Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Huddersfield Town beat Oldham Athletic 3-1 in a pre-season friendly at Canalside. Tom Iorpenda opened the scoring before late goals from Dylan Tawodzera and Michael Onyeka secured the win.
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Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
A goalless first half saw Huddersfield dominate without reward. Ethan Brierley forced the Oldham goalkeeper into a mistake by pressing him inside his own six-yard box midway through the half, but the visitors held firm. Jay Sway won a free kick on the edge of the box by stealing possession on the press — a challenge that would have been a red card in competitive football, as noted by the Huddersfield commentary team.
Tom Iorpenda broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. Lynden Gooch produced two incisive passes in the build-up, the second threaded through the Oldham defence for Iorpenda, who controlled and finished off the near post. The wheel arch of the goal audibly confirmed the ball had crossed the line.
Iorpenda nearly doubled the lead a minute later but saw his left-footed shot parried by the goalkeeper. Instead, Oldham equalised in the 74th minute when Mike Fondop finished from close range at the back post after a cross from the right.
Huddersfield struck twice in a minute to reclaim control. Dylan Tawodzera, one of several younger players introduced after the 77th minute, executed an excellent first-time finish inside the box, finding the top corner after Oldham were caught on the break. Michael Onyeka then completed the scoring in the 84th minute, controlling a floated crossfield ball from Marlie Neil before wrong-footing the goalkeeper with a shot that took a slight deflection.
The turning point
Martin Drury kept his starting XI on the pitch for 77 minutes, longer than in most pre-season friendlies, before introducing a wave of younger legs. The fresh energy proved decisive: Tawodzera and Onyeka — both U21 players — scored within seven minutes of coming on, turning a potential draw into a comfortable win.
Key performers
Tom Iorpenda — Formed a front two with Ashley Fletcher and was a constant threat with his counter-pressing and powerful running. His movement and finish for the opener were excellent, and he could have had a second.
Lynden Gooch — Always willing to look for a clip in behind. Produced two lovely passes in the build-up to Iorpenda's goal and helped keep Oldham at bay by backing up the press behind Sway.
Ethan Brierley — A vital connector in midfield, clean in possession and adept at finding space. His pressing forced the Oldham goalkeeper into an error in the first half.
Dylan Tawodzera — Came off the bench to score a stunning first-time effort into the top corner, the standout goal of the match.
By the numbers — interpreted
Huddersfield's 3-1 victory was built on second-half intensity rather than first-half control. The goalless first period reflected a side still building match sharpness — chances were created but the final ball lacked precision. The decisive shift came after the 77th-minute substitutions: two goals in quick succession (Tawodzera ~77', Onyeka 84') turned a 1-1 stalemate into a 3-1 win, highlighting the depth Drury is building ahead of the League One campaign.
Oldham's goal came against the run of second-half play, with Fondop's close-range finish from a recycled attack exposing a momentary lapse in concentration from Lasse Sorensen, who had been tempted forward and failed to reset quickly enough.
What it means
Huddersfield Town continued their pre-season preparations for the 2026/27 Sky Bet League One season under Martin Drury. The blend of first-team regulars (Jak Alnwick, Joe Low, Ashley Fletcher) with U21 talents (Tawodzera, Onyeka, Max Murray) reflects the squad-building approach at the John Smith's Stadium.
Oldham Athletic, managed by Micky Mellon, suffered their second consecutive 3-1 defeat after losing by the same scoreline at home to Championship side Bolton Wanderers on 21 July. The Latics continue their pre-season build-up to the 2026/27 National League campaign.
Verdict
A pre-season friendly that followed a familiar script: a goalless first half, an early second-half opener, an equaliser against the run of play, and late goals from younger substitutes who made the difference. For Huddersfield, the depth and energy of the U21 cohort is a promising sign ahead of the League One season. For Oldham, the defensive lapses that conceded twice in a minute will be a concern for Mellon.
Huddersfield: Alnwick; Sorensen, Low, Togo, Gooch; Evans, Brierley; Bashir, Iorpenda, Sway; Fletcher.
Subs (from 77'): Murray, Neil, Tawodzera, Schofield, Vost, Bowker, Spencer, Onyeka, Ebanks-Blake (trialist).
Oldham: Fondop scored the visitors' goal.
Rivalry since 2011
Huddersfield vs Oldham Head to Head Results· 2
Huddersfield and Oldham have met 2 times — Huddersfield won 1, Oldham won 0, with 1 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2011. Huddersfield leads the head-to-head with 1 victory from 2 meetings. A combined 3 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 1.50 per match (2 for the home side, 1 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 1 match (50%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 0 games (0%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 1–1 in 2011.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 1 Aug 2026