Sabiri facing two months on sidelines

TOWN U18s went down 2-0 to 10-man Peterborough United in the FA Youth Cup third round at the John Smith’s Stadium.

A goal by Oliver Shackleton in the 13th minute gave Posh the edge, despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute when keeper William Blackmore saw red for upending Town striker Kit Elliott way outside the box.

The visitors took off striker Ricky-Jade Jones to make way for substitute keeper Josh Allen, who then had a fine game.

Town’s agony was complete after 75 minutes when they conceded a soft second to Posh substitute Flynn Clarke.

Town found it hard to adjust in the first half and were twice saved by keeper Giosue Bellagambi, who blocked with his legs from the pacy Shackleton.

With coaches Mark Hudson and Dean Whitehead encouraging their charges from the technical area, Town went closest to an equaliser in the first half on 41 minutes, when Elliott poked his shot narrowly wide when being put through by Micah Obiero.

Town were unlucky, too, not to get the benefit when Obiero was tripped as he went through on goal, but referee Anthony Tankard ruled it a fair challenge.

Town sent on midfielder Jaheim Headley for the second half, in an effort to build on the solid work of skipper Scott High, and the move almost paid off immediately when Ben Jackson curled a speculative cross against a post.

Matty Daly then brought a superb save out of Allen with a cracking 20-yard drive on 59 minutes as Town dominated possession but came up against solid defensive resistance from Posh.

Allen was up to the task again on 66 minutes as Elliott drove in a skidding low shot, before the Town frontman tried his luck again with a volley which went across the face of goal and wide.

With 15 minutes left, however, the tie was decided when Town conceded a poor second goal to Posh’s Clarke.

Keeper Allen then made two more superb late saves to deny Harratt and Elliott in added time.

Giosue Bellagambi, Ben Jackson, Mason O’Malley, Jordan Eli (Josh Austerfield 82), Mustapha Olagunju, Scott High (c), Aaron Rowe, Tom Bell (Jaheim Headley HT), Kit Elliott, Matty Daly (Kian Harratt 61), Micah Obiero. Subs not used: Mohammed Diaby, Harrison Davison-Hale. HUDDERSFIELD Town midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri is facing two months on the sidelines.

The 21-year-old German was forced off at Bournemouth just three minutes after going on as a substitute after falling awkwardly in a challenge.

Head coach David Wagner preparing his team to face Arsenal at the Emirates tomorrow - revealed Sabiri has a broken collarbone and is likely to have surgery today.

“Hamid has a collarbone broken and he needs surgery,” said Wagner. THE Terriers were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth on Tuesday night – here are some moments you may have missed on the south coast... FORMER Emley manager Gerry Quinn was in the crowd for the Terriers’ trip to the south coast.

The boss took Emley to the FA Vase

“That will probably be Friday and he will be out for around eight weeks.

“Terence Kongolo had tired legs at Bournemouth, a little bit of fatigue and had to come off around 15 minutes from the end, but he is back in training.

“Everybody else, apart from the two suspensions we have with Steve Mounie and Philip Billing is in contention for Saturday’s game.”

Sabiri started the matches at Manchester City and Stoke City (Carabao Cup) at the beginning of the season but his fleeting appearance at Bournemouth was his first since then. final at Wembley in April, 1988, where they were beaten 1-0 by Colne Dynamoes.

The boss, who is also son-in-law to former Town manager Ian Greaves, was present as a supporter at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday. TOWN’S sporting director was also present on the south coast.

The German was spotted in the dugout before the match as David

Wagner, however, says he has shown a great attitude on the training ground and feels sorry for the former Nurnberg player that he’s now facing a spell on the sidelines.

“This is very, very unlucky for him and I feel for him,” said Wagner.

“Even if he has had to work very, very hard to get his chances and his opportunity, he never stopped working.

“He got his reward with the Germany Under 21 call up and he got his reward by coming back into our squad to get his minutes.

“Unfortunately it was for a very, very short time before he got this serious injury, so he is anything but lucky.

“We will give him all the support now so that he can recover as quickly as he can, and that he comes back in very good shape.”

Billing’s absence means Wagner is forced to make at least one change following the 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth.

And with his playing so well, how big a miss for Town is the towering

This is very, very unlucky for him and I feel for him. He never stopped working

Wagner and his players took to the pitch ahead of their warm-up.

In yesterday’s press conference, boss Wagner was asked about the January transfer window but said his mind was focused elsewhere.

Rebbe, however, must be looking ahead to the transfer window, with Town’s strikers still yet to muster a goal this season. Danish Under 21 cap? “He has performed at a very, very high level and consistently,” said the boss, who also has Chris Lowe back in the selection pot after suffering a shoulder ligament injury. “He has made big steps this season since we returned for preseason and been very consistent. “Phil has really started to get more experience and mature into his game, but now he is suspended and this is what happens in a season - a fifth yellow card and he gets a one-match suspension. “We will deal with this situation as we have some players who are available and who can play in this position.” Billing’s suspension means the midfield triumvirate he makes up with Jonathan Hogg and Aaron Mooy which has been effective of late - will be broken up as Town go to the Emirates perched just outside the relegation zone. Perhaps it will mean a chance for energetic midfielder Danny Williams to add to his 14 minutes of Premier League activity this season, on the south coast, with Aaron Mooy, Philip Billing and Jonathan Hogg starting. That may be a well-known combination for the Town faithful, but was clearly not for Bournemouth’s stadium announcer, who got one of the names wrong.

According to the Cherries’ announcer, Billing and Mooy would be partnered in the middle by Graham Hogg. I’m sure Town fans would like to see an identical twin in the engine