Huddersfield 1st XI (16) - (0) Doncaster 3rd XI
Huddersfield produced their highest score line in recent memory and also their best start to a Yorkshire Premier League season by some way. After scoring 16 unanswered goals in the first two games it was 16 more in this one against a Doncaster side who totally capitulated. A highly confident Huddersfield started at a fierce pace expecting this to be their first real test of the season but they hit Doncaster so hard early on scoring four in the first 9 minutes that they never recovered. It was eight in each half as man of the match Jimmy Swinden grabbed 5, Ben Foo 5, Martin Hirst 3, Will Cooper, Will Rogers and Tim Blank getting one each. The passing and movement were fantastic in the first half with the ball literally being passed into the net on most occasions. Huddersfield showed a real killer instinct and were not prepared to sit back at 8-0 and actually produced a better display in the second. However ridiculous the scorelines so far it cannot be argued that they are playing the best hockey they have played in many years. A young pacy set of players who work hard for each other as a team. Huddersfield are not going to be high on any teams wish list to play. Huddersfield are the only side with a perfect record so far and regardless of the enormous goal tally the most encouraging aspect are the 3 clean sheets this season. Again tougher tests are to come but there are also, on paper, weaker sides still to play. Brigg are next, again at home, who pipped Huddersfield into 2nd spot last year mainly down to back to back victories towards the end of the season so there is a score to settle.
Doncaster 4th XI (4) - (1) Huddersfield 2nd XI
The score line did not really reflect the game accurately. After conceding very early on from a short corner Huddersfield worked their way back into the game. Doncaster looked good coming forward and Huddersfield were having to put every ounce of effort in to the game to keep up with the early pace. The hard work rate started to pay off though and Huddersfield began to dominate, getting chance after chance, eventually drawing level. A failure to clear a bouncing ball lead to Huddersfield going behind again but at half time they were the better team and were unlucky not to be level after Joey Presto’s shot from the top of the D was disallowed. Early in the second half saw Doncaster get another weak goal on and Huddersfield’s heads went down a little. Still they had plenty of chances and when Olly Clarke won Flick Huddersfield thought they were back in the game. Unfortunately Mr Clark took the flick he had won and continued his woeful form from the spot. After that Huddersfield lost their composure even more and the game slowly drifted away from them. On another day they could easily have won but a lack of clinical finishing with a few lapses of concentration meant it was not to be.
Huddersfield 3rd XI (6) - (0) Doncaster 5th XI
Huddersfield put in a superb first half display to demolish a very solid Doncaster side. The excellent teamwork that was evident against King Cross last week continued and proved to be too much for the visitors to be able to handle. Huddersfield took the game to Doncaster from the first minute of the game and were unlucky not to go ahead in the first 5 minutes, Elson firing just wide. It wasn’t too long though, before Huddersfield had their first, some good skill from Elson in the D drawing a foul, from which Hindmarsh slotted home the resulting short corner. Huddersfield maintained the pressure with Doncaster playing the majority of the first 35 minutes in their own half. Some slick one two play between Connell, Hindmarsh and Beaumont saw the latter score his seventh goal of the season. Shortly after, Craig Foster found himself free at the top of the D and swept home with an excellent reverse strike. Huddersfield continued to pass the ball around superbly between all 10 outfield players spreading the play from one side of the pitch to the other. A goal mouth scramble just before half time resulted in a Doncaster infringement and a penalty flick which Elson comfortably put away. In the first league game of the season Huddersfield let a 3 goal lead slip in the second half, there were no such problems on this occasion as, despite being 4 goals ahead, the team continued their high work rate and level of commitment. A couple of minutes into the second half a move involving Foster, Kullar and Beaumont resulted in Elson sweeping home past the keeper. Foster completed the rout with his second and Huddersfield’s sixth. A nasty injury to one of the Doncaster defenders a few minutes from the end unfortunately prematurely finished the game, however, the side will be looking to maintain their excellent form as they face Leeds at home next weekend and go for their 19th game without defeat.
Huddersfield 4th XI (4) - (4) City of York 6th XI
After the umpiring masterclass last week at Ben Rhydding, Huddersfield turned up with high hopes of getting their second win of the season. Hudds went 1 up through a beautifully taken Paul Golds penalty flick, after Jacob Barkers shot (what was he doing in their D!!!!) was kicked off the line by a defender. C O York then equalised soon afterwards making it seem like we were in for loads of goals… The game was very scrappy and after Hudds took the lead through 2 Brett Kullar goals (who was helping out in central midfield as Mark/Tim/Jim (one person) never showed up… Some defensive errors led to York a few on the trot leaving it at 3 - 4 to York with 10 minutes left. The boys desperately tried to hang on and showed brilliant resilience and kept trying until they were awarded a second penalty flick as the York keeper came out and blatantly took out Ed Shimmell. “Shim” then stepped up and duffed a goal worth its weight in Mur! The match finished 4 a piece, and to be fair was not the nest spectacle for the massive crowd (the 1sts were on next)! A special mention goes out to Paul Dallas who, in Shim’s words, “ran like a trooper!”. In the end we were lucky to finish with a point which brings the first three games to: won 1, drawn 2 with a positive goal difference. Let keep it going lads and hopefully finish top half of the table! Scorers: Paul Golds, Ed Shimmell, Brett Kullar (2)
Doncaster 6th XI (2) - (1) Huddersfield 5th XI
Disappointment again as the 5th team lost again 2-1. We switched the formation around this weekend with John Ridings moving to sweeper, a welcome return with Mark Wood back in the side at centre back. All the team performed well, especially their defensive duties with John Donovan standing in as our goal keeper. The new youngsters have made a good start, Will Jones at right back, Joe Kelly in midfield and Ashley Cooke on the left wing. Doncaster took the lead in the first half, a well taken goal. They deserved the lead as they had gone close earlier. We did a good job of containing them after that with George Pritchard (Man of the match) playing well at centre midfield working up and down the pitch. We won a couple of short corners but did not convert, with 3 minutes to go we won our fourth short corner of the match which Foo placed superbly in the bottom left corner. Obviously at this point we would have taken the draw but Doncaster had the final word, they sent the ball up the pitch route one, Mark Wood as ever stuck to there centre forward like glue, forcing him wide but he shot well beating the keeper and it went in off the post.
Slazenger’s 1st XI (0) – (9) Huddersfield 1st XI
Huddersfield followed up their hammering of Leeds Carnegie with another demolition job of Slazenger’s of Wakefield who were demoted from North League 2 last season. Huddersfield were two up early as ex Slazenger Jimmy Swinden opened the scoring from a short corner and then Hirst flicked into the net when left with only the keeper to beat. Slazenger’s had their only good period of the game after this and should have scored. Huddersfield got a grip of the game though and scored two more through Hirst and then Cooper to make it 4 - 0 at half time. The second half was more of the same as Huddersfield’s relentless work rate, passing and movement was far too much for Slazenger’s. Si Courtney moved up front and in earning himself man of the match he used his pace to good effect in linking up with Swinden (J) to net twice in the best moves of the match. It was then Swindens turn to score his second poking through the keepers legs after a strong run. Will Rogers got a deserved goal after some near misses when he smashed the ball past the keeper and Peachey scored a rare goal from close range. Huddersfield are one of only two teams in the league with a 100% record with almost all of last weeks winners losing this week leaving the league with a very tight look after two games played.
