both on and off the ball, which is great to see.
Rhys Healey: Rounded the keeper to score after six minutes off Thomas’ through ball, but the strike was cancelled out by an offside flag. Good alertness to get onto a mis-hit backpass and calmly put the ball past the goalkeeper. Work to be done between him, Miller and Kane on that left side to develop more of an understanding, but that’s what these games are for.
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Second half
Jacob Chapman: A virtual passenger throughout the second half.
Neo Eccleston: Typically a wing-back by trade but here played the hybrid centre-back/right-back role we have seen throughout pre-season. Extremely nimble and able to get away from his man under pressure, with a couple of forward runs multiple opponents drawing coos from the many visiting Huddersfield fans. Got back really well in injury time to cut out a promising Harrogate ball into the box and stop a potential equaliser. Really good outing.
Radinio Balker: Played a couple of brilliant balls out to the wings from the heart of the defence. Solid off the ball. Taken off on a stretcher late on after sliding to win a 50/50 ball and winning it cleanly and without any real collision, but seemingly rolling his ankle in the process, leaving him in agony.
Josh Ruffels: Part of a back three with a lot more capabilities on the ball than the trio that started the game. Always available as an option without Town having to go back too far.
Lasse Sorensen: Arrived in the box to apply a simple finish for the Terriers’ third goal, and had a later effort deflected narrowly wide. Kept putting in determined work up the right
Antony Evans: Another debutant for Town. Relatively quiet for his first 20 minutes or so but then got a round of applause for a perfectly-weighted ball up the right for Sorensen, and later put in a really good cross that Koroma nodded wide. Put a beautifully-struck powerful low curler of a free kick against inside of the post. Clearly knows how to use a football, which Town need in that midfield.
David Kasumu: Given Hogg’s defensive midfield brief, which we suspect he may have to get used to this season with several more attack-minded options available in the more box-to-box roles. However, playing there does mean he can more easily find yards to run into when the opportunity presents itself, which he did to help along a couple of decent attacks.
Ben Wiles: Effectively took over from Kane’s relatively free role int he midfield, popping up here there and everywhere to try and get things moving. Looked like he might have an angle on goal early in the half but unselfishly set up Sorensen for the easier finish, and should have had a second assist within a few minutes only for Headley’s finish to let him down. Continued to have the right ideas for the rest of the half but couldn’t quite find the final execution.
Jaheim Headley: Made his return to a club he previously played for on loan. Good start to get onto a Balker ball and burst into the box before teeing up Koroma, but his effort was saved. Wasted a very promising opening off Wiles’ ball later on despite having loads of time, going for all power and no direction.
Kian Harratt: Back from his gambling ban to play in the front two for a brief spell. Stopped from scoring by the offside flag at the end of a good Sorensen move. Good strength with his back to goal and played a part in the build-up to help the side restore their lead.
Josh Koroma: All the right positions and good work rate, but just couldn’t find the finish. Had that early effort off Headley’s cutback saved, with Sorensen’s follow-up also stopped. Shot wide from another good opening on the hour, put a header wide ten minutes later, then turned another over the bar. Thought he had won Town a penalty but the ref gave a free kick on the edge of the box. Not his day.
Substitutes: Bojan Radulovic (for Harratt, 76); Cameron Ashia (for Balker, 88).
Unused substitutes: Chris Maxwell.
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