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MATCH REPORT: Wanderers suffer narrow defeat in Central League Cup opener

MATCH REPORT: Wanderers suffer 2-1 defeat against Huddersfield in Central League Cup opener
MATCH REPORT: Wanderers suffer 2-1 defeat against Huddersfield in Central League Cup opener

Wanderers’ B Team suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against Huddersfield Town B in their Central League Cup opener.

Charles Ondo bagged a brace either side of half-time for the visitors, while Gez Sithole pulled one back in the final stages.

Matt Craddock made four changes from the side that faced Blackpool last time out, with Andrew Tutte, Matty Grivosti, Matthew Tweedley and Max Conway all returning to the side.

The first real chance fell to Conor Carty but the forward failed to keep his diving header down after getting on the end of Connor Stanley’s cross.

Luke Hutchinson then made a decent stop to deny Myles Bright low to his left at the other end.

Conway had a penalty appeal waved away by referee Mark Reeves before Carty wasn’t far away from getting on the end of Sithole’s flash across the face of goal.

The former Wolves youngster then had a shot from the edge of the box deflected over the bar, while Lamine Toure failed to make a proper connection at the far post moments later.

Huddersfield goalkeeper Nicholas Bjlokapic then made a couple of smart stops, first to keep out Tweedley’s swerving strike from distance and then to deny Carty at his near post from a tight angle.

Sithole also missed a big chance from close range, and Wanderers really should have been ahead on the balance of play.

But they were dealt a tough lesson when the visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Ondo fired past Hutchinson.

After the break, Stanley did well to tee up Nelson Khumbeni but his effort was saved by Bjlokapic low to his left.

But Huddersfield looked sharper during the second half and doubled their lead when Ondo added a second with a tidy finish past Hutchinson after combining with Bright.

Sithole then failed to get on the end of Grivosti’s inviting low cross as the Whites searched for a way back into the game.

But the forward made amends nine minutes from time, smashing home from close range after some good work by Carty.

Hutchinson, Senior, Toure, Tutte, Grivosti, Khumbeni, Tweedley, Conway, Stanley, Sithole, Carty