Huddersfield Town B exit Premier League Cup to Stoke City despite spirited fightback

Huddersfield Town B team went out of the Premier League Cup at the round of 16 stage as they were beaten 3-1 by Stoke City under-23s.

There were recognisable first-team names in both line-ups as Scott High and Aaron Rowe started for the Terriers, while Stoke’s line-up included 31-year-old Sam Clucas, as well as D’Margio Wright-Phillips and Senegal senior international Abdallah Sima.

The opening 20 minutes or so were relatively even, with High and Rowe combining well in attack for Town, creating an early effort for Micah Obiero that hit the side netting and then linking up again to force a save out of Blondy Nna Noukeu.

The Stoke goalkeeper was forced to pull off a superb save from High with the scores still level, getting back across to his far post to tip a curling effort over the bar before it hit the top corner.

At the other end the visitors looked dangerous on the flanks, and found particular joy up the right wing, and scored twice in quick succession after catching Town on the hop.

Douglas James-Taylor had the simple task of applying the finish for the first, with Sima bursting up the right and putting a perfect cross into his path.

A near-identical move produced the second just moments later with Tashan Oakley-Boothe this time the player to apply the finish, putting Town two goals down with less than half and hours played.

Oakley-Boothe added another before the break, slaloming through from the edge of the box and ploughing a finish into the roof of the net.

That left Town with three goals to chase in the second half, but that mission impossible was made to feel at least vaguely feasible as a tactical shift by Jon Worthington helped Town start to dominate the game.

Introducing Myles Bright as an extra midfielder to