After a small break due to postponement of their game against Scunthorpe United, City’s under-19s secured an impressive 5-1 victory over fellow West Yorkshire side Huddersfield Town in the EFL Youth Alliance North East Division.
Harry Ibbitson’s first-half hat-trick paved the way to success at the Horsfall Community Stadium as Donald Kamwa and Leon Brooks further added to City’s total in the second 45.
It did not take long for the Bantams to stamp their authority on the derby as just five minutes in, a loose backpass from Anthony Gregory was latched onto by Harry Ibbitson.
The striker, with acres of green space in front of him, had plenty of time to pick his spot before slotting past Francis Hurl into the Terriers net.
City were omnipresent in Huddersfield’s penalty area and were playing great football but only remained a goal to the good. Noah Wadsworth, returning to under-19s action after being named on the bench in recent men’s first-team fixtures, came closest with a powerful effort that struck the post just before the 40-minute mark.
Forty-One minutes were on the clock when the Bantams did eventually find a deserved second goal. Great running from Sam Bentley down the right flank created a pocket of space for Ibbitson in the area. Upon receiving the ball, he tapped it into an empty net.
City’s No.9 wasn’t finished there either, as almost straight from the resulting kick-off, he added his and the team’s third.
A long ball upfield looked to be completely under the control of Gregory just outside the Terriers box. Yet, Ibbitson’s great strength allowed him to bully the defender off the ball.
As it bounced 20 yards out, the striker pulled off an outrageous lob on the half-volley. It dipped over Hurl and rippled the net yet again.
It was not long after the interval before Donald Kamwa also got his name on the scoresheet. Bentley turned away from his man magnificently before playing a ball to Ibbitson. Noticing Kamwa’s run, he let it roll through for the winger who made no mistake blasting it past Hurl to claim a four-goal cushion.
Huddersfield posed more of a threat in the second half, and they did manage to find a goal three minutes later as Zak Abbott flicked the ball through for substitute Donnell Garrick. He poked it in to deny Zac Hadi a clean sheet.
Paul Camron was troubling the Terriers backline as the game progressed and, 78 minutes in, he had a part to play in City’s fifth, when he won a free-kick in a dangerous position.
Substitute Lewis Boney swung it into the front post where Leon Brooks was lurking. He ran around his man to head home from close range.
The contest was firmly over as the Bantams found themselves 5-1 up but they ended the game a player down. A fierce altercation in the final moments saw Kamwa sent off as both teams’ players got involved in the aftermath of a foul.
Despite this moment, the Bantams had many positives to take into their next game away at Harrogate Town on Saturday.
CITY XI: Zac Hadi, Max Murray, Noah Wadsworth (Lewis Boney 60’), Sam Bentley (c), Fin Gledhill (Dylan Wilkinson 51’), Leon Brooks, Mo Sedibeh (Franklin Denison 72’), Oliver Thompson, Harry Ibbitson (Eni Rotimi 80’), Paul Camron, Donald Kamwa. UNUSED SUBS: George Lord.
GOALS: Ibbitson (5’, 41’, 43’), Kamwa (54’), Brooks (78’).
HUDDERSFIELD XI: Francis Hurl, Joe Nicholson, Aaron Ojungu, Anthony Gregory, Omari Mrisho (c), Jay Smith-Sway, Oliver Calland, Cian Philpott, Zak Abbott, Cameron Ashia (Donnell Garrick 55’), Danny Isaac (Mo Fikri 45’) UNUSED SUBS: Alex Walpole, Gabriano Shelton, Milkyas Mebrahtu.
GOALS: Donnell Garrick (57’).
