townreports

Posh Savaged

Without ever reaching the heights of Saturday’s statement win in Devon, where Plymouth were comprehensively dismantled in the best performance of an increasingly interesting season, Town overcame a spirited and bravely naive Peterborough to join Stockport at the top of the League One table.

Despite a scoreline suggesting overwhelming dominance, the performance was flatter than inspiring, as fatigue permeated the team, who struggled to find any rhythm for long periods, particularly in a turgid first half which faded after the promise of an early goal.

Three games in a week are challenging for most teams, and though it was hardly akin to crossing the international dateline, Town’s furthest trip of the season seemed to have drained more than a few players and, tellingly, led to the exclusion of Radulovic altogether.

Though the opposition were lowly after a tough start to the season, the fabled new-manager bounce was evident in an enthusiastic Posh side who caused Town problems until they perhaps inevitably self-immolated at crucially inappropriate moments.

For the hosts, individualism was more to the fore than the impressive teamwork on display at the weekend, with flashes of inspiration proving the difference on a slick surface doused in autumnal rain.

The promise of a dazzling night under the lights seemed likely to come to fruition when an excellent delivery from a free kick evaded a flat-footed visiting defence, as any one of four unmarked home players could have converted. Bronckhurst beat them all to the ball and slotted home his first Huddersfield Town goal.

Sadly, that was the high point of a first half which became increasingly untidy, only occasionally lit up by the extraordinary skills of Sanches Fernandez, extricating himself from the pressure of multiple opponents in tight spots.

To their credit, Peterborough didn’t crack after the setback and carried some threat, even if their efforts tended to peter out on contact with Town’s defence, with Young having little to save in the home goal.

Interestingly, and indicative of a mindset which always seemed likely to be the catalyst for their downfall, the Cambridgeshire outfit left one or two men up front at Town corners – a tactic of old which has long needed reviving.

Despite the ploy going unrewarded, it did illustrate Robbie Savage’s intent to take the game to the higher-placed opponents, and a similar approach against lesser opposition could well reward the much derided pundit-provocateur in the future. If he is to succeed at London Road, however, his touchline theatrics need quashing.

An unconvincing first half finished with Town in the lead, but far from comfortable, and Radulovic was certainly missed as his replacement, Fletcher, lumbered through proceedings to little discernible effect.

While Town started the second half brightly (despite the new and annoying rugby-union style kick-off into touch), with Humphreys hitting a promisingly placed free kick over the bar, Peterborough began to cause some consternation among an unconvinced home crowd and seemed the more likely next scorers.

Taylor, however, who had cast a sulking shadow when things didn’t go his way in the first half, brilliantly pounced on an errant pass just over the halfway line and darted into the wide, inviting space between him and the goalkeeper before slipping the ball past the floundering Bass.

It was a slightly undeserved lead, but the exploitation of an arguably over-expansive opponent had always felt possible, and Taylor’s dynamic opportunism was exactly what should be demanded from a high-priced acquisition. With eight goals to date, the frustrations he can bring can be forgiven.

Irritatingly, doubling the advantage did not subdue Posh, who continued to press for a goal and were rewarded just a couple of minutes later when a slip at the back allowed the ball to reach Leonard, who squeezed a good effort past Roughan’s half-hearted attempt to block and beyond Young’s reach.

True to form, through bitter experience, anxiety crept into the home crowd. Their discomfort wasn’t to last long, though, as a great move begun by Sanches Fernandez set substitute Harness free down the right, and his sweeping ball into the box was met by Taylor to complete his brace.

This time, the visitors were subdued by the gap that had opened up, and Town punished them further when a final flourish from Sanches Fernandez dazzled: he controlled an errant clearance, immediately and threateningly pivoted, and drove towards retreating and terrified defenders before slipping in Mumba for a fourth.

The scorer was one of the individual successes of the evening, capping a defensively sound performance with a well-deserved goal and finally showing some of the form for which he was acquired in January.

Mumba’s efforts, along with those of the constantly involved Collins, another individual standout, the predation of Taylor and the magic of DSF, secured Town the three points and continued their good start to the season.

A more convincing home victory against strugglers Wigan on Saturday would be very welcome before the looming showdown at Valley Parade.

If Huddersfield Town were ever to be the subject of an episode of Sesame Street, it would surely be brought to us by the letter B.

Town’s aversion to beating teams whose name begins with B away from home had become such an odd affliction that this alphabetical anomaly has become an illogical, paranoid data point which was finally laid to rest at the 13th time of asking on a sunny afternoon in Burton.

The Staffordshire town had been the scene of 2 particularly painful and damaging defeats in the recent past, serving to illustrate how far the Terriers had fallen in a few, short years.

Coming off the back of a horrible and memorable for all the wrong reasons defeat at Bromley, a trip to the Pirelli stadium offered little comfort to those who feared another autumnal slump was upon us.

Burton’s neat and tiny home is a location resonant of meek defeats to upstart clubs punching above their weight, and the encounter seemed pivotal, more for the easy comparisons to the past two disappointing campaigns than any particular logic.

As it transpired, the match couldn’t have been much more different to the mood music beforehand, with Town putting in a display of energetic competence which imposed their superiority, forced errors and effectively blunted the hosts’ offensive ambition.

More dogged than artful, the performance was, nevertheless, a vast improvement on Bromley with dominance translated into a convincing victory with one or two encouraging flourishes in and amongst the hard work.

A bright start should have seen Town take the lead, but Fletcher and Mumba both spurned one-on-one chances by taking an extra touch when instinct should have prevailed.

Radulovic was also denied when his header from a good cross by Balker was tipped over acrobatically, if routinely, by Addia.

Fluffing chances has become a major issue for Drury and his team, and one which was not entirely erased here, even in a game where 3 goals were scored. Further chances went begging towards the end of the game, too, and it seems unlikely that future opponents will give Town as much assistance as the hosts did on this occasion.

However much credit can be given to Town for pressing at the right time and place, Finn Delap’s awful attempt to pass to a teammate owed more to a brain fart than any undue pressure. Sanchez Fernandes was the grateful recipient and calmly tucked away the opener, for a deserved if fortuitous lead.

Town’s grip on the game was total by this point, with the hosts unable to get near the final third and only a vital header off the line prevented Murray Wallace from doubling the advantage, which would not have been undeserved.

Instead, the visitors managed to claw themselves back into the game with their first meaningful attack just after the half hour mark.

Although Town could point to a poor non decision when Bowat was clearly tripped while conceding a corner, Delap was given far too much freedom to atone for his earlier error by striking a very good effort into the top corner for an unlikely and ill deserved leveller.

Though some have been critical of Young’s attempt to save it, the shot was rising, powerful and exceptionally well placed, and he could only brush it with his fingertips.

To Town’s credit, the setback was rectified quickly.

Burton briefly stirred after the equaliser, but the effervescent Sanchez Fernandes found the inexplicably unmarked Mumba in the box and, this time, the former Plymouth man finally opened his Huddersfield account with a smart and, crucially, instinctive finish.

Heading into half time with the advantage deservedly restored, Town had dominated without dazzling though a more ruthless edge could have seen them out of sight.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a Gary Bowyer team, Burton started the second half with a little more adventure and threat and if Young had to atone for Delap’s equaliser, he did so by denying the same player with his legs as the ball broke loose in the area.

The slightly improved response from the home team was short lived, however, and Town reestablished control as the promising pairing of Collins and the excellent Humphreys dominated midfield and constantly set the tempo.

Humphreys brought a good save out of Addai from a free kick won by a strong run from the much improved Mumba, but the on loan keeper was just a few minutes away from disaster to hand Town a two goal advantage.

Though it wasn’t the best pass to him that he could have expected from a teammate, Addai took an age to decide how to handle the situation unfurling before him and seemed to decide that hesitation and procrastination would make his problem disappear.

It would be hyperbolic to suggest Fletcher pounced. He lightly jogged forward to take advantage of the custodian’s non decision making for the easiest goal he is ever likely to score.

The Brewers, already subdued, now drooped.

Addai, constantly abused by a raucously cruel following behind the goal, managed to thwart Collins after some lovely play by Sanchez Fernandes, but it was scant consolation as Town comfortably negotiated the final minutes to earn an important and cathartic victory.

Banishing voodoos is no bad thing, and while the performance was competent rather than spectacular, a defeat would have been accompanied by confidence draining despair – it remains far too early in the season to draw conclusions from one win, but avoiding the ramifications of defeat seems just as important.

In the world of comic strips, perhaps one of the most famous running jokes was Charlie Brown being constantly duped by Lucy, who insists that, this time, she won’t take away the football as he goes to kick it, leaving him, inevitably, on his arse.

For a third season in a row, Huddersfield Town have taken on the Lucy persona against their supporters, as a brief, promising start to a season first stalls and then collapses.

This time will be different, they promise, only to find ever more embarrassing ways to plummet a demoralised fanbase into despair before September gives way to autumn.

Two consecutive, underwhelming draws had cast a familiar shadow of scepticism over a flatteringly elevated league position, but there was an opportunity to revive fortunes against a smaller club enjoying its first ever season in the third tier, and second ever season in the Football League.

A tight ground, a robust and motivated underdog and full away enclosures had eerie echoes from the past, evoking memories of Tamworth, Kidderminster and Macclesfield, amongst others.

What could possibly go right?

Very little, as it transpired. Despite massive advantages in budget, experience and size, Town fell to an opponent that rattled them at every turn, took their limited chances and twice defended their lead.

They were helped by a now worrying trait of multiple players spurning opportunities with remarkable regularity. For all Bromley’s grit and determination, Harness, Mumba and Taylor had gilt-edged chances, while others could have made better decisions in attack.

The Harness and Mumba misses – the former particularly egregious – preceded a late first-half equaliser and, while damaging, were arguably less consequential than the chances to come.

A lacklustre start created the first setback as, within 10 minutes, the Terriers conceded a corner, breaking the first rule of playing the plucky underdog by gifting them the opportunity to launch set pieces at you.

Bromley’s corner was excellently delivered, begging to be attacked in a zone which creates defensive indecision, though Young may have done better to eliminate the threat.

Instead, League One’s newcomers gleefully took the lead and an afternoon of despair began.

With something to defend, Bromley doggedly stuck to their task though, in truth, rather rode their luck against a clearly superior force just lacking the most important aspect of the game.

Harness and Mumba’s wastefulness prolonged the agony for the visitors before Fletcher met a well-directed Humphreys free kick with a glancing finish to finally open his Huddersfield Town account.

All that was needed now was a second-half performance of sufficient intensity to break their stubborn resistance.

Regrettably, Town failed to deliver despite overwhelming possession, yet had they converted more chances which came their way, the eventual embarrassment would have been avoided.

Taylor, in particular, spurned chances he really should be converting. In his defence, his first chance was all his own work having made an excellent possession steal before outrunning the recovering defenders to get into the box. However, he failed to get a shot away and was eventually smothered.

He also failed to connect with a headed assist six yards out – though he had his back to goal, any decent connection would’ve beaten Bromley’s keeper.

Drury then made substitutions, one of which should have been made at half-time and one which shouldn’t have been made at all.

It was reasonable for Drury to rest Sanches Fernandez for this one. He hasn’t been the same threat away from home and using his pace later in the game was tactically astute. However, Harness really needed to be replaced at half-time, not after an hour.

His other substitution was, however, ludicrous, particularly in light of things said and done with other players who had previously been deemed not ready for competition. However Tovide’s career in Huddersfield turns out, it should not have begun at Bromley.

Unfortunately for the new arrival, a very poor pass gave away possession in a terrible position and caught Town mid-transition, exposing Wallace to Miller who put him on his backside before firing a good finish home.

Perhaps Miller’s lack of celebration against a club which released him following his multiple injury problems reflected the fact that he had just achieved something he never did with Town.

The earlier missed chances now haunted the visitors who were unable to create further opportunities, other than a header by Wallace which failed to trouble the Bromley keeper.

By the end, the away contingent were venting their anger at their expensively assembled representatives succumbing to a damaging and mortifying loss.

Though the result felt a little freakish, as the statistics later suggested, that was no reason to diminish Bromley’s achievement, a historic victory which may prove a springboard as they continue to defy the odds.

For Town, it is a crossroads – will it galvanise a reaction or simply set them on the path to another, unacceptable, mid-table finish?

We shall see.

Unbeaten Huddersfield Town came away from Field Mill with a point after being largely wrong footed by the disadvantage of The Stags going down to 10 men for virtually the whole second half.

Slow, pedestrian play by the Terriers against both 10 and a full complement guaranteed a dire, goalless stalemate with neither side looking capable of a breakthrough.

A first half edged by the home team was largely featureless with neither keeper particularly troubled in a contest which didn’t lack endeavour but was almost entirely bereft of quality.

A poorly executed Radulovic effort into the side netting and a selfish Joe Taylor shot when better placed support was at either side of him was the extent of the Terriers’ threat, while the ageing McGoldrick netted for the hosts but from an offside position.

A 45 minutes notable mainly for injuries to Huddersfield players, including self inflicted wounds from a clash of heads between Humphreys and Ledson inexplicably competing for the same ball with ne’er a yellow and blue opponent within 10 yards.

Ledson’s woes didn’t end there when an awkward fall caused an elbow injury and an early departure.

This brought together a Collins and Humphreys partnership which, on paper, looks more promising than the combinations to date.

The halftime break brought a stroke of genius by Nigel Clough, who sent on Dodgson (for McLaughlin) whose first involvement was a dangerous, late tackle on Sanchez Fernandes which created Huddersfield Town’s kryptonite – facing 10 men.

The silver lining was that they weren’t facing a deficit to overcome, but a frustrating 2nd half was virtually guaranteed as, perhaps, acknowledged by an ever so slightly muted response to the red card from the away support. 

And so it proved.

Despite the constant promptings of the excellent Humphreys, Town were comfortably thwarted by a sound, well organised Mansfield defence which, in truth, rarely had to cope with anything remotely innovative.

The very well marshalled Sanchez Fernandes, yet to really adapt to playing away from home, struggled to free himself from the shackles of the hosts who clearly saw him as the main threat, doubling protection at all times.

On the left, the visitors found more space but consistently failed to make the most of it. 

Harness, Mumba and Sway were all given the opportunity to carve openings but only Humphreys looked capable of the deliveries necessary to serve the strikers, but his best balls in were wasted.

Possibly realising he would have to make the breakthrough himself, Humphreys weaved his way into the area past 3 challenges only to scuff his shot wide.

Stout home defending was the principal feature of the second period, though Young had to make a smart save from a decent effort in a rare Mansfield foray.

Town’s forward play lacked spontaneity and guile, Humphreys aside, while Taylor and his rotating partners Radulovic and Fletcher were far too static, waiting for events rather than creating them.

Taylor did burst into life on one occasion, when he was found bya fantastic ball from Young, low and long, but support was too slow in arriving to take advantage.

The performance and result were unsatisfying and the 4 dropped points from the past 2 games has somewhat slowed a momentum which needs picking up at Bromley.

Earlier this week, as optimism continued to tentatively grow following the vanquishing of Oxford United, Twitter algorithmically spewed out a YouTube link all the way back to January 1973. 

In what appeared to be an Arctic blizzard, Town succumbed to Luton Town at home with a Geoff Hutt thunderbolt erased by an awful Dennis Clarke error and an unfortunate but bitterly inevitable own goal.  

While the weather will have undoubtedly played a part, the crowd was thin and perishing and all were probably wondering where it all went wrong. From three successive 40,000 plus crowds just a year or two earlier, 3,871 witnessed the Hatters completing a double over the relegation-bound Terriers.

This was to be the season that Town relinquished their position as a proud 6-decade fixture in the top 2 divisions, and it was going to get even worse before the arrival of one Mick Buxton.

Town’s recent decline, from beating Manchester United in front of a full house to the crowd-dissolving, mid table banality of the 3rd tier hasn’t been quite as precipitate as the 70s, but a reversal of fortune is overdue. 

Early signs are good, despite a slightly disappointing home draw against a strong Notts County side who defended very well after being gifted an equaliser and also had opportunities to hand Town a first defeat of the season.

A bright opening 20 minutes saw Town carry on from where they left off against Oxford, featuring an immediate return to the side of Humphreys after his deadline day loan signing in place of Collins and Fletcher replacing Radulovic.

Humphreys awareness and passing range will undoubtedly help Town’s progress this season and while it did seem a little odd to change the winning midweek patterns so quickly, Drury’s post match explanation, that he was protecting both Radulovic and Collins was valid and, for a club with Town’s recent injuries record, entirely understandable.

Time will tell which midfield partnerships will evolve most successfully, but Drury now has a wealth of options available to him and the strength in depth must be made to pay big rewards as the season progresses.

The early dominance brought its reward on 12 minutes when Ledson pounced on a poor ball out from County’s keeper and played a decisive ball forward to Fletcher who fed Sanchez Fernandes whose sublime reverse pass into the path of Harness allowed the midfielder to beat Belshaw at his near post with power.

Joe Taylor celebrated by smashing the ball into the net and breaking it, causing a 5 minute delay which, in retrospect, was far from welcome and disruptive to Town’s rhythm.

Although the home side had other good moments in the game, that first 12 minutes proved to be the high point of the performance which took a decisive turn when a rare mistake by Young, his first of the season, at a corner presented a tap in for the visitors to equalise.

It was a repeat of the defensive lapse in midweek which allowed Oxford an undeserved equaliser, but the Magpies capitalised upon their good fortune and by the end had not only thoroughly deserved their point but also caused problems for their hosts with some dangerous counter attacks.

Nevertheless, Town should have retaken the lead as another goalkeeping error left the visitors’ goal wide open, but neither Sanchez Fernandes nor Fletcher could capitalise with the former rushing his effort and the latter hitting a defender on the line, finding yet another obstacle to opening his Huddersfield Town account.

Retaking the lead at that point, replicating Tuesday’s events when a defensive lapse was quickly rectified, would probably have significantly changed the narrative of a hard fought game which had all the hallmarks of a deadlock after that spurned opportunity.

The more likeable of the 2 Nottingham based clubs grew into the game more from that point and put in a disciplined defensive performance which rarely relied upon last ditch interceptions or chaotic desperation. 

Joe Taylor was subdued throughout and though Radulovic offered a better foil than Fletcher when he came on, the substitute had just one effort which was routinely saved.

The greatest threat came from the effervescent Sanchez Fernandes. 

Already credited with an assist fully deserving of the award, he would have had another, less convincing, second when he poked the ball to Fletcher for his big chance and was a constant threat to Notts’ left flank in an otherwise slightly disappointing second half for the hosts.

County stood firm, however, and had chances of their own. Pouncing on an error by Balker, who had been rather exposed by a poor ball from Wallace, Town had Ledson to thank for blocking a goal bound shot with excellent anticipation.

Another Balker mess, when he slipped on the halfway line, briefly had the visitors 2 on 1. Wallace held the advance sufficiently to reduce the threat but it was the weakness of the effort which saved the day.

While Town dominated possession and applied constant pressure at times, including 4 fruitless corners in a row, there was an absence of guile in the final third and though the statistics produced at the end of the game were quite impressive , including 18 shots, the eye test wasn’t passed.

Still, 7 points from 9 from a Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday sequence is more than satisfactory and there is a sense that this squad, whose depth is yet to be fully exploited, has a genuinely good chance of providing the long awaited reversal of fortunes.

Sodden Mediocrity 

To win when you have played badly is, according to the cliche and, indeed, Martin Drury, a sign of a good team.

The flaw in this observation, just 3 games into the season, is that the level of the performance bar isn’t known and optimism is not a message to which the supporters of Huddersfield Town should be particularly receptive, given the failures of seasons past.

Cambridge United away in the tight constraints of a small stadium and pitch, on a soggy Bank Holiday weekend with a physically imposing opposition rather used to home success was never going to be a straightforward mission, but it was one that an aspiring club needed to meet.

Perhaps the only credit Town can take from a dismal display was to somehow conjure a thoroughly undeserved win, yet even this was tainted by a helping hand from some very generous officiating.

Almost certainly a result of the tactics employed by the hugely experienced Neil Harris, Murray Wallace spent far more time on the ball quarter backing than was comfortable and hardly conducive to creating threat.

Wallace, of course, carried out his principal duties very effectively and relished the battles against robust opponents; despite Drury’s protestations that the Scot is better on the ball than given credit for, it is unlikely to be a hill he’s prepared to die upon.

An almost entirely forgettable first half for both sides was littered with errors, bereft of goalscoring chances and rarely interrupted by notable incident. A slick surface didn’t help, but the complete absence of quality numbed the entertainment starved crowd to a stupor.

An early effort from Fletcher grazed the post from distance while the hosts caused a brief moment of concern when a back post header into a dangerous area caused Young to scramble the ball away.

The rest of the half was an amorphous blob of soggy ineptitude from both sides.

As the heavens opened again to herald the second half, it was the home side who gained ascendancy and they outplayed Town for the majority of it.

Young had to make a spectacular, if routine, save from a well struck free kick and with the momentum at their backs, Cambridge probed and tested the Terriers with nothing going the other way to relieve the pressure.

The hosts finally broke the flimsy deadlock when a long ball down the right channel saw a chase which appeared to have been won by Bowat only for him to fall under the pressure of a slight push which would ordinarily have been given as a foul – not just as a general rule but within this very match.

The rather marvellously named Ra’ess Bangura-Williams took full advantage of the referee’s leniency and set up Bradshaw to bundle home for a deserved lead.

The belated withdrawal of Fletcher, who should have been subbed at half time, for Radulovic (along with Collins replacing the ineffective Sway) paid dividends as Town struck back immediately with an equaliser of a quality completely out of place in the overall performance.

Taking advantage of a retreating home defender slicing an attempted clearance, Taylor got enough power into a shoulder pass to reach Radulovic who played in his teammate to smash an unlikely equaliser.

It was the Serbian sub who then made a good challenge just inside the opponent’s half which freed the otherwise subdued Sanchez Fernandes to play a lovely weighted pass in to Taylor’s path. 

The striker’s burst of pace forced a lunging tackle which, as disputable as it was geographically, prompted a joint decision from referee and linesman resulting in a penalty.

Thoroughly undeserved, hugely unfair on Cambridge and very welcome for the travelling support, Taylor despatched the spot kick for the win.

An excessive 9 minutes of injury time passed with just one scare when a loose ball from a corner was ballooned over the bar, and Town could celebrate their ill gotten gains.

With two home games upcoming, Drury has the chance to find his best midfield options which, for various reasons, has rather eluded him to date. The appearance of Collins for an unspectacular debut provides an important opportunity to do just that.

Equal parts encouraging and concerning, Huddersfield Town’s first away point of the season would have been welcomed before the game but frustrated at the final whistle.

Dominant in a first half which constantly threatened to blow the hosts away, a mixture of inaccurate finishing, occasional poor choices and a baffling absence of standard technology restricted the Terriers to a single-goal lead, which was likely to be fragile once MK Dons were reorganised by the canny Paul Warne at the interval.

Bright and lively from the off, the visitors looked several classes above their newly promoted opposition, whose reputation seemed somewhat overblown as they struggled to quell Town’s movement and control.

The opening goal came quickly when a decisive ball into the path of Taylor by Ledson allowed the stocky front man to burst in between two central defenders before hitting his shot with enough power to beat the oncoming keeper, who couldn’t get down quickly enough to fully block it.

Ledson’s decisive pass was the type of service Taylor has needed since his arrival, and, encouragingly, it wasn’t going to be the last invitation to score he would be given.

Matching their opposition’s physicality, Town’s grip on the first half rarely loosened, though an alarmingly unmarked Wintle should perhaps have made Young work a lot harder to save when an equaliser looked more likely.

Other than that scare, the visitors created chance after chance to add emphasis to their performance and justice to the scoreline.

Joe Taylor exploited space in behind following a good ball down the line by Ledson, but with support from Fletcher arriving too late, he could only force a relatively straightforward save at the near post from too wide an angle.

The striker should have doubled his tally shortly afterwards when Fletcher got the better of a Dons defender and fed Taylor free in the box. It took just a slightly poor touch to encourage MacGillivray to rush out and block to deny a deserved second for the visitors.

A tame effort by full debutant Sway, following good work down the left by Bowat, preceded the controversial moment when the absence of goal-line technology denied Joe Taylor a deserved brace when his thunderous effort from 30 yards bounced down off the crossbar for a Russian linesman moment.

Sadly, 60 years on from that controversy, and after the technological leaps and bounds since, the EFL continues to decree that one of the most effective and simplest measures to ensure fairness need not apply to the two bottom leagues, and neither the referee nor the assistant was in a position to judge. They needed, but didn’t get, the basic help available.

The elusive, and probably decisive, second goal should have arrived close to half-time when Young (excellent and assured again throughout) caught out MK Dons’ high line to find Fletcher, who, despite looking offside, had in fact timed his movement on the halfway line perfectly. Sadly, he was a little less precise with his finish, which came back off the post from his slightly mishit shot.

As half-time loomed, Town’s inability to cash in on their superiority began to look a little ominous; with a touch more composure and a sliver of luck, they would have been rightly out of sight after an impressive performance away from home.

Ironically, they were undone after a reasonably bright start to the second half when a very tame Bronkhurst cross was easily collected to launch a fatal Dons counter-attack.

Wiles, anonymous in the first half against his former club and in front of his legions of admirers in the away end, strolled purposefully at Town’s retreating rearguard before finding Collins on the left, who cut inside some far too passive defending by Balker and Bronkhurst before curling a good finish beyond Young, who stood no chance.

The worst fears had materialised as a revitalised home side rediscovered and correctly channelled their aggressive style, and spent the next 35 minutes severely testing their opponents’ resolve with their aerial threat, though it was a good move across the floor that led to their best chance, which Wiles dragged wide.

Despite being under a lot of pressure, and with some players visibly wilting, Town created one or two further opportunities to grab the win, and on the few occasions they could release Sanchez Fernandes, they still looked capable of turning the tables.

Yet another notable decision, or, rather, non-decision, went against the Terriers when a Dons player blocked a cross with his arm. The appeals from players and the visiting support who were very close to the incident were instinctive, immediate and insistent – usually a good sign that a case was to be made.

A defeat would have been harsh for either side, however, with MK Dons belatedly exhibiting the form which has made them reasonably well fancied for a good season and Town’s first-half dominance being unaccompanied by any good fortune.

However, Town come away from the game with several concerns: too many players looked exhausted past the hour mark (and, indeed, the number who slumped to the ground at the final whistle was noticeable); the finishing needs to improve considerably; and the intensity simply can’t slump for periods as it did here.

There were positives, though. The keeper looks mature way beyond his years and will be a major asset; Wallace deputised for Watmough with authority in a game which, admittedly, suited him very well; and the understanding between Fletcher and Taylor as a partnership seems to be developing.

Adding Collins as a midfield option when he is up to speed is likely to improve upon the current inhabitants — it is still disconcerting that we finished the game with Ledson, Kasumu and Harness, even if they didn’t do particularly badly on this occasion.

Another physical challenge awaits at Cambridge next week, where, surely, Town can begin to reverse their poor away form of the last couple of seasons.

Deja Vu once more

A convincing, sometimes thrilling, demolition of limited opposition launched Huddersfield Town’s latest attempt to escape the dreary confines of English football’s third tier.

Five debutants and a new permanent manager, if such an epithet can be ascribed to a position held by so many over such a few short years, evidenced significant change over the summer, with a couple of other new recruits to add in the coming weeks in Brierley and Archie Collins.

The quintet of new names delivered — either spectacularly in the case of Sanches Fernandes, with assured authority by the very promising new keeper, or with good to excellent contributions from the other three. 

While it was clear throughout that AFC Wimbledon, an admirable club of limited means, will struggle again this season, it was essential that the hosts delivered a performance to provide some belief after their faltering display against Preston brought no little dismay at familiar failings.

Within five minutes the restored Joe Taylor won possession with good pressing and a clever interception before slipping a ball past Wimbledon’s back line for Sanches Fernandes to prosper from a well-struck shot, beating a poor goalkeeping effort. 

The comfort of an early lead provided the platform for Town to dominate their visibly wilting opponents, whose foreboding extended to the comical when Bishop, a keeper who couldn’t have had a worse first few minutes of a season, crashed a clearance, under no pressure, into the back of one of his own colleagues midway up the pitch to concede a corner.

A lovely piece of skill in the box by the impressive Bronkhorst saw the debutant hit the post with a good effort, but it wasn’t long before the home side’s dominance brought more tangible reward when the ethereal Sanches Fernandes struck a beautiful, curling left-footed strike into the far corner. Within 20 minutes, the young Dutch debutant had laid down an exciting marker for his Huddersfield Town career with a verve and freedom so desperately absent from the team for too long.

But for an untimely slip after being set up by the hard-working Taylor again, he could have crowned an already impressive opening 30 minutes with a hat-trick, and, despite the stumble, nearly provided an assist before the ball was cleared — a clearance which led to the game’s next twist when a robust Bali Mumba challenge was deemed dangerous by the referee and saw Town down to 10 men. 

Replays suggest the dismissal was perhaps a little harsh, but the optics for the midfielder were not at all good, and on the immediate evidence available to the referee the recklessness warranted Mumba’s exclusion.

Naturally, the imbalance encouraged the visitors, who must have feared being overwhelmed, and they created a single moment of peril which required an excellent intervention from Balker to prevent the Terriers’ lead being halved before the break. After his best display in a Town shirt – a regrettably low bar which, in fairness, he comfortably cleared – it was a little unfortunate for Taylor that he was, rightly, sacrificed for Kasumu at half time.

Fletcher was the obvious forward to provide the necessary hold-up play, and his hour on the pitch was quietly impressive as his experience and awareness often kept the team moving and progressing. 

Few Town supporters would particularly welcome a midfield with a Kasumu, Ledson and Harness triumvirate and its multiple failures, but it was a completely rational move by Drury which, arguably, should’ve been made before half time, though it is a stretch to describe Wimbledon as dangerous in the closing 15 minutes of the first half, they were visibly lifted by the lifeline presented.

The visitors brought on Stockley for the second half, unsubtly signposting the approach they would adopt, challenging the aerial prowess of Town’s defence. It was a challenge which was, largely, met, though a better big striker than Stockley may have taken better advantage of one or two crosses which came his way. One flashing header he put wide was well won.

Wimbledon thought they had finally broken Town’s resistance from a corner, but Brown was not only offside, he impeded Young’s view and made an attempt to touch it in. It was as far from controversial as it could be.

With the opposition subdued – they had yet to have an effort on target – Town were not short of ambition, and a move of genuine quality brought a third goal to finally settle proceedings. 

The excellent Balker, whose form and fitness could be hugely impactful on Town’s season, linked with Bronkhorst down the right before deftly rounding a hapless Womble, streaking into the box and squaring for substitute Radulovic to scoop into the top of the net. It was exhilarating from the Surinamese defender and put the seal on an impressive opening-day performance from a club desperately in need of uplift.

The visitors finally achieved a shot on target shortly after seeing their revival hopes entirely disappear, but it only served to cap Young’s excellent, assured debut as he saved well down to his right and off the post.

The many positives of a good day at the Accu Stadium need to be tempered by the quality of the opposition, and by the fact that, red card aside, it was uncannily reminiscent of putting a hopeless Leyton Orient to the sword 12 months ago. 

Even so, the genuinely excellent debuts – particularly of Sanches Fernandes and Bronkhorst – the form of Balker and Whatmough, goalkeeping assurance and a hopefully high ceiling for this squad should not be dismissed.

Stiffer challenges lie immediately ahead in a division which looks tougher than last season, but you can only start well, which Town undoubtedly did.

We won’t get fooled again (we will)

Hugely questionable substitutions by Lee Grant in a very disappointing second half gave a competent, disciplined Exeter side the impetus to grab a deserved point to take back to Devon.

The late equaliser, which inevitably came from Town’s left flank where overloads had already increased ominously, put the spotlight back on a manager whose reputation had slightly recovered following wins against some of the lesser lights of the division and a hard-fought, if streaky, point at Lincoln on New Year’s Day.

A very kind schedule had produced 10 points from 12, and it was expected that an eminently achievable 13 from 15 would potentially provide a solid base for a good second half of the season, even if the challenges ahead are decidedly stiffer.

With the Grecians on a decent run themselves, the game was far from a foregone conclusion, but with an hour gone a routine victory seemed well within the grasp of a team rather boringly seeing out a game where the opposition’s threat was a little toothless, despite lots of possession.

However, the visitors grew in confidence as the half progressed, while Town offered less and less and simply didn’t cause enough problems after a reasonably bright start to the second half.

Despite having three well-executed goals, with two very good strikes by each side and a tap-in following a clever move following a good run by Aisha, the first half was a little stodgy and marred by a confusing refereeing performance, featuring possibly the first ever example of a player penalised for heading a raised foot.

Neither side had offered much in the first 15 minutes, with a Harness effort perhaps causing the Exeter keeper more difficulty than it deserved, but the same player struck with an excellent effort not long after, with the goal coming a little out of the blue after 18 minutes of rather uninspiring fare.

An even better strike a few minutes later saw the Devonians draw level. Picking up the ball, turning, and shooting in one movement, Cole delivered a superb, unstoppable shot past a helpless Nicholls.

It was the visitors’ first sight of goal, but it was difficult to resist the temptation to applaud a spectacular finish.

To their credit, Town regrouped and had their best period of the game, culminating in a Radulovic tap-in following some decent Castledine play and an Aisha run down Town’s right.

Despite the setback of conceding again, Exeter had a quiet competence about them which translated into dynamism twice, giving Town advance warning that, of the teams they were expected to knock over in the festive period, they would prove the most difficult.

Ironically, the first of these dangerous breaks was thwarted in the box and led to Kasumu delivering possibly his only positive contribution of the game, with a thrusting burst towards the visitors’ goal, culminating in a ball to Radulovic who was unfortunate to see his shot take a slight deflection when goal-bound.

Just before half-time, Exeter’s second dangerous break of the half brought a very good save from Nicholls with his feet and, just as he had done at Lincoln with a smart stop, safeguarded what, at the time, still seemed to be three points.

Going in at the break with the lead, on the back of an average but respectable performance, Town needed a solid second half to finalise a hugely successful Christmas and New Year schedule.

Regrettably, the requisite level did not transpire. A brief early flurry subsided as Exeter grasped an initiative which was eventually to bear fruit following a series of poor substitutions by Lee Grant.

He was forced into the first substitution when Roughan picked up an injury in the first half and didn’t reappear after the break. Feeney, his replacement, had an uncertain 45 minutes, which incorporated a ridiculously loose attempted header back to Nicholls that Wareham nearly punished.

However, with Town’s attempts on goal restricted to a poorly executed lob from the halfway line—when May was given the ball by Exeter overplaying—and forays which rather fizzled out on contact with the penalty area, the game changed with Grant’s ill-advised changes.

Removing Gooch seemed particularly egregious, as he had kept Exeter’s right relatively quiet with well-timed challenges and interventions. Grant, however, repeated the experiment of switching the naturally right-biased Sørensen to the left, which added to the increasing problems being faced.

Nor did it seem very smart to take off Radulovic, who had done a reasonable job up front, and put another small forward, Charles, on to play alongside May.

Ledson, whose recent discovery of a modicum of form was rewarded with a place on the bench, did reasonably well in a game which inexorably swayed towards the away side as the minutes passed.

In the 89th minute, Exeter exploited their right-hand side again to feed a ball into the box which was deftly flicked in by Wareham to secure a merited point.

It is possible to overreact to a setback of this sort, but Grant’s ineffective management in a hugely forgettable second half – getting most of the decisions he made wrong – and the rather pathetic blaming of the players post-match, is a problem which isn’t going away.

The level of goodwill Grant earned in the recent good run of results was always puddle-deep, given the weakness of the opponents beaten, and his reversion to the mean in this game, with decisions which appeared odd in the moment and terrible in hindsight, sets him back again ahead of a tough round of fixtures.

The hierarchy, and others, will argue for patience, but that had all but run out before the knocking over of a few hapless opponents and, in any case, they were the ones who set expectations high for this season. A precarious fourth place, with rivals behind having played fewer games and a top three finally showing signs of consistency, should not be a comfort to them.

Happy New Year

Ending the year on the up

With a third win in a row against opposition who could be described as the bad, the grim and the ugly, Town enter 2026 with renewed optimism, sitting in the top six and carrying important momentum that has proved so elusive for much of the season to date.

Lee Grant has now firmly grasped a lifeline thrown out by a very kind fixture scheduler but, like the majority of us, will understand that knocking over these limited opponents will mean little if the much sterner challenges ahead are not met with significantly more success than in the first half of the campaign.

Despite fielding what looked like an overly defensive starting XI, with little guile evident, Grant is managing a packed schedule and could quite reasonably argue that Northampton’s physicality, experienced very recently in a dreadful encounter, had to be matched from the beginning to deliver a result.

He was proved correct in a first half of attrition as a limited but well-organised Cobblers side sought to spoil and disrupt at every turn, with no little success apart from a bright ten-minute period for the hosts which created pressure and chances, including a spectacular overhead kick by Balker that was very well saved.

Castledine, possibly in his final appearance, should have done better with an opportunity at the end of the best move of the half as May and Sorensen combined well down the right.

Wallace, excellent throughout, along with the much-improved Low and Balker, rather easily snuffed out the little threat carried by the visitors and built a good platform for Town’s greater quality to come to the fore, while Kasumu and Ledson worked hard to win the midfield battle.

The sole moment of concern was a missed chance at the back post from a flick-on, which served as a warning that if their limited opposition could sneak a lead, the task ahead would have been magnified.

The increasingly annoying tactic of a mysterious goalkeeper injury was, predictably, employed, allowing the visitors some breathing space and new instructions. Had Town not done exactly the same in other games, they could have legitimately complained, but pot, kettle, black applies.

Just as Northampton looked like thwarting their previously free-scoring hosts, Town took the lead shortly before the break when Low stayed forward and was left all alone to connect with a very good Sorensen cross, which he despatched nicely with a downward header.

The simplicity of the goal will undoubtedly have hugely annoyed Nolan, the visitors’ manager, who saw 45 minutes of resilience and dark arts ruined by a lack of concentration and organisation.

It was a little surprising that Low was replaced at half-time by Roosken, with Roughan moving to a more defensive role. Whether it was a tactical move, injury, or planned management of his game time, the oft-criticised Low had completed his best half of football for some time.

Taking the advantage into the second half in the context of a tough, uncompromising contest reduced pressure on Town, forced Northampton into greater adventure and opened up a dour encounter, albeit only to an extent.

For all the Cobblers’ obduracy, Town should have wrapped up the points on several occasions in a slightly more entertaining second half, with both strikers guilty of bad finishing.

First, Alfie May was on the end of an excellent Roosken cross but, as he had done at Exeter, his connection was rushed and inaccurate, with the ball flying over. The front man has made some good contributions in recent games since being restored, but scoring goals is what he is paid for and more are required.

However, great work by May on the byline to set up Radulovic should have earned him an assist, but the Serb got his finish wrong and his attempted clip cleared the bar harmlessly from close range.

Roughan then found Castledine with a great ball into the area, which he took down well but mishit his strike to force only a routine save when he should have scored.

The importance of a second goal was emphasised late on when a push in the back of Roughan went unnoticed and allowed Swyer to bear down on Nicholls before Balker slid in with perfect timing to quell the danger.

Other than that, threats from the visitors were sporadic and unconvincing, but it only takes one slip or stroke of luck. There was a brief period when Town were penned back and conceding too many set pieces.

Ironically, the elusive second goal came when Northampton were trying to apply pressure. A long clearance by Harness from an attempted cross was fought for and won by substitute Charles, who did very well to resist the attentions of two defenders before rolling the ball into the path of Radulovic, who sealed the three points.

Despite the limitations of the last three opponents – and Northampton were easily the best of those – this was the type of game Grant and his team were losing or failing to win earlier in the season, and not so long ago, so progress is being made.

Having, hopefully, learned how to despatch the lesser lights of a generally poor division, the vital next step is to compete with nearer rivals, and they could hardly face a tougher test than in-form Lincoln at the dawn of 2026.

Grant has faced justified criticism this season, and questioning the advisability of appointing a manager with no experience and too much control remains valid, but he deserves some praise for a revival in fortunes, however bad, grim or ugly the opposition.

He now needs to double down and motivate a deep, highly paid squad to turn around their underachieving season in the second half. We really shouldn’t be viewing Lincoln City – admirable as their marshalling of more limited resources has been – as a mountain to climb, and the same goes for Bolton, Stockport and Bradford, who are all on the horizon.

Time to start truly punching our weight.

Town hammer the less than Valiants

Three bursts of intensity buried an abysmal Vale side to give Town a potential platform for an assault on this mediocre league in 2026.

One game remains of a dismal 2025, with another win on home soil surely within fairly easy reach for a confident squad finally showing their obvious, but so far almost entirely elusive, quality.

The uncertainty of Castledine’s loan spell is the only cloud in the Terriers’ immediate future. His blossoming talent has come to the fore in the past few weeks, providing threat, goals and genuine excitement to a labouring team desperate for a turning point.

Following hot on the heels of the equally rancid Rotherham, the visitors from the Potteries provided the perfect opposition for a manager whose career looked to be hanging by a thread just two weeks ago, as they duly rolled over for a festive thrashing.

Starting quite brightly, Vale had their best spell of the game in the opening three minutes and saw a Waine effort hit the side netting before their hosts had woken up.

It didn’t get any better for them in the next 87 minutes and, once they allowed Castledine to run at them without challenge following a ball from Harness, who had won a midfield battle, the Chelsea loanee steered home an easily placed shot to give Town a lead they never looked remotely like losing.

Within ten minutes, that lead was doubled when Castledine, who was in the thick of everything, was fouled on the left and Ledson got in front of the flimsy Vale defence to flick home.

It should be said that the referee, who let a lot of debatable challenges go throughout, missed a possible foul on the halfway line before the phase of play which led to the goal, but there was little stopping this revitalised bunch.

No stopping them until, that is, there was, and after the second goal went in, Town entered one of their rather weird flat periods, during which time little happens. The danger is that against more capable opponents, the drop-off can and will be punished.

Just before the half hour, however, Town stepped up the pressure again and Vale had to face a torrid final 15 minutes.

Eventually, the pressure paid when Castledine was again allowed to run at the beleaguered visiting defence and his deflected shot could only be parried by Amos into the path of Radulovic, who tucked it away with ease.

The overworked keeper had to be alert to a flicked header from May, which looked bound for goal, and smartly blocked the same opponent’s attempt to set up a colleague from the byline after following up on a weak stop from a Gooch shot.

Gooch in particular tormented the visitors and one fabulous run and pull-back set up Castledine for a snap effort, only lacking enough power to test the rather flaky Amos in Vale’s goal.

That effort was the final assault on the traumatised visitors, who were probably thankful for only being three down, definitely relieved to be going in to regroup and, you would imagine, looking forward to Darren Moore’s inspirational team talk.

A half-time switch by our erstwhile coach gave the Valiants more of an aerial presence, if not threat, in the second half, but two early and quite fabulous goals sealed their fate before they had any chance to readjust.

The first, Town’s fourth, came as a result of a carelessly conceded corner when Low got into a curious mess trying to play the ball back to Nicholls from near the touchline, only to skew it over the dead-ball line.

Vale’s attempt at a short corner was easily repelled, as was the second phase following the initial clearance. Gooch carried the ball out of the area and found Radulovic, who raked a perfectly weighted cross-field pass to Roughan, who had a lot of acreage in front of him.

Accompanied by May overlapping on his left, the Irishman waited for exactly the right moment to set up his colleague, who placed his shot past Amos with ease.

Even better was to come when an incisive, fast raid involved Balker winning the ball, Ledson moving it on to May who, in turn, found Castledine to maraud forward yet again.

His ball into Radulovic found the Serb with his back to goal, but he returned the ball with a flick into the path of Castledine’s continuing run, allowing him to take it in his stride and stroke it into the top corner for a quite excellent finish.

Who knew that quick, incisive passing and getting the ball forward rapidly to two strikers, supported by progressive midfield players, would bring success?

Pragmatically, Grant made four substitutions after the hour, with the excellent Radulovic being replaced by Charles, followed ten minutes later by the withdrawal of the other main architects of Town’s emphatic win in Gooch and Castledine.

A change of shape allowed Balker to withdraw, though Roughan at left-back with Roosken in front of him reduced Town’s threat down that side (Ashia’s late cameo confused things further), though Sorensen added something different down the right.

Understandable as the changes were, they immediately disrupted Town’s flow and the game as a spectacle suffered. A nicely weighted Alfie May cross to the far post, headed over by Sorensen, and a clever run by May which nearly created an opening were the only bright spots of the final 20 minutes.

Churlish to complain, perhaps, after a five-goal victory, but the paucity of entertainment on offer throughout this calendar year perhaps deserved to be recognised with the side in relatively sparkling form. Hopefully, curtailing the rather disappointing crowd’s entertainment will pay dividends in the crowded days ahead.

More importantly, Grant’s belated but welcome conversion to a shape allowing two strikers, and a reduction in the sterile passing around the back, seems to have created momentum. Losing Castledine will be a blow if it happens, but we should never become attached to loan players.

The platform for a successful season should now be in place.

Happy New Year everyone.

False dawn klaxon?

Somehow, Lee Grant has survived yet another run of poor results with an expensive, misfiring squad still searching for form and consistency in a league of muddled mediocrity, but now handed a set of extremely favourable fixtures.

First up was a visit to the New York Stadium to face a Rotherham United side in even worse shape, emerging from a disastrous Steve Evans era – a perfect example of never reheating a soufflé.

Two fed-up fanbases gathered in a half-empty stadium. The visitors were reduced to offering pay on the day just months after taking over 4,000 to South Yorkshire, and both sets of supporters hoped forlornly for an upturn in fortunes. Expectations, though, were dulled in a dreadful opening 20 minutes devoid of quality.

Charitably, Town might have been “earning the right” to play at a ground they last won at nearly nine years ago, and they had to survive a scare when Nicholls, for some reason, allowed a corner to sail over him to the back post, only for the referee – overly fussy throughout – to intervene.

That proved to be the Millers’ only real threat until the dying embers of a game they comprehensively lost, undone by one of those familiar, tantalising bursts of cohesion from the Terriers that brought three well-worked goals.

We have been here before. The inherent quality in Town’s squad occasionally bubbles to the surface, sometimes bringing reward but mainly against the division’s poorer sides.

The first spark saw Radulovic head straight at the keeper from a decent Gooch cross, but better was to follow.

In the 26th minute, Castledine played an excellent ball forward, controlled instantly by Radulovic’s chest to take him into the area, before he picked out Gooch, who clipped home the opener.

Town scented blood and, four minutes later, Castledine again drove play across the pitch before finding Gooch. His forward ball, probably meant for May, instead found the Spanish-Serb, who executed a beautiful lob over Dawson.

The hosts were sunk before the break. Once more, Castledine’s determination kept possession high up the pitch, Gooch collected on the right, and his cross was met by the unmarked Castledine to head home yet another goal of his loan spell.

That gave Gooch a goal and two assists as Town’s first-half dominance brought reward -and much-needed relief – for the beleaguered Grant. His overdue pairing of Radulovic and May had worked perfectly, even if May’s main contribution was largely in the press.

The least said about a turgid second half the better. Rotherham’s often comically incompetent attempts to claw their way back provided only accidental entertainment.

Town were content to sit deep and soak up what their blundering opponents could muster, which was very little, and poorly executed.

There was little to enthuse the travelling support, though Radulovic nearly grabbed a fourth when he latched on to a long ball. Dawson blocked, but the rebound fell to substitute Charles, who might have done better than shoot too close to the keeper.

Annoyingly, a long-overdue clean sheet was lost at the death when Nombe took advantage of hesitant defending by the otherwise much-improved Low and Balker to fire past Nicholls. It was their first shot on target.

Still, it was a well-deserved win, and with three of the next four games favourable, this run may yet become Grant’s pivot as 2026 looms.

His failure to build on previous flashes of hope, and the more ominous inability to beat sides in the top ten, do not augur well. But the chance remains for him to rescue a stalling Huddersfield Town career that seems to survive mainly for want of an available alternative.

Merry Christmas all.

False dawn klaxon?

Somehow, Lee Grant has survived yet another run of poor results with an expensive, misfiring squad still searching for form and consistency in a league of muddled mediocrity, but now handed a set of extremely favourable fixtures.

First up was a visit to the New York Stadium to face a Rotherham United side in even worse shape, emerging from a disastrous Steve Evans era – a perfect example of never reheating a soufflé.

Two fed-up fanbases gathered in a half-empty stadium. The visitors were reduced to offering pay on the day just months after taking over 4,000 to South Yorkshire, and both sets of supporters hoped forlornly for an upturn in fortunes. Expectations, though, were dulled in a dreadful opening 20 minutes devoid of quality.

Charitably, Town might have been “earning the right” to play at a ground they last won at nearly nine years ago, and they had to survive a scare when Nicholls, for some reason, allowed a corner to sail over him to the back post, only for the referee – overly fussy throughout – to intervene.

That proved to be the Millers’ only real threat until the dying embers of a game they comprehensively lost, undone by one of those familiar, tantalising bursts of cohesion from the Terriers that brought three well-worked goals.

We have been here before. The inherent quality in Town’s squad occasionally bubbles to the surface, sometimes bringing reward but mainly against the division’s poorer sides.

The first spark saw Radulovic head straight at the keeper from a decent Gooch cross, but better was to follow.

In the 26th minute, Castledine played an excellent ball forward, controlled instantly by Radulovic’s chest to take him into the area, before he picked out Gooch, who clipped home the opener.

Town scented blood and, four minutes later, Castledine again drove play across the pitch before finding Gooch. His forward ball, probably meant for May, instead found the Spanish-Serb, who executed a beautiful lob over Dawson.

The hosts were sunk before the break. Once more, Castledine’s determination kept possession high up the pitch, Gooch collected on the right, and his cross was met by the unmarked Castledine to head home yet another goal of his loan spell.

That gave Gooch a goal and two assists as Town’s first-half dominance brought reward -and much-needed relief – for the beleaguered Grant. His overdue pairing of Radulovic and May had worked perfectly, even if May’s main contribution was largely in the press.

The least said about a turgid second half the better. Rotherham’s often comically incompetent attempts to claw their way back provided only accidental entertainment.

Town were content to sit deep and soak up what their blundering opponents could muster, which was very little, and poorly executed.

There was little to enthuse the travelling support, though Radulovic nearly grabbed a fourth when he latched on to a long ball. Dawson blocked, but the rebound fell to substitute Charles, who might have done better than shoot too close to the keeper.

Annoyingly, a long-overdue clean sheet was lost at the death when Nombe took advantage of hesitant defending by the otherwise much-improved Low and Balker to fire past Nicholls. It was their first shot on target.

Still, it was a well-deserved win, and with three of the next four games favourable, this run may yet become Grant’s pivot as 2026 looms.

His failure to build on previous flashes of hope, and the more ominous inability to beat sides in the top ten, do not augur well. But the chance remains for him to rescue a stalling Huddersfield Town career that seems to survive mainly for want of an available alternative.

Merry Christmas all.

It’s Over

The latest in a litany of errors and missteps during Kevin Nagle’s tenure is surely about to come to a head, with Lee Grant heartily booed by a worryingly thin crowd, thoroughly unconvinced by a novice manager cruelly exposed in a tough, demanding league.

After a bright, if not wholly convincing, start that featured four wins in August and encouraging League Cup performances, the deterioration in form and results has placed Grant in an ominous and likely untenable position, with Nagle facing yet another managerial crisis.

It would not be especially surprising if the owner were to show erroneous patience with the latest of his long list of coaches and managers, given his previous obtuseness: the sacking of Duff earlier this year was premature, the dismissal of Moore took far too long, and the farce of his Warnock dealings will demean his legacy whatever is in store for the club in the future.

A new sound system will not drown out the rancour of a bruised fanbase yearning for some basic competence.

Having endowed Grant with very significant power to rebuild a failing and unpopular squad without the guiding hand of a sporting director in his first senior management role, Nagle took an extraordinarily high risk that has backfired spectacularly.

Perhaps an experienced number two could have helped his fledgling recruit, but the overwhelming suspicion is of a young man too wedded to coaching theories, with a lexicon increasingly baffling to a support yearning for bold, risk-taking excitement – a far cry from Nagle’s ill-advised “Northern Football” epithet.

Should this home fixture against a capable, if unspectacular, Wigan Athletic prove to be Grant’s last — which it surely must — the dull and pedestrian second half that pushed the crowd into visceral displeasure rather neatly summed up his Huddersfield Town career.

By any definition, and even accounting for the never-ending injury list, this squad should be capable of competing at the right end of what is proving to be a mediocre division, and there are few, if any, excuses for Grant’s failures on multiple levels.

Reasonable performances have been thin on the ground and mainly consist of 20-minute spells when players offer a glimpse of their potential, punctuated by extremely sloppy defending, ill-discipline and an on-field cluelessness pervading a seemingly confused and unconfident group (it will be a relief not to hear the word “group” again and should be a prerequisite for the next mug through the doors).

Having adopted a new back-three approach – seemingly out of nowhere, but probably in reaction to an awful performance at Luton, where a 15-minute spell of decent play was not enough to compensate for a bizarrely narrow and inappropriately staffed midfield – Grant restored former prolific scorer Alfie May to the front two.

Rather than pairing him with the limited but tall Radulovic, he was placed alongside the prolific spurner of chances, Charles, fresh from blazing several opportunities into the Northamptonshire skies.

Veteran Murray Wallace operated on the left of the back three, with Low central and Balker on the right, and could easily have been sent off seconds into the game when he followed through on Fraser Wallace, leaving the Wigan man in a heap. Consulting his linesman first, the referee showed the Scot a rather generous yellow card, much to the chagrin of the visitors.

It was the first of several dubious decisions favouring the home side, but Town laboured to take advantage, despite some good prompting from Gooch down the right, who had a progressive first half before failing to have any impact in the second. Several good crosses found far too few bodies in the box.

A drab first half looked likely to end goalless until it briefly picked up in the final 15 minutes, with the home side making a breakthrough when a generous free kick for a challenge on Castledine was swung in by Gooch onto Wallace’s head. The reprieved centre-back headed down and well, giving Wigan’s keeper no chance.

The lead was not particularly deserved but did prompt the visitors into more adventure than they had previously risked, with one excellent ball into the box badly miscued when a better connection could have tested the under-employed Nicholls.

As the half came to an end, a robust – and possibly illegal – challenge by Roughan on an opponent was waved on by the ever-generous official and led to an excellent Ledson effort which was, unfortunately, too central and tipped over reasonably comfortably by the appropriately named Mr Tickle in the Lancastrians’ goal.

So far, so good for the beleaguered Lee Grant, with a one-goal advantage over a well-organised but not especially dangerous opponent.

His fate, however, was sealed by a poor second half in which the lead was quickly relinquished by way of a long ball behind Gooch on the right, the fatal hesitancy of joint number one Nicholls, and his invitingly open legs.

Raphael slotted home what was far from a masterpiece, but the same player struck an excellent curling shot onto the bar not long afterwards, which would have confirmed the worst fears of an increasingly restless crowd.

Being pegged back sapped the already low confidence of the home side and, despite occasionally threatening the visitors’ goal, such attempts were few and far between. Low should have done better when free at a corner, Charles comically miscued a header in a good position and substitute Radulovic forced a half-decent save from Tickle with a good effort, but Wigan should really have taken greater advantage of their hosts’ frailty and the crowd’s displeasure.

Grant’s belated substitutions then began. The switches of Ledson for Kasumu and Sørensen for Gooch were reasonable decisions, if too late, but withdrawing Castledine for Wiles and Radulovic for May (instead of Charles) enraged the crowd and appeared to be the actions of a stubborn, tone-deaf manager.

In search of a saviour, Ashia was brought on for a mere four minutes – another vexatious decision in the eyes of a stadium now brimming with resentment.

Low and diminishing crowds, mediocre football, mid-table obscurity beckoning despite a top-two wage bill, unfathomable managerial decisions and yet more wasted money compensating failure make for a very poor report card once the sheen of infrastructure developments fades as we languish in our lowest league position for years.

Grant’s nascent managerial career looks likely to be in tatters, and yet another rebuild will now be undertaken should he depart.

It is to be hoped that Chris Markham has both the connections and the credibility to attract the right person to finally revive this stagnant football club – and the wisdom to ensure that Mr Nagle has no influence over the choice ahead of them.

Treble Trouble

Calamitously poor defending from Huddersfield Town overshadowed some encouraging positives in a hugely frustrating performance against AFC Wimbledon.

Sadly for manager Grant, most attention will focus on his decision to bring back Goodman in goal ahead of the experienced and more competent Nicholls, who has been markedly improved since regaining the keeper’s jersey. Errors in successive games have contributed to the loss of three, possibly more, points.

This will overshadow a rare and successful half-time intervention that produced a more convincing attacking display, with Gooch moving to right-back and Wiles – who always seems to deliver from the bench – replacing Sorensen.

The Dane may have been punished for a blind pass into the middle of the park which indirectly led to Wimbledon opening the scoring. It was massively against the run of play but portentous in its execution, as several opportunities to either stifle the attack or pick up runners were ignored.

In a first half where Town largely flattered to deceive -creating too little despite plenty of progressive possession – a counterpunch was not exactly unforeseeable. With Balker outmuscled, Roosken out of position and making no effort to recover, and a general failure of anticipation as the ball was played in, a well-executed Wimbledon attack was generously assisted by the hosts.

Town hit the bar with a glancing Ledson header, and Charles should have done better when a superb ball from Gooch, cleverly dummied by Ashia, found him unmarked in the area – only for him to shoot straight at the advancing keeper rather than show composure and take it around him.

On his full league debut, Ashia ran directly at the Wimbledon defence and carried the team up the pitch effectively at times, though his decision-making still needs refinement. Throughout, however, he was involved in most of Town’s more convincing moments of play and, after many complaints about teams playing backwards too often, his forward intent is surely to be encouraged.

The youngster inadvertently assisted Town’s equaliser very early in the second half—swinging and missing at a clearance that squirted fortuitously through to the influential Castledine, who placed an excellent shot into the corner.

Such an early strike should have set the hosts up for a comfortable victory against a side who had scored from their only genuine first-half attack. But Grant’s goalkeeper decision – one that many viewed with puzzlement – came back to bite him for the second game in a row.

Almost immediately after the relief of drawing level, Balker committed a poorly judged foul, climbing all over his opponent for reasons best known to himself. The position of the free-kick didn’t appear especially dangerous.

Sedona struck a well-placed but not particularly powerful shot to Goodman’s right, but instead of turning the ball away for a corner or even holding it, Goodman spilled it into the path of Orsi – to the evident and righteous fury of both Gooch and Ledson.

The error surely ends Goodman’s brief reclamation of the No. 1 spot, and it is arguable that aiding the development of a Crystal Palace loanee at the expense of Chapman is now too detrimental. If contractually possible, he should be returned to Selhurst Park in January.

To Town’s credit, the setback didn’t halt their momentum. Both flanks, aided by a strong Wiles performance in midfield (one ludicrously bad misplaced pass aside), repeatedly tested the visitors. Ashia’s contributions became more incisive, while Gooch, Castledine and Wiles combined cleverly on the opposite side.

After another good Castledine effort struck the outside of the post, a run and cross by Ashia was narrowly missed by Radulovic in the centre before being collected by Gooch, who dinked a perfect ball for Wiles to head home Town’s second equaliser.

Surely now Town would capitalise? They were clearly the better side, with better players, and had all the momentum.

Sadly, more defensive frailty undermined that notion. A cheap free-kick was conceded by Roosken, and from the delivery Johnson towered over Balker – having had a run on him – to score Wimbledon’s third and maintain their astonishingly high conversion rate.

In normal circumstances, Town’s third and final recovery from going behind would be lauded. But the nature of the concessions meant the crowd were in no mood for forgiveness for a team making far too much of a habit of letting them down.

Nevertheless, the attacking verve of the second half deserves recognition. After being booked for tripping over the ball in the box – interpreted as simulation by an otherwise competent referee – Ashia delivered another excellent cross after a probing run, which Radulovic should have buried. Fortunately, Bishop in the Wimbledon goal could only parry the header, and substitute Alfie May pounced to finally add to his meagre season tally.

Another flap at a corner by Goodman in the final moments of injury time threatened further calamity, but a point was the least Town’s performance deserved.

However, Goodman’s error casts a long shadow over the match, with Grant’s decision-making under further scrutiny and, perhaps, now sitting at the top of Chris Markham’s inbox following the long overdue appointment of a Sporting Director.

The positives shouldn’t be overlooked – particularly Gooch, Castledine and Ashia – as there is undoubtedly talent in this squad, which is competing in an unusually substandard league. But harnessing that talent into consistency remains elusive for Grant.

An Excellent Stag Do

For 30 minutes, Huddersfield Town excelled in murky Nottinghamshire, obliterating Mansfield Town by scoring three times in 15 minutes—and they could quite easily have doubled that tally with a genuinely thrilling display.

Continuing with two strikers, a high and aggressive press, and playing out from the back with menacing purpose, the Terriers followed up an encouraging performance against a very poor Plymouth side with a clear step up in quality against opposition of a far higher standard.

Lee Grant appears to have stumbled upon a team and a formation that works, built on partnerships throughout the side who, finally, appear to be more than the sum of their parts—though the renaissance is still young and faces stern challenges in the near future.

With a league as unpredictable as League One is proving to be this time around, Town’s poor form of just a few weeks ago has caused less damage to their prospects than it perhaps deserved, and a huge opportunity is now opening up for them.

At least three of yesterday’s substitutes would walk into any side in this division, and that depth is likely to expand in the coming weeks. Grant must use it more judiciously than previously, turning it into an advantage rather than confusion.

Of the players who shone through the November gloom at Field Mill, Radulovic, Charles, and Balker were all surplus to requirements until stepping up very recently, but they were key to a thoroughly satisfying afternoon.

The front two combined superbly, with Radulovic performing more intelligently than ever before and rarely erring, while Charles’ undeniable energy translated into one of the most effective striker performances from anyone this season, as his drought now looks firmly behind him.

With the blossoming partnership of Ledson and Harness, a left side considerably improved by Miller teaming up with Roosken, and the hugely impressive Balker slotting in alongside the potential of Feeney, it felt like watching a team rather than sporadically performing individuals.

A few minutes of early home pressure were easily quelled before the Stags were eviscerated in a devastating spell of quite sublime play which few, if any, divisional rivals could have resisted.

Any thoughts the home side had of imposing themselves dissolved in the fifth minute when Balker strolled unchallenged for a third of the pitch, executed a drag-back to foil the first challenge, and fired a ball into Charles, who fed Roosken on the left. The Dutchman held the ball before laying it into the path of Miller, who delivered a perfect back-post cross for Radulovic to head past a despairing Roberts in the Stags’ goal.

Almost immediately after the opener, Harness robbed a home player and fed Ledson who, in turn, found Wiles, who quickly moved the ball on to Charles. He set up Miller for a shot that was comfortably saved, but the visitors were cranking up their dynamism and a second goal was only minutes away.

Harness again won a midfield battle, again playing the ball to Ledson, who yet again found Wiles. This time Radulovic met the next pass before laying the ball into Charles’ path, and he beat the keeper from around the penalty spot.

The carnage wasn’t over for the shell-shocked hosts, as a great curling ball from Radulovic found Sørensen with acres of space to run into. The Dane’s shot took a deflection that deceived Roberts, but the scintillating visitors fully deserved to be three up.

Indeed, had Miller converted at the end of yet another superb move which he himself started with a scything run up the pitch, had Balker kept a header down from an excellent corner, and had Charles stayed onside to tap in a keeper spill, the scoreline would have been extraordinary.

A spectacular speculative effort by Charles is also worthy of recall.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 60 minutes that followed such carnage were prosaic in comparison, but it is in that first half-hour where the hopes for Town’s season lie. Exhilarating dynamism thrilled an away support who were not to witness a goal at closer quarters in the second half, but who left entirely satisfied by the promise on display.

It was slightly disappointing to concede a preventable goal midway through the second half, when the otherwise excellent Feeney misjudged a ball and allowed Will Evans to give Mansfield brief hope. It lasted only a few minutes before Goodman picked up an obviously fake injury (the man had one save to make in the whole game) to facilitate a tactical break. This gamesmanship needs stamping out.

Overall, it was a quiet second half. Mansfield, a very decent side at this level, toiled away largely in vain, while a couple of good efforts from Miller and the returning Evans were the closest Town came to removing any vestige of doubt over the result.

An excellent start to an important and challenging week, setting Town right back in the mix—and the growing optimism must now be translated into a good run of results. The ability of this squad to gain momentum was clearly demonstrated in the first 30 minutes of this game; let it be a catalyst for better times.

Town Sink Poor Pilgrims

Sometimes, adversity becomes the mother of invention, and Town’s familiarly dire list of injuries finally forced Lee Grant to make changes that have seemed glaringly obvious for weeks — particularly playing two men up front. After a mensis horribilis in October, an early winter revival may have begun.

It has helped enormously that the first fixtures of the month have been against deliberately weakened opponents in Mansfield, and a Plymouth side whose performance was an insult to the 1,200 Devonians who travelled a long way to witness it.

At least three of Grant’s starting choices were players with no obvious future at the club just a few short weeks ago: the previously less-than-lethal front two and the permanently fragile Balker, while the squad on duty contained a majority from last season’s miserable campaign.

Town, perhaps carrying some momentum from the relatively straightforward dismissal of Mansfield in the Vertu Cup days previously, began on the front foot and forced some early corners. However, it was the visitors who created the first chance of the game, as the recalled Goodman pushed out a decent effort from 25 yards.

That proved to be the high point of the half for the Pilgrims, as they deteriorated precipitously thereafter — posing no threat while appearing increasingly vulnerable to a Town side that hit their straps around the half-hour mark, penning the visitors into a desperate and creaking rearguard action which finally broke after incessant pressure.

Had Town failed to convert their dominance into a half-time lead, scrutiny might have fallen on Wiles, who had two particularly woeful efforts when in decent positions, while Hazard in the Argyle goal made two excellent saves from headers by Feeney and Radulovic.

Harness, looking far more comfortable and creative centrally, saw a good effort scream over the bar before Wiles — after an incisive ball from Harness — and the commendably combative Charles opened up the visiting defence with simple passing, before the latter unselfishly fed Radulovic for an easy but well-worked opener.

A single-goal lead was the least Town deserved for a dominant performance exploiting Plymouth’s nervous lack of confidence.

Balker and the impressive Feeney formed an immediate understanding at the back; Sørensen’s improved form this season continued, and while the Roosken–Miller partnership on the left rather flattered to deceive, the new twin-striker force persistently hassled the visitors into errors and effectively planted doubts.

It was a little concerning that the second half began with Town appearing more conservative than necessary against meagre opponents, but that period quickly passed as the hosts slowly got back into their stride.

A decent opening was created for the much-improved Ledson, but the captain’s effort was skied high before a clever interchange involving Wiles and Charles fell to Miller, whose shot was blocked.

Ashia replaced Miller — who is yet to return to his pre-injury form — and caused multiple problems for the Devon side down the left, including winning the corner from which a flick-on by Radulovic worked its way to Charles, who bagged a thoroughly deserved goal to add to his midweek brace.

The striker’s hushing of the crowd after months of mediocrity was ill-judged, but there is at least the possibility that his Huddersfield career could turn around from this point — though the quality of opposition in the games where he has finally translated work rate into tangible achievement rather urges caution.

Plymouth may have reason to be aggrieved at card-happy referee Stockbridge for Town’s third. Having given them a very soft free kick for a Harness challenge, a more obvious foul on the free kick’s recipient was let go, allowing Charles to feed Ashia — whose now-trademark right-foot curler inevitably found the back of the net with Argyle’s keeper rooted.

Raw as he is — and given that passing to him with his back to goal is generally a fruitless exercise — give him some green space to run into and he can cause havoc. In his short time on the pitch, he had three shots: one which led to the corner for the second, and one which buried the opponent at 3–0.

A late consolation by Tolaj was disappointing but of little consequence.

With another enforced break next weekend, Town have the chance to return a couple of others to fitness (Castledine’s surprise appearance on the bench after a very quick recovery is perhaps the only positive injury news in at least two seasons) and build on this week’s confidence-building wins.

Grant should reflect on the good fortune of having the right decisions rather forced upon him — and against vulnerable opponents — but he shouldn’t be begrudged the opportunity to build on these victories and create the kind of momentum that could rip through this mediocre league.

Grant Exposed

Huddersfield Town’s annual collapse has come a lot earlier than usual this season, with the (admittedly limited) initial promise extinguished before the clocks go back.

Another Kevin Nagle/Jake Edwards managerial appointment is disintegrating before our eyes, as Lee Grant’s inexperience and curious devotion to robotic management-speak are cruelly exposed in a spiral that has been staggeringly rapid.

There doesn’t appear to be any way back for the young boss, with a fanbase thoroughly sick of disastrous decisions that have taken us from a Championship play-off final to mid-table in League One — with a trajectory that currently promises worse, despite a squad that should achieve a top-six place as a minimum.

Arresting a slide in football is not an easy task, as Huddersfield Town’s history tells us, with stabilisation the most difficult to achieve. Nagle and Edwards have overseen some appalling decisions, none of which have even vaguely contributed to a reversal of fortunes; quite the opposite.

Sacking Duff for overseeing an injury-ravaged blip in form and abandoning any hope of reaching the play-offs should go down in the annals of monstrously bad HTFC decisions — but this shouldn’t dissuade them from terminating Grant, though it likely will in their contrarian way.

Facing a side with a terrible away record — including a recent 3–0 defeat at Burton, of all places — going one up during an unusually positive first 15 minutes, and comfortably, if tediously, holding the visitors at bay until injury time, Grant managed to oversee a quite incredible but increasingly predictable defeat.

Bolton, vulnerable in a first half that deteriorated in quality as it went on, were let off the hook by an inept Town attack featuring a ponderous Taylor and the criminally wasted, out-of-position May — posing little and diminishing threat.

Over-cautious and lacking bravery or thrust, Town relied on the occasional foray forward by Roosken. Sadly, his industry — including containing Bolton’s best player — eventually exhausted him, and his removal from the pitch proved portentous.

In that first 15 minutes, Town attacked with good intent, forcing corners and putting the visitors on the back foot.

A goal-bound May effort slammed into Taylor, who couldn’t get out of the way, and the striker had another effort blocked before a good corner delivery by Roosken cleared the first defender for once and was headed home very well by Castledine.

That early lead seemed to weigh on the shoulders of both management and team, as they got progressively worse as the half went on and never looked like adding to their score to dishearten a vulnerable opponent.

Nicholls was called upon to make a hugely important save late in the half when Cozier-Duberry finally got the better of Roosken and played in Forrs, who shot too close to the keeper.

It was a sign that Bolton had a lot more to them than they had shown up to the break, while Town’s withdrawal into themselves with the comfort of a lead became ever more evident.

The second half was a tactical disaster on all sorts of levels from Town’s beleaguered young manager, as his team gradually but perceptibly faded in the face of a side growing in confidence and sensing blood.

Despite a good performance, on the whole, from the back four, the Ledson–Kasumu axis failed yet again in a malfunctioning midfield largely starved of the ball by their increasingly tenacious opponents.

Pushed deeper and deeper, Town’s coherence was already creaking when Grant made the quite ludicrous decision to replace Taylor with Dion Charles, who just a short time ago was assumed to have no future at the club.

Miller also made a welcome return but could add nothing to the team other than join in the attempt to suppress Bolton’s star turn — an effort completely upended when the exhausted Roosken had to leave the field and was replaced by Roughen, who couldn’t cope with the threat.

Nicholls went down with a mystery injury on 75 minutes to allow for a break and managerial instructions, which was probably not the brightest of moves. Bolton’s players and staff couldn’t have helped noticing that three or four Town players were trying to stretch out aching limbs, sending further encouragement to the by-now entirely dominant Trotters.

While the equaliser was very, very late, it was no surprise at all. Cozier-Duberry was by now menacing Town’s new left side and delivered a great cross to the back post, which was guided in by Daley past a helpless Nicholls.

It was the least the visitors deserved, despite how late it came for them. They had a reasonable penalty appeal turned down when Nicholls seemed to collide with McAtee, having been played in by Conway, who had sliced through several failed challenges to set up the opportunity — and they dominated the ball against tiring Town legs.

A disappointed and increasingly disgruntled crowd had just digested the loss of two points when the other one was seized in front of their disbelieving eyes.

As a Town attack broke down, Bolton broke into prairie-level open spaces, culminating in Burstow releasing Cozier-Duberry to fire past Nicholls, who got an upper arm to the effort but couldn’t deflect the ball enough.

Bolton’s adventure and bravery — epitomised when they grabbed the ball out of the net to go again after the equaliser — delivered a crushing blow to Grant, his knackered team, and a half-empty ground still waiting for the front-foot style promised by Nagle’s flippant “Northern football” nonsense, bizarrely latched upon by Town’s communications people.

Patience is now exhausted, and while it is doubtful that Nagle and Edwards will take timely action given their past performances, it is time to admit their huge error in giving a novice manager not only the job but also extensive power and influence.

There seems no end to Town’s travails — despite, and probably because of, the constant changes they have made. While it seems counterintuitive to make yet more changes, they surely must.

Same Old Song

Concern has turned to worry at the Accu Stadium as the 25/26 season begins to mirror last season’s unacceptable disaster.

A promising start is dissolving, with goals drying up, injuries mounting, and the proportion of last year’s losers starting games becoming alarmingly high.

What felt like a different era — with a bright, if raw, manager and new players finally replacing the despised squads of the past couple of seasons — is in danger of turning very sour on impact with the better sides of this division. And Burton.

Completely outplayed by a well-drilled, committed and relentless Stockport side — who were arguably even better with ten men — Town’s dismal display elicited well-deserved and worrying opprobrium from a gaslit crowd waiting for the millions spent to translate into a team remotely resembling title challengers.

Other than Feeney and Nicholls, who did their jobs efficiently and to the best of their ability, the same team that had claimed three points in Devon last week simply didn’t function as a unit. Grant, increasingly looking out of his depth, refused to make obvious changes to personnel or tactics until it was far too late.

He isn’t helped by the thinning of his squad through injury over the past few weeks, but it’s hard not to think that a more experienced manager would cope much better — with his in-game management looking passive at best and petrified at worst.

In theory, playing three creative players behind May or Taylor with two holding midfielders should provide a solid platform to control games, but from the first minutes nothing was going right for Castledine, who looks entirely stifled out wide. Harness blows far too hot and cold, and Wiles’s sporadic prompting has been a feature for far too long.

Ledson’s form is far too poor to be ignored, while Kasumu’s energy was largely wasted by a chronic lack of movement around and in front of him.

All the while, the visitors’ superior organisation, team coherence and all-round nous reduced Town to a panicked, fumbling mess in a dreadful first-half performance.

Several good opportunities were spurned by the Hatters, with Nicholls called upon to make a couple of largely routine saves and Feeney making a last-ditch recovering tackle to deny Andressen.

In slick conditions, County were winning each individual battle and restricted Town to a Wiles effort following a rare half-decent move — which was chest-blocked — and a Harness drive from an acute angle which nearly knocked over the visiting keeper with its ferocity but lacked accuracy.

Town’s typically subdued first-half performance — now a feature — appeared to be heading towards a stalemate until a soft free kick was given against Feeney, which Norwood floated, not particularly dangerously, into the area. Stupidly, the strangely out-of-sorts Low tugged on an opposition shirt to concede an obvious penalty.

Norwood, a regular tormentor since his departure so many years ago, expertly despatched the spot-kick and Town deservedly went in behind, unable on this occasion to escape punishment for another weak first half.

Improvement in the second half seemed inevitable, rising from a very low base again, and Town were handed what to others would be a lifeline — but for the Terriers is always a dead weight — when Onyango was dismissed for accumulating two yellow cards in the space of a few minutes.

Incredibly, Stockport continued to look far more dangerous than their disjointed, seemingly bewildered hosts and had good chances thwarted by an excellent block from Nicholls and a desperate saving tackle by Kasumu before finally — and deservedly — doubling their lead when Bailey curled an excellent finish into the top corner.

Baffling substitutions followed, with Sorensen, who had been largely competent, being replaced like-for-like by Gooch, and Radulovic, rather than Taylor, seeing the end of the afternoon for the wretched Castledine — who looks entirely miserable out wide — shortly after the Chelsea loanee spurned a straightforward chance from close range which could have changed the dynamics of the game.

By the time Radulovic reduced the arrears late on with a decent header from a Gooch corner, Town’s scramble for a face-saving point picked up for the final moments. But the latter stages were most notable for Alfie May’s remonstrations first with Low after Stockport’s second goal, and then with Grant after Radulovic’s — with a vociferous suggestion that a defender be added up front for height.

Town’s previous failure at Blackpool against ten men was notable for Grant’s apparent lack of innovation away from the coaching manual — sticking a big fellow up front. May apparently remembered that omission; Grant did not.

The arguments were presumably born of May’s frustration at sometimes having to come back 50 yards for a touch of the ball, and the inability of the manager and his teammates to create even a single chance for one of the lower leagues’ most lethal marksmen.

Calls for Grant to be sacked, while premature and oblivious to the deep-rooted problems and instability caused by knee-jerk decisions — including the massive error made in dismissing his predecessor — are still another concern at a club which should be stamping its mark on this division with the investment made.

Educated, articulate and qualified up to his eyebrows, Grant is the football hipster’s dream — but his inability to waver from the manual is becoming worryingly restrictive.

It’s true that he can point to a growing injury list, but that only deprives him of a depth most clubs in League One would view as luxurious.

A thoroughly depressing day — watching a very well-run club, with a manager of significant longevity, easily brush aside our misfiring team — felt like a turning point.

It’s now up to Grant, his staff and the squad to revitalise during the enforced break ahead of them and get back on track.

We thought this season was different. It’s increasingly the very same.

Dominance Rewarded

Though unnecessarily fraught at the end of a game which could have been resolved several times over, Town’s much-improved energy and intent deservedly delivered three points away from home for the first time since Reading.

Sprinkled with several very good performances, the victory was built on an aggression largely absent from the drab home draw with Burton, with the spurning of multiple chances being the only real negative of a fruitful trip to Devon.

Despite a good effort by Castledine which curled past the far post in a precursor of what was to come, Town started sloppily in the first 15 minutes, and it was the hosts who should have opened the scoring when the visitors lost possession. A good ball into Magennis was expertly brought down by the striker to create a chance he rather inexpertly put wide.

The let-off seemed to inspire the Terriers, who proceeded to dominate the game with a first-half display which could have resulted in a healthy lead. But not only did they go to the break with just a single-goal advantage, they suffered a scare at the end of the half when an Exeter equaliser was harshly ruled offside.

As it was, the advantage was secured by a fine Castledine strike which, unlike his earlier effort, found the target off the post with the rather diminutive home keeper well beaten.

Exeter couldn’t say they hadn’t been warned, though Roosken’s dummy run created a slight hesitancy which gave Castledine an extra moment to evade any block of his excellent effort, which satisfyingly clipped the post on its way in.

The goal had been coming, with Town imposing themselves on their lowly opponents after the early scare. With Kasumu and Harness prominent, Sorensen an increasing threat down the right, and the movement and hard work of May and Wiles creating spaces, superiority was established.

Harness fired over with an instinctive shot following good work by Sorensen, who himself came close after stripping a couple of defenders before menacingly attacking the area. His technique was slightly awry, and his shot curled away from rather than into the goal.

Wiles was also guilty of a poor miss, dragging his shot wide when played in, while—perhaps most surprising of all—May crashed a very presentable chance over the bar following another excellent move.

The late scare before half-time was a timely reminder that the lead was fragile. While Exeter had rarely been in the game since their own early miss, the home side was always going to create a chance or two.

Shortly after half-time, Nicholls was called upon to make a very good save from a rasping drive following a neat move by the Grecians. Town were going to have to earn their points.

What followed was encouraging and frustrating in equal parts.

More chances came and went, with the most egregious being Wiles’ failure to head home from a few yards out with only the keeper to beat.

Sorensen, who has grown into the season rather promisingly despite still displaying some defensive frailties, had attempts blocked, the unfortunate May saw a shot deflected on to the bar, and substitute Taylor should have done much better than shooting wide when played in by May.

All the while, the growing fear that the profligacy would bite the Terriers’ collective posterior gnawed at the away supporters, who had a close-up view of the hosts’ late rally. It ultimately came to nothing but was concerning nonetheless.

The modest four minutes of injury time were largely played in Town’s half, and a couple of corners threatened their lead but were relatively easily negotiated, and a very welcome away win was secured.

Setting a growing injury list to one side—and there were one or two niggles in this game which may cause concern, including one for the quietly impressive Ledson—there was much to be enthused about in the performance, even if slightly dulled by the poor conversion rate.

At the back, Feeney was imperious and barely put a foot wrong, while the masked Roosken looked far more comfortable at left-back and got forward well at times.

Ledson and Kasumu formed an aggressive and effective partnership in midfield, allowing the attacking players the platform to play, once the hesitancy and poor passing of the first 15 minutes subsided.

Nicholls’ save, his distribution, and overall control of his area vindicated Grant’s decision to keep him in place, as he begins to resemble the keeper we knew a few seasons ago.

Exeter look a little doomed, and defeating the community-owned club with our budget should be placed in context, but this was the best league performance for some time and keeps the team well in touch as another set of more challenging games approach.

The Big Yawn

Relentless, metronomic, and efficient, Manchester City brushed aside a committed but hopelessly outclassed Huddersfield Town in a yawn-inducing encounter that ended the Terriers’ unusually long League Cup involvement for another year.

City’s domination of the ball, particularly in a disappointingly bland first half, made for a largely bloodless, sterile contest. It might have been improved had someone in blue and white crunched into a smug counterpart to lift the spirits of a home crowd dulled by the inevitable.

Connoisseurs of the modern game were no doubt purring at the sight of hugely talented elite players passing their inferior opponents into submission, while those of us of a certain age bemoaned the absence of an underdog’s relish for a scalp.

It may have helped Town’s cause to have selected someone up front other than fifth-choice striker Charles, who ran around without influencing the game even as a nuisance and posed not the slightest threat. But Exeter awaits.

The passivity of the Terriers quietened a crowd swelled by Premier League enthusiasts, and this was not helped by the necessary sacrifice of the South Stand to a noisy away support. The absence of hostility, on and off the pitch, gave the first half the air of an exhibition match as City strolled through with stark superiority.

For all their possession and quality, however, the visitors lacked penetration for much of the first period. They eventually took the lead through a strike by Foden worthy of any stage, arrowing a left-footed shot from outside the area beyond a helpless Nicholls after a neat one-two.

Town’s only attack of note before the break saw Wiles break into the box to take a Redmond ball in his stride, only to fire it a little too enthusiastically across the area. Sorensen, the nearest to making contact, was beaten by the pace.

Deservedly ahead at the break having barely broken sweat, City had established the gulf in class, and with their opponent suitably cowed, their tranquil path to the next round looked inevitable.

That journey was never truly threatened in a slightly more entertaining second half, though Town put up a little more of a fight despite being relentlessly pinned into their own half for long stretches.

Nicholls, solid throughout, made one excellent save to deny O’Reilly’s attempted chip when clean through, and was well positioned to make three or four other routine stops.

He was entirely helpless, however, to prevent a rasping drive from Savinho around the three-quarter mark. Having thwarted City for the first half-hour of the second period with a mix of accomplished and desperate defending, it was disappointing to leave the Brazilian international with so much space near goal—but the strike was devastatingly good.

If the tie had ever been in doubt, it was now over. Still, Town at least showed more ambition. Before the second goal sealed their fate, a good free-kick delivery saw Murray head wide when unmarked, while Redmond shot over from a good position after another set-piece header had been won in the box.

Cameron Ashia came on as a late substitute and immediately changed the dynamic down the left with a couple of promising carries, before curling an excellent effort against the post—the hosts’ highlight of a largely disappointing night.

Loaded with high-quality internationals—and Kalvin Phillips—City completed their task against opponents who never truly decided how to compete and, in the end, paid heavily for over-caution, though it could be argued that a bolder approach would only have brought an even heavier price.

Defensively, there was much to admire about the resilience, concentration, and discipline required to restrict such a quality-laden City. Feeney, in particular, stood out, while Nicholls surely tightened his grip on the keeper’s jersey.

As a spectacle, the game lacked the thrills usually hoped for in a David v Goliath contest. There was no chance for the underdog to unsettle petrostate-funded talent, and Grant’s team selection rather betrayed that his eyes were on Devon rather than on making it to the next round with another higher-league scalp.

A win on Saturday would more than compensate.

Brewing up a stinker

Even a convincing win against lowly Burton Albion wouldn’t have absolved Town from the ignominy of defeat at Valley Parade seven days earlier.

That derby capitulation crystallised the suspicion that Town is a collection of individual talent significantly underperforming under a rookie manager, whose commitment to the coaching manual is looking increasingly dogmatic.

After a lethargic first hour, with far too little invention, the hosts were grateful for two sharp saves by Nicholls, an excellent block by Ledson, and a headed miss by Beesley as the Brewers defied their underdog status with a first-half performance that deserved more reward.

Other than Kasumu, who provided virtually all of Town’s energy, too many in blue and white underperformed. Their stodgy, mechanical approach rarely looked like producing a breakthrough, with the promising Alves barely allowed any space or freedom by the solid visitors, while Castledine, now getting starts, had too little influence.

Up front, Taylor was isolated, and while May gets through a prodigious amount of work, surely it is time for him to be played as the out-and-out striker he is.

It would have been interesting to see how Town might have responded had Burton taken the lead they deserved. Maybe it would have woken them from their torpor, but a hugely disappointing first half was a soggy mess as the expensively assembled squad, for the second Saturday running, struggled to match the tenacity and controlled aggression of an actual team.

Underachievement in the first 45 minutes is now a feature of the season, not a bug, and it was to be expected that Town would improve after the break—and this they eventually did. To an extent.

Taylor latched onto an excellent long ball from Feeney just before the hour but rushed his shot, wasting a very good opportunity. It was, however, the beginning of home dominance which, in normal circumstances, would have brought victory, but Burton’s resilience proved exemplary to the end.

It is to damn with faint praise to report that the Terriers finally removed their heads from their fundaments and sufficiently raised their performance to offer some threat against a side who will, hopefully successfully, be fighting relegation this season, just as they did last.

Following Taylor’s botched opportunity, he hit a weak shot after a promising break with two men to his left isolating one defender. A poor decision, possibly born of frustration at his earlier miss, but hardly helpful to the cause.

Castledine then missed the next opportunity after good work by Kasumu and May, and an intelligent leave by Taylor left him open on the right. Though a little wide, and with two defenders converging upon him, the Chelsea loanee needed to shoot across the goal from whence the ball came but sliced well wide.

By now, Town’s pressure was as intense as the persistent rain and, admirably, Burton were straining every sinew to shut out their hosts. At last, the game had delivered some entertainment.

Completely spent as an attacking force, the visitors somehow managed to keep the ball out of the net in a frantic finale.

First, Roughan hit a perfect shot from just outside the area which was somehow blocked on the line. Low should have scored from two yards out with a header from a corner, but an instinctive save by Collins kept the game scoreless, before another excellent Roughan effort went narrowly wide.

The final piece of brilliance by the Burton defence saw Hartridge clear an excellent Radulovic header off the line, and the game ended goalless.

Though the litany of chances in the last half-hour appears to point to the bad fortune that can happen during a campaign, it in fact just emphasises the current malaise of Grant and his squad.

Unable or unwilling to settle on a first eleven, the slow starts which afflict the Terriers may be the result of lacking cohesion through constant swapping and changing.

Developing partnerships across the pitch seems to be a slow process, and there is little evidence they are even close to being achieved. Perhaps patience is required as new players like Alves, Redmond, Castledine (to an extent) and, still to come, McGuane settle in.

An inexperienced manager overseeing a virtually brand-new squad isn’t going to be without issues, but the dirge served up in the first hour against the Brewers cannot be excused, and the assumed easy points were deservedly dropped.

Tangled up in ecru

For the second successive away trip in the league, Town self-immolated in bizarre fashion, handing their hosts a deserved, but not particularly hard-earned, victory.

The majority of the blame, rightly, will rest with loanee keeper Goodman, who never recovered from a shaky start to proceedings which, ironically, began with a fine double save (though the follow-up he prevented would have been ruled offside), but soon descended into Tim Clark-levels of clownishness.

Underlying the frailty between the sticks, however, was a curious approach to a Yorkshire derby: intricate, terror-inducing play across the back that always looked liable to collapse.

Meticulous planning, theoretical strategies and drilled coaching can easily crumble in the intensity of a derby, and the over-playing merely acted as a trigger for a relentless and effective Barnsley press, who clearly understood that you have to earn the right to be fancy-Dan.

The huge and loud away support watched on with an anxiety which must have been felt by players whose confidence in the tactics looked, if not shaky, then at least on edge. Mistakes crept in early, with a Roughan slip leading to danger and several attempts to get up the pitch strangled at birth in the middle of the park.

Barnsley dominated the crucial early stages and were gifted an opener when Goodman spilled a routine cross to Keillor-Dunn’s feet before ten minutes were up.

The error clearly preyed on the young keeper’s mind and he looked decidedly uncomfortable from that point, including nearly carrying the ball out of his area when he came out to meet a long through ball. Only a linesman’s generous interpretation prevented further trouble for Goodman.

Sadly, the warning wasn’t heeded and his next impetuous gallivant to deal with a situation in which he should have had no part completely derailed his team.

A ball down the line lifted over Feeney, who was covering for an advanced Gooch, towards McGoldrick was mildly threatening but heading towards the corner rather than directly on goal. Goodman took it upon himself to summon his inner Harald Schumacher and assault Barnsley’s veteran striker.

A red card was inevitable and, just as Town are incapable of taking advantage of playing against ten men, examples of heroics when similarly denuded are very rare.

The omens surrounding Town’s trip to Oakwell, a destination of decidedly mixed fortunes, had not been helped by the club deciding to cock a snook at the football gods by debuting the second iteration of an ecru kit.

The first, as supporters of a certain vintage will recall, was donned by a Peter Jackson XI who were 6-0 down on a bleak Friday night at half-time, eventually conceding seven. Thankfully, the yellow-and-black checkerboard kit won’t be brought back for the visit of Manchester City.

Before the sending-off, Town had settled down to an extent and Wiles should have levelled when one-on-one with the keeper, having been found by Harness with an excellent ball. Lacking composure, his effort was reasonably easily saved.

More frustratingly, however, Town regularly found Roosken in space on the left only for the Dutchman to waste several very promising attacks. A reassessment of his efficacy as a winger is now long overdue — a fit Miller, or a new recruit, would have exploited those opportunities far more clinically.

This is not to suggest, in any way, that Town were ever on top. Barnsley’s rearguard solidly dealt with any attacking ambition of their rivals.

Nicholls replaced the wretched Goodman and could now reclaim his number-one position in his rival’s enforced absence, but he could do nothing to prevent Barnsley doubling their lead just before the break, effectively settling the contest.

If there was a hefty slice of good fortune in a strike from the edge of the area heavily deflecting off Roughan following a corner-clearing header, leaving Connell unmarked and then failing to get out quickly enough to him contributed to Town’s undoing.

A disastrous first half, then, and one which had only been seconds old when May went down with an injury which looked serious and took some time to resolve. He played on but was replaced at half-time by Taylor, hopefully as a precaution.

A dour and forgettable second half saw Town put in a decent effort with depleted numbers but they rarely looked like scoring to put some doubt in the minds of their hosts.

The efforts were acknowledged by a loud away end who did their best to raise the ten men, but Barnsley quelled the attempts with some comfort. They were helped, however, by a sub-par second-half performance from the referee, who missed several home infringements, including a clear pull-back on Taylor and a bizarre interpretation of a foul on Sorensen where he punished the Dane.

His ineptitude was not the reason for Town’s demise, as the damage had already been done, but it was a little cruel for them to fall further behind late on when Nicholls parried a shot to the feet of the blessed Keillor-Dunn, who bagged surely the easiest brace of his career.

A late Taylor consolation, latching on to a loose back-pass, gave the defeat a more respectable hue but couldn’t erase the pain of a day that needs to be resigned to history very quickly.

Grant will no doubt take stock, learn lessons and reassert his faith in “the group”, as he should, but sometimes the basics can be lost amidst the theories — and earning the right to play, which may be a cliché but is true for a reason, should be the first thing drilled home.

The supporters have clearly not lost faith in the promise of this season given the noise they made unwaveringly, but there cannot be a repeat of this in the next Yorkshire derby in two weeks’ time.

Town topple table-toppers

A second hard-earned win in the space of a few days, against in-form opposition, thanks to the predatory instincts of Alfie May, lifted Town above all except Cardiff in the table as the promising start to the season continued.

Stevenage posed a very different challenge to the lively and expansive Doncaster in midweek, offering a physical and resolute performance which rarely threatened but could easily have frustrated a home side still in the process of establishing patterns and rhythms.

Anticipating the visitors’ likely aerial approach looking to extend their 100% start to the campaign, Grant fielded three centre-halves in his back four, with Wallace—somewhat surprisingly—keeping his place on the left after a less than convincing midweek display, even if his selection made sense tactically.

Town began brightly, Kane firing over with a decent effort and May forcing a good save, but the half soon descended into an attritional contest in search of inspiration. Neither Roosken nor Harness could unlock a solid visiting defence, while Stevenage offered little attacking threat themselves.

Fans were, however, treated to the first application of the new law restricting goalkeeper possession to eight seconds in open play, as Marschall in the visitors’ goal conceded a corner for delaying his kick a fraction too long.

It seemed a little harsh—particularly when Goodman later flirted with the limit without sanction—but the novelty at least added some interest to an increasingly dour game.

Town promptly wasted the corner.

Despite the lack of thrills, yet another half had passed without a goal conceded, and those 12 manic minutes at Blackpool are beginning to look increasingly like an outlier.

A brighter start to the second half saw a move begun by Sorensen, who has started the season well, end with a May shot on the turn that was routinely saved.

Perhaps sensing that Stevenage’s reputation for long-ball dominance was overstated, Grant made an early and positive switch, replacing Wallace with the more adventurous Roughan, before Ashia and Taylor came on for the ineffective Roosken and—more surprisingly—Harness.

The changes injected dynamism, and a short spell of intensity finally broke down the previously obdurate defence.

Wiles and Kane, both very good throughout, worked their opponents around before Kane exchanged passes with Roughan, releasing the Irishman into the area.

Roughan cut the ball back; Taylor either swung and missed or cleverly dummied—injuring himself in the process—allowing May to pounce. The striker sat one defender down with a feint before seeing his first shot blocked on the line, only to bury the rebound.

It was an instinctive first open-play goal of the season for the prolific May and, hopefully, a portent of another fruitful year.

Taylor, hampered by the knock picked up in the buildup, managed a reasonable strike that was comfortably saved, but Town inevitably spent much of the closing stages on the back foot, testing the nerves of the home crowd.

Stevenage’s ascendancy amounted to little, with the excellent Low – well assisted by Feeney—marshalling a defence that rarely looked troubled.

Kane cynically brought down Kemp just outside the box to prevent a rare moment of danger, rightly earning a yellow card from the quietly impressive referee. From the free-kick, substitute Patterson curled well over.

Goodman made one smart save from a deflected shot near the end, and the subsequent corner saw Stevenage keeper Marschall join the attack to sow late confusion, but Town held firm to register a satisfying if unspectacular win over a tough but quite limited on the day, opponent.

May’s predatory strike will be the most remembered moment of an otherwise largely forgettable encounter, but the flawless Low was again outstanding at the back, while Sorensen, Wiles, and Kane— rightly maligned in last season’s disgraced campaign—were the pick of the rest.

We have, of course, been here before with a strong start, but the performances so far have been more convincing than last year’s false dawn. The squad looks significantly deeper, and there remains plenty of room for improvement.

What this latest victory lacked in entertainment and style, it more than made up for in defensive solidity, comfortably quelling a potentially dangerous opponent as Grant continues to find ways to win.

An intriguing Yorkshire derby with an improved Barnsley awaits next week, but first comes a trip to Sunderland—a stern test of Town’s resources as they look to complete a very successful August.

Donny kebabed

For at least 70 minutes of a keenly contested game, Doncaster Rovers displayed all the characteristics of a team in fine form: momentum, sharpness, and a desire to compete in this division after promotion.

In the first half hour in particular, Rovers ran Town ragged with a highly effective press, forcing error after error as the hosts failed to find any rhythm. They were hugely fortunate not to concede on several occasions.

Outplayed in all areas of the pitch, Town had to strain to stay in a game that seemed to be constantly slipping away as Rovers’ crisp and incisive passing created threat after threat.

Defensively fragile, the Terriers were at least resilient. Feeney made an excellent block, the otherwise shaky Goodman produced saves of varying difficulty, and, most notably, Castledine made a fantastic recovering tackle on Sbarra, who was clean through on goal following a counter-attack from a Town corner.

With Murray all at sea at left-back, the midfield barely functioning, and an isolated May posing no threat, it was a torrid opening 30 minutes. The spell was only interrupted by a strategic “injury” to Goodman, allowing Lee Grant time to make adjustments to a game plan which emphasised the lack of developed partnerships in a squad still working each other out.

That break — cynical, and something that really ought to be outlawed — seemed to partially do the trick. Town began to more effectively quell their superior opponents, and the game became more even. The home side finally created a reasonable chance when a long ball to Harness saw the ex-Ipswich man turn a hopeful punt into a good shot, which was well saved.

The calmer final 15 minutes couldn’t erase the very poor start, but Town went into the break with the consolation that they hadn’t conceded. While they had plenty of room for improvement, their visitors may already have peaked.

As it turned out, the winds of change came slowly and almost imperceptibly for much of the second half. Rovers weren’t quite the force they had been, and Town reduced their error count and began to edge towards some coherence.

It was far from perfect — and barely counts as redemptive — but Billy Sharp could still have made it a miserable evening. His customary threat against Town saw him spin cleverly in the box, only for his shot to be blocked by the well-positioned Low.

At nearly 40, the hugely experienced striker continues to ply his trade admirably in an attractive and successful side. Less admirably, his tendency towards over-aggression earned him a booking for a cheap, late challenge on Low.

Pleasingly for Grant, the game turned on his substitutions. Sorensen, Wiles, and Taylor replaced the less-than-convincing Murray (who found Molyneux a handful), the otherwise heroic Castledine, and the far-too-isolated May.

Ten minutes later, Roosken fed Harkness, whose cleverly disguised and perfectly weighted pass found Wiles’s run into the box. The substitute finished smartly to give Town an undeserved but welcome lead.

Fellow substitute Taylor, full of running, latched onto a long ball down the channel minutes later and ran at the visitors’ defence with intent. Inexplicably, O’Riordan grabbed the Town striker’s shirt. While it looked fairly innocuous, it was an easy penalty for the referee to give.

Taylor stepped up and buried his third spot-kick of the season. After so many years of rarely getting home penalties, to earn one in each of the home games so far is quite remarkable. Attacking the box brings rewards, it seems.

A hugely flattering scoreline does, however, need context.

Doncaster hadn’t been beaten since March. The familiarity of their side, coupled with their established, eye-catching style, spoke of a unit with momentum and a winning mentality. Town had to dig very deep to hang in, and while it was visibly uncomfortable, they stuck to the task.

Goalkeeper Goodman had an evening he may wish to forget. Though he made one or two decent saves, his distribution was generally poor and included presenting the opposition with a good chance they might have capitalised upon.

He wasn’t alone in being below par, and Grant acknowledges it will take time for this talented squad to truly gel. Three wins — including this one against a very good side — while that development continues is encouraging, even if the last two performances haven’t been great.

There was much to admire about Doncaster. Emulating their winning mentality and highly motivated teamwork would serve Town well this season. It may take time, but with the quality of players at the coaching staff’s disposal, it is surely achievable.

Another tough challenge awaits next, against yet another side with momentum and belief.

Blackpool Rock Town Back

Within 12 minutes of a torrid first half by the seaside, Huddersfield Town’s encouraging, if not flawless, start to the season was called into serious question as the home side exploited errors in a previously solid defence and thwarted the visitors with some comfort for around an hour, despite being a player short.

It had all looked very different in the opening stages as Town completely dominated their under-pressure and vulnerable hosts, taking the lead early and justifying their top spot in the nascent league table.

The home support must have believed that their woeful start to the season was about to deteriorate further as a deflected Wiles effort beat their under-fire keeper, Peacock-Farrell.

Scenting blood, Town flowed forward with confidence and rhythm, ready to exploit their hosts’ lack of belief and turn the jittery home crowd against them.

Alarmingly, at the first sign of a setback, Town crumbled.

Whatmough, who has previously escaped punishment for some errors, notably in the opening game, entirely misjudged a ball that looped towards him from a Ledson swipe at a loose midfield pass. Rather than dealing with it by simply meeting it with his head, the ex-Preston man, presumably to the delight of the tangerine faithful, allowed the ball to bounce and Ennis was presented with a clear path to goal.

With Whatmough beaten, Low inexplicably decided not to move towards the ball to challenge the Blackpool striker, and by the time he did, he only succeeded in making the situation worse by deflecting a shot that was probably going wide, completely negating any action Goodman was taking.

Other than putting a question mark over the two centre-halves—and with plenty of time to recover from the errors, given the numerous options available to Lee Grant—the equaliser was also a test of the team’s previously unquestioned resilience.

That test was failed, quite horribly.

A collective panic seemed to settle over the whole team, and while Blackpool’s hungry grasp of the lifeline presented to them was admirable, Town’s implosion was immediate and worrying.

All control, which had been established and held so firmly that the concession marked the first time Blackpool had entered Town’s penalty area (indeed, the first time they had gone anywhere near it), evaporated.

The lack of composure and poor decision-making spread like a particularly virulent virus. Though the home side’s second goal was very well struck, and had been set up by a delicate touch, the half-hearted attempts to quell Blackpool’s threat contributed to the home side’s resurgence and lead.

Worse was to follow. A clearly rattled away side continued to encourage their opponent’s exuberant release from early-season struggles, and a lost contest on the edge of the area saw the ball land at Ennis’s feet, who had the simple task of beating Goodman one-on-one.

Shell-shocked, the players took a water break as the seaside sun belted down onto the playing area, and the intermission seemed to benefit the Terriers as they re-established control to an extent and soon reduced the arrears owing much to Roosken’s determination on the left.

Alfie May scuffed an attempted shot, but the ball squeezed through perfectly into the path of Gooch, who slammed home.

The American had been ridiculously ignored too many times given the space he regularly found, but the goal was a reward for his persistence.

At this point, a goal fest seemed inevitable with both defences showing glaring fragility, but the nature of the contest was about to change dramatically as double goalscorer Ennis launched a reckless challenge on Whatmough, earning him a well-deserved red card.

Veteran Town supporters know that having a man advantage has rarely been a precursor to an easy victory, but this was an opportunity for the latest group of players to change that perception.

With about 10 minutes to go until halftime, Town had the chance to capitalise on the home side’s readjustment, but their best opportunity was squandered by Alfie May, who chose to try an audacious lob from just inside Blackpool’s half rather than exploit a three-on-one attack. His effort was wastefully harmless.

It should have been no surprise that the hugely experienced Bruce—who has lost only one encounter against Town since escaping the car crash of the Rubery era—would implement a disciplined and effective low block to thwart the numerically disadvantaged visitors.

A half of ponderous, inaccurate, and barely threatening torpor duly ensued.

Despite calling upon every scrap of creativity at Grant’s disposal, with Castledine and McGuane introduced for their league debuts, there was a complete lack of imagination across the pitch as Town failed to register a shot of any note until a late effort by Castledine went narrowly wide.

If anything, the home side looked more likely to score through either a breakaway or an error at the back by Town. Low had to rescue more than one dangerous situation caused by misplaced passes from his central defensive partner, who also gave away an entirely avoidable corner when set pieces were the most obvious threat from a depleted opponent.

Frustrating barely covers a second-half performance devoid of guile or intensity. While there is an argument that the dismissal focused the home side’s energy and purpose—something they carried out admirably—Town’s approach of doing the same thing over and over, like trying to thread a needle in a storm, was entirely predictable and manageable.

On the rare occasion a cross was attempted, it invariably found a home defender’s head. Surely, even as a last resort, changing Low’s role from strolling forward to make the same sideways pass into an attacking disturbance in the area was worth a try?

In these days of statistics, meticulous planning, and over-coaching, is such a solution to Town’s ineffectiveness considered gauche?

By the last 15 minutes, the away support’s ire turned to an admittedly fussy referee, but it was hardly his fault that Town players made it ever so easy for opponents to win free kicks through their predictable and ponderous play.

A first defeat of the season held too many parallels with last season’s reversal at Rotherham—a game that should have been won but was deservedly lost, leading to a collapse in form which was never truly rediscovered.

Grant needs to ensure that Saturday’s setback does not set the tone in the same way, with two tricky upcoming home games.

Changes should be expected, with perhaps Whatmough paying the price for a far-from-convincing performance, even if Low probably survives scrutiny. Kane’s lack of pace and intermittent carelessness also puts him under threat from potentially better midfield options, while the ever-quiet Wiles may also have to make way.

Lots of issues for Grant to grapple with, then—with solutions needing to be found very quickly.

It seems that all the values conspicuously missing for at least two years have begun to flood back into this Huddersfield Town incarnation as they entertainingly overcame a strong Leicester side in the League Cup.

The two league games have delivered togetherness, some flair, a clearly likeable squad, a clear tactical plan, and, importantly, hope. To that list, you can add entertainment, resilience, and credible depth, following a hard-fought tie resolved with a penalty shoot-out.

With nine changes to the side that beat Reading at the weekend — including two young prospects making their full debuts and an entirely different defence — the annual capitulation to cup opponents seemed more likely than not. But the new Grant era has already seen surprising team changes, and it is clear, from his words and deeds, that he will preside over a very interchangeable squad.

Defensively, his options are looking very good indeed. Feeney and Wallace comfortably slotted into roles already filled with distinction by Low and Watmough, with the returning Wallace particularly impressive throughout.

The two full-backs, Gooch and Roughan, are arguably a stronger pair than those on display at the weekend, notwithstanding Gooch’s torrid examination by 16-year-old Monga in the first 25 minutes.

It was a regular, however, who caught the eye most in a mostly dull first half, as Roosken provided most of Town’s threat in a much more confident performance on the left, and was the subject of a baffling decision by a ridiculously poor referee when clearly fouled as he cut back from the byline.

To compound matters, the referee later gave a penalty for a carbon copy of the early incident, while also turning down two other, less clear-cut penalty shouts.

Despite the first-half fare being less than inspiring, there was some very good pressing by Town, which created the odd opportunity. Dion Charles worked very hard and, in one instance, dispossessed a City defender but lacked the confidence to shoot, instead choosing to set Ashia on a path of quickly diminishing returns.

A hurried clearance from the same incident fell to Roosken, who fired over with a decent effort — the closest either side came to a shot on target in the first 45 minutes.

With Gooch, assisted by Ashia, finally controlling the dangerous Monga — who was rightly booked for simulation after falling over following the slightest contact — the East Midlanders were rather blunted until a flurry of late corners caused mild consternation among the home defence and support, but no massive threat.

A half that had begun promisingly for the hosts trudged towards the break, but that early denial of a penalty left Town the more aggrieved of the two sides.

The second half was to prove the diametric opposite, as both sides upped their game to create a genuinely excellent and hugely entertaining cup tie.

First blood went to the visitors, as a hurried clearance — following good defensive work in the box — fell to Choudhury, who hit a fabulous and unstoppable strike past Nicholls. It was due reward for the Foxes’ domination of the opening stages of the half and, in the past, would usually have predicted heads dropping at best and capitulation at worst.

To their credit, Town were far from fazed by the setback and didn’t take long to get back into the game. One of a selection of excellent long balls forward by Roughan found Roosken, who took the ball smoothly, advanced into the area, and — as he had done in the opening minutes — turned back and tempted Leicester’s scorer, Choudhury, into a challenge that brought him down. All eyes were on the referee to see if he could embarrass himself again.

After years of no penalty being awarded at home, and even longer since one was scored, Town have now gained two in consecutive home games. The clock on successfully converting a home penalty, which was reset on opening day, continues, however, as a potentially confidence-boosting opportunity for Dion Charles was spurned. His spot-kick was well saved by Stolarczyk, only for debutant Vost to react first to the looped ball and head in the equaliser.

A great moment for another youngster making his way in the game — but Charles continues to disappoint despite his evident work rate. Not only was his penalty saved, he failed to shoot in the first half when it was undoubtedly the best option, and in the second half, a lovely Town move fell to his feet and cried out for a first-time shot. He took a touch, and the opportunity disappeared in a flash. He may well be Lee Grant’s biggest challenge at present.

The list of positives from this game is much longer than the concerns, not least the number of youngsters who acquitted themselves very well — adding the later substitute Sway to Vost and Ashia.

Defensively, too, the Terriers came away with a lot of credit against a pacy and dangerous Leicester side, but they may not want to dwell too much on the visitors’ second goal, when a player of the quality of Winks — who will surely be heading back to the Premier League — was allowed far too much room to plant an excellent side-footed effort past Nicholls, who might have done a little better himself.

The restoration of City’s lead so soon after the equaliser would, without a shred of doubt, have sunk last season’s thankfully, mostly, departed squad. The fact that Town rallied after another second-half setback notches the confidence in them just a little higher, building on the promising start to the league campaign.

With a great interception on the halfway line, the impressive Wallace set Town on the path to goal on the three-quarter mark, playing the ball out to Cameron Ashia. Saturday’s late hero advanced with minimal Leicester interruption, looked up, and curled a magnificent equaliser that surpassed even Choudhury’s effort for skill and execution.

The contrast between Cameron’s brimming confidence and the desperation of poor Dion is stark. Ashia has grabbed his opportunities with relish and joy and looks set to play a big part in the season ahead, if utilised sensibly.

The final stages of the game were mainly dictated by the visitors — nobody wants to take on Huddersfield Town in a penalty shoot-out, after all — and Nicholls had to back up some resolute defending with a good late save to guarantee the spectacle of a penalty competition.

Rarely beaten in such competitions (the last time was in 2011, itself a rare event), the only relevant omen was the fact that Leicester’s keeper had already saved a spot-kick, and there was no possibility of a redeeming follow-up this time.

Nicholls, hailed as England’s number one when he isn’t even Town’s number one, stepped up to save the first effort, only for Taylor to see his shot well saved.

May, Castledine, and Sorensen scored their kicks, while a very powerful El Khannouss effort crashed off the post to put Town back in the lead. Nicholls then saved Leicester’s final, poor effort, and an enjoyable evening was capped off with progression in the cup and an attractive away tie at Sunderland as the reward.

There was a lot to like about Town on a warm summer evening, with a continuation of the early-season positives: exciting young players introduced, strength in depth (particularly at the back), positive football with good pressing as a feature, new players still to come in (Castledine looked an interesting player on first sight), and the development of a squad with character.

On to the seaside.

However good it was, and Johnnies Night Club will hold a special place in the hearts of Huddersfield people of a certain age who experienced their 1970s/1980s heyday, it could sometimes be a little dull through repetition.

This led to such larrikins as setting off fire extinguishers, trying to buy them out of matches, “escaping” over the fence in the open bit, playing Jesus and Mary Chain’s “April Skies” over and over to annoy and delight in equal measure and other harmless japes (unless there was, you know, an actual fire).

But on one Friday night in early May 1980, talk was dominated by Huddersfield Town. 

For context, the people involved had seen their football club floundering in hell for much of the previous decade after starting it in spectacular style. Now, Town stood on the verge of redemption and were to escape the bottom division at long last – it is hard to overstate just how dismal the preceding years were.

Buxton’s side of rejects, misfits and journeymen had rekindled interest, excited the supporters and were writing themselves in to HTFC folklore yet, and yet, all of their efforts were in danger of being diluted by not being crowned Division 4 champions and confirming their deserved status as the best in the division. An Alan Buckley inspired Walsall threatened the coronation and victory over Hartlepool United in the last game was needed.

The occasion, it was agreed in the Jungle Bar, demanded a gesture and a banner was decided upon. In these days of the NSL and their wonderfully creative efforts, it is easy to forget that this expression of support was rare and amateurish.

Fuelled by a typical pre night club town centre pub crawl – Shoehorn, Painted Wagon, Plumbers, West Riding et al – talk turned to a slogan. Alternative ideas were scorned and spurned before consensus was reached with “Ian Robins lays on more balls than Fiona Richmond”. The identity of the author has been lost in the mists of time (it was me, actually), but it was seized upon despite its lack of brevity, and mostly because of Fiona.

The easy availability of porn, overt sexuality of celebrities (some of whom are celebrated solely because of it) and all pervasive sexual imagery would render Fiona pretty redundant, or, at best, run of the mill, these days but in the late 70s she built herself a fortune through the medium of sex.

A vicar’s daughter (thank you Wikipedia), she defied convention and portrayed herself as a woman who didn’t give a hoot that people would attack her relentlessly for her choices but, more importantly in the context of our banner, she was football related because of an escapade involving that arch self publicist Malcolm Allison and the Crystal Palace players’ bath.

Ian Robins, meanwhile, was not only the club’s leading scorer in that memorable season, his partnerships with, first, Peter Fletcher and then Steve Kindon were symbiotic. Between the 3 of them, they scored 56 goals with Ian bagging 25. Assists were not routinely recorded back then as they are now, but it isn’t difficult to imagine Robins’ contribution to the tallies of his strike partners and others.

Having chosen the words for the placard, the rather more difficult feat of actually creating it was discussed. Drunken agreement of a time and place – fairly early morning at the offices of one of the participants with access to materials – was achieved but likely attendance still dubious.

Perhaps the fervour excited by that Buxton team was too visceral to miss; enough hands appeared and work began with extra strong paper and black paint. 

One or two had a pretty decent design background allowing the space to be filled with some precision and no words were left off or scrunched in to space – it was a damned good effort in which I took no part whatsoever.

The paper was then nailed to strategically aligned four by twos and the banner, in all its glory, was complete.

Practical considerations, which perhaps should have been thought about before embarkation, started to kick in and mainly concerned how to get the bloody thing in to the ground. Which part of the ground should have been a simpler question, but that particular Saturday was blighted by quite strong winds – the banner was aesthetically pleasing but hardly engineered to stringent standards.

Out came the nails as it became obvious that the component parts would have to be smuggled in to Leeds Road – the large pieces of wood could, conceivably, be perceived as weapons even if the visitors’ support would be minuscule at best – and reassembly would have to take place in the ground.

Then came location. Obviously, the main stand was out and the Cowshed was going to be rammed, but the East terrace and the open end were both viable. The terrace offered shelter from the wind but, with the roof, less visibility so it was decided that despite its exposure to the elements, the Bradley Mills end would host the spectacle.

With less than military precision, the wooden poles were stuck down trouser legs, the banner furled under a jacket and stiff legged approaches made to the turnstiles. Remarkably, the odd policeman encountered was more Clouseau than Poirot and the parts were in the arena.

With assembly already practised, all be it uninterrupted by wind or authorities, the banner was ready quite quickly and laid out on the concrete steps at the back of the open end.

As the match started in front of nearly 17,000, the call was made for the big reveal. The choreography proved flawless and up it went to appreciative noises, lasting a few minutes before the “extra strong” paper easily lost the battle with the now raging nor’easter.

We felt we had done our bit, the Examiner got a (unpublished but archived) photo, and Town secured a 2-1 victory (after going in at half time one down).

Naturally, Ian Robins scored both goals. Walsall lost and the League title was secured.

Fiona is now a hotelier.

 It feels different.

Last season’s attempt at revitalisation crashed against the rocks of years of mostly bad — and far too numerous — managerial choices, a naïve new owner compounding those errors, and the legacy of a rancid, decaying squad reeking of failure.

Vestiges remain, with one or two subtle reminders in a hard-earned win over another club desperately searching for a momentum change, but in just two games Town have the look of a club that may — just may — have found a path to redemption.

It wasn’t a pretty win and hinged on moments going in the visitors’ favour, but Reading is never an easy place to go and gain points, even if the Royals are only just starting their own rebuild under new American (of course) ownership.

For the most part, Town were the better footballing side in a feisty and committed encounter, but too little of their play created threat and, one glorious chance for Joe Taylor aside, an open-play goal seemed elusive throughout.

The appearance of Sorensen in a defensive role on the right caused some alarm to those of us with even minimal exposure to the Dane’s body of work, and rather smacked of a manager believing he could unlock the player who shone at Sincil Bank, in contrast to our amateur scepticism. He did a reasonable, if not entirely flawless, job of containing the dangerous Kyerewaa.

His forays forward flattered to deceive, particularly in the first half, and he became the latest in a sad list of Town would-be long-throwers with an embarrassing effort that barely reached the penalty area.

After a promising opening 20 minutes, where the Terriers’ passing and movement looked sharp and crisp, the performance dipped and became a little ragged despite occasional threat down the left, with Reading disrupting their opponents’ flow more effectively.

That nullification by the home side came, ironically, after their best player, Wing, departed injured. What they lost in potential creativity, they seemed to gain in tighter aggression, and the increased attrition severely restricted the quality of entertainment as both sides played out a largely forgettable first half.

Other than an early effort from Kyerewaa, following the Royals’ best move of the half, Town’s defence contained them with some comfort as Low and Whatmough impressed both with and without the ball, physically dominating their somewhat lightweight opponents and winning the vast majority of their battles.

Typically of lunchtime kick-offs, the entertainment was at a premium, and though Town strived for combinations, breaking the hosts’ back line proved too difficult, with minimal threat from either side.

The visitors had the first opportunity of the second half when a smart ball from Ledson sent Taylor bursting through against a back-pedalling defence, but he hit a tame shot rather than squaring to the better-placed Wiles.

Reading, who were a little more threatening in the second half, created a chance at the far post with a teasing cross that was headed well over by Lane, who had to make contact with a ball that had bounced up, determining its trajectory.

This heralded the home side’s best spell of the match, culminating in Goodman having to make one of only two challenging saves of the contest to smartly keep out a deflected effort. The other, more routine, came at his near post and led to the pivotal moment of the game, when an unmarked Burns glanced well wide from the subsequent corner.

Immediately after the miss, the same home player gave away a cheap corner for Town, which Miller swung in. Whatmough competed for the ball and, as it dropped off a home body, managed to poke in the opener.

The goal came as something of a surprise given the lack of opportunities for the visitors, but it spurred them on against a visibly demoralised Reading, and the lead never looked like being relinquished.

Before the goal, and on the hour, Grant made three changes — the impressive Low making way for Feeney to make his debut — while changes to both flanks added more impetus as Gooch and Roughan, surely the first-choice options, replaced Sorensen and Roosken.

With a spring in their step, the rejuvenated visitors dominated the final 15 minutes, epitomised by the outstanding work rate of May, who is quickly establishing himself as the stark contrast to some of last year’s employees, despite a bout of cramp.

Town squeezed any ambition from their opponents with a smothering blanket in the increasing heat. The quietly impressive Ledson marshalled the team to a victory that had never looked glaringly obvious from a committed but rather average first 75 minutes, but once in front the depth and quality of the squad shone through.

Worryingly, Miller went down clutching his hamstring after attempting to push and run past an opponent, and could play no further part. Having used all their allowed substitutes, Town had to see out injury time with 10 men — and not only did so with ease, but also conjured up a second goal to seal the win.

With Dion Charles having replaced Taylor, Cameron Aisha made his debut, replacing Wiles (who rather disappeared again after a bright start) to provide some energy in the closing stages.

Charles won a free kick in a good position with some clever play, and Kane curled in a decent ball into the box that was half-cleared to Aisha, who stroked the ball into the far corner of the net with a perfect first-time strike. He was quite pleased with it, on the evidence of his ecstatic celebrations — as were his delighted team-mates.

Town’s record in lunchtime kick-offs has been abysmal of late, though that is probably more down to the abysmal part than the hour of day, and a solid win at a historically tough venue provides Grant and the squad a great foundation upon which to build.

The manager’s predecessor also had good results to start with last year, but Duff still had a squad of losers and could only construct the flimsiest of foundations, as it turned out.

What has happened — probably more quickly than expected, and obviously helped by winning — is regaining the trust of a support who were thoroughly sickened by last season’s shambolic events. Even with six starters who were part of that horror show, and only two games in, solid progress has been made.

It is possible that the first two opponents have been played at the right time — Reading now have a chance to build under new ownership, and Orient’s play-off hangover didn’t last long, judging by their good win yesterday.

However, with new players yet to play, old players looking more comfortable with a better squad around them, and plenty of headroom to grow, an encouraging start shouldn’t be sniffed at — and if it were, it would likely smell far sweeter than in recent years.

 It feels different.
Last season’s attempt at revitalisation crashed against the rocks of years of mostly bad — and far too numerous — managerial choices, a naïve new owner compounding those errors, and the legacy of a rancid, decaying squad reeking of failure.

Vestiges remain, with one or two subtle reminders in a hard-earned win over another club desperately searching for a momentum change, but in just two games Town have the look of a club that may — just may — have found a path to redemption.

It wasn’t a pretty win and hinged on moments going in the visitors’ favour, but Reading is never an easy place to go and gain points, even if the Royals are only just starting their own rebuild under new American (of course) ownership.

For the most part, Town were the better footballing side in a feisty and committed encounter, but too little of their play created threat and, one glorious chance for Joe Taylor aside, an open-play goal seemed elusive throughout.

The appearance of Sorensen in a defensive role on the right caused some alarm to those of us with even minimal exposure to the Dane’s body of work, and rather smacked of a manager believing he could unlock the player who shone at Sincil Bank, in contrast to our amateur scepticism. He did a reasonable, if not entirely flawless, job of containing the dangerous Kyerewaa.

His forays forward flattered to deceive, particularly in the first half, and he became the latest in a sad list of Town would-be long-throwers with an embarrassing effort that barely reached the penalty area.

After a promising opening 20 minutes, where the Terriers’ passing and movement looked sharp and crisp, the performance dipped and became a little ragged despite occasional threat down the left, with Reading disrupting their opponents’ flow more effectively.

That nullification by the home side came, ironically, after their best player, Wing, departed injured. What they lost in potential creativity, they seemed to gain in tighter aggression, and the increased attrition severely restricted the quality of entertainment as both sides played out a largely forgettable first half.

Other than an early effort from Kyerewaa, following the Royals’ best move of the half, Town’s defence contained them with some comfort as Low and Whatmough impressed both with and without the ball, physically dominating their somewhat lightweight opponents and winning the vast majority of their battles.

Typically of lunchtime kick-offs, the entertainment was at a premium, and though Town strived for combinations, breaking the hosts’ back line proved too difficult, with minimal threat from either side.

The visitors had the first opportunity of the second half when a smart ball from Ledson sent Taylor bursting through against a back-pedalling defence, but he hit a tame shot rather than squaring to the better-placed Wiles.

Reading, who were a little more threatening in the second half, created a chance at the far post with a teasing cross that was headed well over by Lane, who had to make contact with a ball that had bounced up, determining its trajectory.

This heralded the home side’s best spell of the match, culminating in Goodman having to make one of only two challenging saves of the contest to smartly keep out a deflected effort. The other, more routine, came at his near post and led to the pivotal moment of the game, when an unmarked Burns glanced well wide from the subsequent corner.

Immediately after the miss, the same home player gave away a cheap corner for Town, which Miller swung in. Whatmough competed for the ball and, as it dropped off a home body, managed to poke in the opener.

The goal came as something of a surprise given the lack of opportunities for the visitors, but it spurred them on against a visibly demoralised Reading, and the lead never looked like being relinquished.

Before the goal, and on the hour, Grant made three changes — the impressive Low making way for Feeney to make his debut — while changes to both flanks added more impetus as Gooch and Roughan, surely the first-choice options, replaced Sorensen and Roosken.

With a spring in their step, the rejuvenated visitors dominated the final 15 minutes, epitomised by the outstanding work rate of May, who is quickly establishing himself as the stark contrast to some of last year’s employees, despite a bout of cramp.

Town squeezed any ambition from their opponents with a smothering blanket in the increasing heat. The quietly impressive Ledson marshalled the team to a victory that had never looked glaringly obvious from a committed but rather average first 75 minutes, but once in front the depth and quality of the squad shone through.

Worryingly, Miller went down clutching his hamstring after attempting to push and run past an opponent, and could play no further part. Having used all their allowed substitutes, Town had to see out injury time with 10 men — and not only did so with ease, but also conjured up a second goal to seal the win.

With Dion Charles having replaced Taylor, Cameron Aisha made his debut, replacing Wiles (who rather disappeared again after a bright start) to provide some energy in the closing stages.

Charles won a free kick in a good position with some clever play, and Kane curled in a decent ball into the box that was half-cleared to Aisha, who stroked the ball into the far corner of the net with a perfect first-time strike. He was quite pleased with it, on the evidence of his ecstatic celebrations — as were his delighted team-mates.

Town’s record in lunchtime kick-offs has been abysmal of late, though that is probably more down to the abysmal part than the hour of day, and a solid win at a historically tough venue provides Grant and the squad a great foundation upon which to build.

The manager’s predecessor also had good results to start with last year, but Duff still had a squad of losers and could only construct the flimsiest of foundations, as it turned out.

What has happened — probably more quickly than expected, and obviously helped by winning — is regaining the trust of a support who were thoroughly sickened by last season’s shambolic events. Even with six starters who were part of that horror show, and only two games in, solid progress has been made.

It is possible that the first two opponents have been played at the right time — Reading now have a chance to build under new ownership, and Orient’s play-off hangover didn’t last long, judging by their good win yesterday.

However, with new players yet to play, old players looking more comfortable with a better squad around them, and plenty of headroom to grow, an encouraging start shouldn’t be sniffed at — and if it were, it would likely smell far sweeter than in recent years.

Omens and Demons

The last time Town dispatched an opening day opponent who had soundly defeated them on the last day of the previous season was in 2016. 

This may seem portentous, but Lee Grant would be better advised to look back a little more recently when an opening day win at Peterborough proved a false dawn, to say the least, as a thankfully largely dismantled squad of serial, unlikeable losers proceeded to deliver a disgusting campaign.

Like Peterborough, Leyton Orient come into the season with play off disappointment lingering and the inevitable changes to their personnel.

Grant, unlike his hapless predecessor, has had the luxury of seeing the back of players who condemned Town to their worst league position in 17 years, though the clear out is still, hopefully, ongoing. On the evidence of just one game, their replacements look capable of reviving fortunes, but any optimism must come with a heavy load of caution.

An entirely new defence was tested early when Watmough under hit a simple ball to Gooch, allowing Connolly to break, skip through some negligible challenges and hit the post with a good effort before blazing over the rebound.

Not long after, Town disrupted the O’s in the middle of the park and debutant May fed Wiles who emulated the visitors’ effort by hitting the far post with the keeper well beaten. The rebound fell into the keeper’s hands.

Playing at a good tempo, the Terriers soon began to dominate and several sorties down the left showed promise, with Miller in particular proving a menace to the Londoners, but the opening goal came from the right when an attempted challenge by the otherwise impressive Adaramola on Ledson gave Town a free kick from a nice angle.

Herbie Kane, who had a good influence on the game throughout, curled in an excellent ball beyond the defensive line but far enough from the keeper and Joe Low attacked the space, heading powerfully from short range for a debut goal and just reward for the hosts’ aggressive response to the early scare.

Including the goal, the Wiles attempt and progressive attacking, the opening 15 minutes provided more entertainment than the whole second half of last season. While that is a particularly low bar, it was necessary to get the supporters back onside quickly and they did respond – it really doesn’t take much.

Wiles had another decent attempt, routinely saved, and Town could have benefited from Orient failing to clear a very poorly delivered corner (by Miller, who was excellent other than this blip) but May couldn’t find enough power to shoot through several legs.

Orient played their part in a half of positive endeavour, but should have capitalised more on a rather nervy performance by Whatmough and, to a lesser extent, Low, in the first 20 minutes. Both were very good thereafter.

The only disappointment of an encouraging first 45 minutes was an injury to Roughan which appeared quite serious, evidenced by heavy strapping round his knee post game. The menace of injuries remains a worry after last season’s disastrous toll, and for a previously unscathed player to succumb so early in his Town career seems ominous.

Roughan’s departure brought Roosken on to the field to play in front of Miller, a not entirely convincing partnership on paper but it worked reasonably well despite something of a mixed performance from the substitute.

Another of the slew of debutants, Harness, provided creativity down the right with Gooch before coming off with a slight knock in the second half, while Ledson produced a very solid display to allow others, notably Kane, to play.

Though Orient remained a threat, particularly Connolly who could have equalised shortly into the second half when Goodman was forced into his first save of note to smother the attempt, Town effectively sealed the points with, of all things, a penalty, at home and converted.

Wiles, who looked trimmer, fitter and far less sulky than last season and should have made more of a good chance when through minutes earlier, made a run into the box for a Harness ball and was bundled over. 

1,984 days since Karlan Grant converted a penalty at the stadium, Alfie May, who had worked tirelessly for the cause, stepped up and calmly slotted his kick to the keeper’s left as the custodian went the other way. May later revealed that he usually puts penalties to the other side but he had watched 10 clips of Simkin facing penalties. Who would have thought such research was anything but redundant?

Town could have extended the lead several times in an encouraging second half – Roosken’s failure to play a first time ball over to an unmarked May was especially egregious, though he did later set up his teammate with a deft cross over retreating defenders but May couldn’t generate enough power in his header which was easily saved.

Orient weren’t without chances of their own. After an entirely anonymous first half, the returning Koroma wasted a free kick opportunity with a rising effort over the bar, before producing a probing run and cross towards Connolly, who rather messed things up when the ball arrived at him.

Substitute Charles had a good effort tipped over before a late third cake topper arrived following good work between Sorensen and the ex Bolton man who fed another substitute, Taylor whose attempted shot turned into a perfect ball for Roosken to crash home.

The Roughan injury aside, it was a satisfying afternoon at the newly named Accu stadium. With the addition of creativity from Castledine, the possibility of McGuane recapturing his early career quality and the end of Feeney’s suspension one game away, the omens seem positive.

While Orient displayed all the features of a defeated play off finalist trying to recover from disappointment, they were still a dangerous and capable opponent.

With the penalty curse finally lifted, maybe the football Gods will smile down kindly on the injury front as well, but it wasn’t a great start on that score.

Two tough away games in the League will test the optimism emanating from a solid opener, but it did feel more convincing than the one at London Road 12 months ago, and this squad may even be quite likeable as the months pass. 

An embarrassing defeat at Burton, which fully exposed a squad of pea hearted losers, had put Town’s 24/25 campaign on life support with fingers hovering over the switch.

While the vast majority of supporters gave up on this team some time ago, it was expected that the club should fight until the mathematics confirmed what we all knew. It is the minimum of standards for a professional football club.

Teams above Town in the table were demonstrating the inconsistency embedded in this quite dreadful league, so the challenge of Cambridge United, deep in relegation trouble and sporting a horrendous away record, was an opportunity to make the last few games of mild interest.

John Worthington, whose interim tenure peaked at half time against a Crawley side who had generously gifted 4 goals to a team in dire need of charity, was going toe to toe with gnarly old Neil Harris, a managerial mismatch similar to the ones he faced at the Valley and the disgusting defeat a week ago.

An encouragingly bright start against opponents who looked every inch bound for League 2 was brought to a screeching halt when the strugglers’ keeper developed a mystery injury after less than 15 minutes. It must have been a desperately serious strain given the length of treatment he received, but fortunately for Neil Harris, this allowed him to get instructions across to nullify Town’s easy incursions.

The decline in performance from that point was stark. The season in microcosm – a little burst of competence, accompanied by something approaching intensity fizzling out into a morass of misplaced passes, lack of movement and poor decision making.

As if intent on mocking us, the football Gods decided that this was also the time to strike down Balker with yet another injury. No words.

As two clueless teams dragged themselves before a halftime break which couldn’t come soon enough, it really was difficult to decide which of them was in relegation trouble as they served up as dire a 30 minutes of football as we have seen this season, and there is a lot of competition for that honour.

Despite entirely lacking any quality, Cambridge came closest to scoring in the first half as Town had to desperately defend the best move of the game. Portentous.

A typically insipid display, bar the first ten minutes, from a disjointed team with little discernible spirit delivered two shots on target, including one which the keeper could have thrown his cap on, and a decent longe range effort just over the bar from the otherwise terrible Evans.

Harris must have realised that an unlikely win was very much within his grasp against a side becoming more rabble like by the week.

One or two brighter moments aside, which nevertheless all ended disappointingly, the second half screamed of impending disaster as Town’s group of players – they rarely looked like a team – got sucked in to their old, old problem of a surfeit of useless possession against a defensive block.

Ruffles’ long range effort beaten out by Stevens, the Cambridge keeper whose serious injury earlier in the game had thankfully subsided, was the highlight of a huffing and puffing, entirely unconvincing display by a squad yearning for warmer climes.

The gloom of a sparse crowd, long past caring, was temporarily lifted by the substitution of Kachunga. The righteous and generous applause for a past warrior was tinged with the bitter knowledge that the good times associated with Elias were gone and not returning anytime soon.

Then came the inevitable kick in the chops as Cambridge broke away and took advantage of some quite appalling defending by Ruffles and Pearson. The former had effectively subdued the threat only for the latter to pile in, cause confusion and forced an error from Ruffles whose clearance fell straight to Brophy who picked out the top corner with a very good strike.

The simmering anger of a crowd thoroughly exhausted by a group of players who have repeatedly let them down boiled over and it is hard to recall the last time the level of disharmony was this serious.

Constantly poor decision making by an arrogant hierarchy, apparently underpinned by expensive consultants while fan groups are completely ignored, is finally coming to a head in the stands. With little confidence that this will change, even following the departure of serial failure and lightning rod Cartwright, further decline is inevitable.

The brief respite experienced when Koroma bundled in an equaliser following a scramble was cut short soon after when Sorensen, one of the most disappointing signings amongst an expanding list, inexplicably headed infield straight to an opponent leading to a very well taken winner as the curtain finally went down on a season which wasn’t even enjoyable during a long unbeaten run.

Huddersfield Town’s problems are deep rooted, endemic and far from easy to resolve. Culturally broken over several seasons, sacking the Director of Football is a start but the massive changes required are difficult, requiring insight and courage, qualities which aren’t particularly discernible down at the Mac.

The vital clear out must be decisive and quick. No extensions, all loans back, offload anybody that can be offloaded, find a strong manager to oversee the whole football operation without interference from suits, impose rigid dressing room discipline.

Kevin Nagle tells us how much money he has spent, without a great deal of context, but we know, instinctively, that a hell of a lot has been wasted and the season card decisions, even with the inevitable backtracking, are a recipe for disaster and will take us back to 2010 crowd levels. 

Have a great summer.

An away win at a venue which has very often proved too challenging for Huddersfield Town teams of the past, serves as a balm for the painful and bruising recent events. 

While temporarily soothing the worries of supporters as a very disappointing run of results was halted, it will take far more convincing performances than this one, and a lot of them, to assuage the massive doubts still hanging over the club.

The frankly ridiculous Q&A session midweek possibly made things worse and certainly failed to dispel increasing mistrust of the management of the club, as much by the questions which were not asked as the softballs which were.

Victory over a very poor Barnsley side was vital, however, and only a cold heart would fail to recognise the disastrous injury roster Duffy has to manage while never having the luxury of picking a settled squad, never mind team. Brodie Spencer’s 10th booking of the season only adds to the woes with another important player missing for 2 games.

For the first 15 minutes at Oakwell, the home side capitalised on Town’s woes, dominating play and Humphries forced a save from Nicholls when Spencer and Lees were easily beaten down Barnsley’s right. 

Town’s early play was error strewn, with passing particularly poor and inaccurate, though new boy Chirewa looked bright from the off and, along with the hard working Marshall, provided the only positive signs in a dismal first half.

Perhaps over exuberance by the energetic Marshall caused him to collide with Kasumu high up the pitch which led to ex-Terrier Russell strolling towards a retreating Town defence who allowed the languid midfielder all the space in the world before first Balker and then Kane were bypassed easily. 

Lees lack of reaction prevented a block of a shot which beat Nicholls a little too easily.

The concession was ominous for a team in the depths of a horrible run which has put paid to any thought of automatic promotion and plunged play off credentials into significant doubt.

Inadvertent collision with team mates spread to Lees and Spencer, who nearly let in the hosts for a second which would have buried any hopes of revival. They will have been relieved to see O’Keefe’s shot clear the bar.

Barnsley’s threat vanished after this effort and, to their credit, Town slowly improved into the game and missed two very presentable chances to equalise with Chirewa firing over after being put in by Marshall and the disappointing Charles taking a terrible second touch when freed by the Northern Irishman to allow the Tykes’ keeper to gather.

Chirewa also had a decent long range effort which curled wide and though Town were often careless in decision making and their passing, they had gained an encouraging control over proceedings as the half progressed.

This did not save them from the hearty boos of a huge travelling support. The position of the tunnel at Oakwell is unforgiving for under performing visiting teams and, if it is any consolation to the current Town team, quite a few others have suffered that walk of shame before.

Duff made the obvious half time change by replacing Charles with Koroma, and the decision paid off handsomely in a 20 minute period which saw Town overwhelm their South Yorkshire neighbours, who crumbled at the first sign of adversity.

Coming out of the traps with energy and intent, The Terriers seemed determined to turn their fortunes around and for the first time in far too long, imposed themselves on  their opponents and forced them to crack.

Koroma should’ve equalised from a cross from the left but his header slipped past the far post with an open goal gaping. By this point, Marshall, who put in the cross, could have had 3 assists and if some of his team mates even approached his energy levels, perhaps our promotion hopes wouldn’t be so questionable.

The equaliser came shortly after that miss, though, with Koroma fully atoning with an excellent finish after a superb ball to him by Sorensen caught Barnsley flat footed on the break following Town thwarting a free kick at the edge of the box. There was a hint of a foul to win the ball which an inconsistent referee may have given, but, as it was, the speed of the subsequent thrust brought the reward.

Ironically, Town’s winner came from the failure of yet another short corner – by this point, Barnsley were conditioned to expect it and were easily dealing with them – but as the ball broke forward threateningly a very poor touch gave possession back to Town who promptly won a free kick wide on the left.

Wiles struck a low, curling and speculative ball into the box, presumably to miss the 3 rather large centre halves representing the home team, and Marshall’s clever dummy fooled the goalkeeper for a crucial second as the effort snuck in a the far post.

By fluke or design, Town had deservedly turned their dominance into a lead and, to the credit of Duff’s timely and astute substitutions, easily held Barnsley at arm’s length. 

Kasumu and Chirewa both suffered from cramp and were replaced, but the disruption wasn’t felt as Hogg (who replaced Kane) and Ruffels provided defensive competence, while the comedy stylings of Ladapo were utilised in the place of the righteously exhausted Marshall.

It could be argued that a true contender for the top 2 in this division would have sought to finish off a clearly demoralised and malfunctioning opponent, but with resources scarce, and further thinned by suspension, a professional annulment of threat did the job and the jeers of half time, which were a tad over the top but understandable in context, were replaced by the cheers of a moderately satisfied, if not especially convinced, away support.

It is to be hoped that a cold, grey day in Barnsley will be the start of an overdue revival, but the first stage has to be to grasp a play off spot again. It looked secure on Boxing Day, but a short few weeks later, this away victory proved to be absolutely essential with results elsewhere.

As things turned sour in that brief period of time, so a few consecutive wins could reignite a season in serious risk of implosion and recrimination.

(And it’s goodbye from me until April as the San Juan mountains in Colorado beckon again).

Without a home goal in 2025, and with the last one scored being an exceptionally fortunate gift from the opposition, Town’s imploding season is beginning to limp well below acceptable levels.

A long overdue change in formation failed to provide any substantial answers as a promising opening 20 minutes faded into the usual miasma of mediocrity, particularly in the final third where decision making floundered as the grip of anxiety tightened.

The visitors looked as poor an opponent as any seen at the stadium in the first half, yet Town quickly ran out of ideas as the Royals found defending increasingly easy in the face of two small, energetic but barely threatening front men, despite some positive front foot play in build ups.

New loan man Chirewa had a promising debut despite fading quite a while before he was subbed after the hour mark and provided some much needed impetus on the left without finding the right final ball or shot.

The predictable return of Nicholls in place of Chapman, whose performances have slightly dipped, provided extra experience at the back but the number one keeper’s distribution was several notches below his young colleague’s usual quality.

He was barely called upon to thwart a Reading side, however, who took a long time to realise that their opponent was fragile, lacking in confidence and prone to anxious error. When they did, they looked the better side in a spell in the second half which could have been disastrous but for their finishing, which matched Town’s own profligacy.

An increasingly disillusioned home crowd could only look on in frustration as their injury ravaged team failed to turn their only period of superiority into a lead, with Charles firing wide on two occasions and other promising situations disintegrating on contact with a reasonably solid visiting defence, and with Sorensen consistently failing to find a man in the box.  

A first half of genuine endeavour was an improvement on recent outings, but at no point was there a hint that a moment of quality would lift it from the mundane. 

From the off in the second half, Reading finally took the game to Town and wasted several good opportunities without troubling Nicholls, though their first effort had him scrambling as it flashed by the far post.

Koroma replaced the spent Chirewa  on the left and added some spasmodic threat, including a reasonable drive kept out by a save which was parried to an offside Charles who, predictably, headed wide.

Kasumu also made a welcome return and looked reasonably sharp in a too often malfunctioning midfield but was unable to find a way through the visitor’s stubborn rearguard despite a couple of trademark bursts.

The crisis bubbling away at the club as injuries bite and disrupt was starkly illustrated by the late appearance of Ladapo, an alleged striker we thought had been consigned to either history or the B team over a month ago. 

Elevated to 6th choice striker with Radulovic’s welcome departure, and a rare source of entertainment of entirely the wrong sort for the dulled John Smith stands, he nevertheless came close to providing the winner when he shimmied in to the area following a defensive error but chose an unorthodox shot, easily saved, rather than squaring to the better placed Marshall.

He soon reverted back to his comedic role when he beat the keeper to a through ball, was pushed out too wide and decided to cross. His effort rocketed backwards at great speed and out for a throw. You had to laugh.

Two largely ineffectual, plodding teams who would barely break out of mid table if League One had any depth of quality fought out an entirely forgettable goalless draw featuring two saves in total, with one of those being more of a collection.

It would be unkind not to acknowledge just how debilitating an injury crisis of this depth and longevity has on performance and consistency, and Duff at least shifted away from, effectively, a 6 man defence at home and, however unsatisfactorily, the losing streak was halted.

It remains to be seen if Town can recover the confidence which carried them through a long unbeaten run, but in the absence of an upturn, and soon, the minimum objective of an immediate return to the Championship is looking increasingly unlikely.

It is difficult to make a case that promotion would be particularly beneficial in any case. 

Without momentum, a massive clear out of playing staff and with the fading goodwill of supporters, we look many, many miles off being able to compete at a higher level when we are barely hanging on to a play off place in a desperately poor quality division.

On to another mediocre opponent in Barnsley at Oakwell next week backed, remarkably, by over 4,000 for what promises to be another exercise in drudgery.

Oh, to be entertained

It is always surprising how quickly a very good unbeaten run becomes an extremely worrying slump, and as Huddersfield Town’s form has dropped off a cliff, even the modest ambition of a play off place is no longer as secure as previously assumed.

Automatic promotion is, sadly, a mere pipe dream now, as two poor defeats in a row on home soil rather emphatically expose this squad, and arguably the manager, as simply not equipped to challenge at the very top of this distinctly average league.

Birmingham’s slender victory was entirely comfortable for the league leaders, even if it did take an excellent strike to break what we can laughably describe as a deadlock.

Town’s work rate, particularly in the first half, was commendable to a point (Jonathan Hogg revelled in the encounter but this should not be seen as a positive) as they strained every sinew to maintain very limited control and were far too often troubled by pace and the superior technical ability of their opponents.

There is no doubt that the visitors’ squad has been expensively assembled and their record suggests that there will be a gulf between them and second place by the end of the season, but the game starkly underlined the fact that Town will not be the ones staring upwards towards them.

Once again, Duff’s selections caused some head scratching, with Evans and Kane combined with the willing but limited Hogg. 

Hodge had done enough in a brief cameo on Saturday to suggest he could add some desperately needed forward momentum in the absence of the sorely missed Kasumu, but he was left on the bench for too long as Evans and Kane failed to ignite the wing backs so crucial to Duff’s rather one dimensional tactical plan.

At least Roosken and Sorensen are bona fide wing backs, and the former contributed some nice touches in his hour on the pitch, though the ex-Lincoln man failed to deliver  much, again, and his defensive frailties are of concern, as they were before his injury.

At the sharp end of the pitch, Town carried little to no threat throughout. With Taylor sidelined, unbelievably yet predictably, with a hamstring injury, the hard working Marshall came in to partner Charles and, if anything, the front two lost height as a result.

Only once did the pair see sight of the goal as a nice move down the left saw Roosken find Charles in the area, but the former Bolton man could only head tamely at the keeper. 

This represented the only slightly significant threat to the visitors’ goal all evening, unless Marshall entirely miscueing an attempted shot in a good position counts? In tight games, such errors are glaring and the lack of technique very costly. 

Charles’s chance came early in the game as Town started more brightly than in the depressing defeat on Saturday, but the first 7 or 8 minutes were as good as it got and Birmingham suppressed all of Town’s attempts to gain momentum from then on in.

As unsatisfying as the first half was, there was a resilience about the hosts in the face of clearly superior opponents though they had one or two scares down the right as some excellent distribution by Allsop twice caught Spencer out as he was left chasing  down Laird, bringing him down on one occasion and not getting near him on the other. Fortunately, nothing came of either the free kick or his inaccurate cross.

Following the Charles header and the two breaks by Laird, neither keeper was troubled and a drab spectacle was rarely lifted from its torpor. Birmingham failed to translate their superior technical ability into genuine threat and Town found little rhythm in and amongst some rushed, panicky defensive work.

Early in the second half, a high quality strike by Anderson which dipped viciously with Chapman flailing, settled the match. It was more than the game deserved, in truth, and the absence of quite basic closing down contributed to the winner, as did some lack of concentration at a throw which gifted easy possession in the lead up.

Nevertheless, it was a high quality strike.

Town looked a little more dynamic following the introduction of Hodge, replacing the ineffective Kane, but it was a low bar and marginal. Koroma, Healey and Radulovic offered little change from the bench and an equaliser never looked likely at any point.

The final stages of the game were marred by a bad looking tackle by Hogg on Iwata, which saw Town’s veteran captain, rather generously, booked and the Japanese carried off, followed by a nasty elbow by Dykes on Lees which also garnered a yellow, rather than red, card.

Lees’ concussion allowed Town an additional substitute and Balker came on to provide a little more thrust from the back, despite being caught in possession at one point, and his availability and fitness will be crucial in the challenging weeks ahead as he adds some quality to a team otherwise largely bereft.

Duff can, justifiably, point to the ridiculous, possibly unprecedented, injury record of his squad – Taylor became the 26th player sidelined – which undoubtedly impacts consistency, but his midfield trio simply didn’t work, yet again, and the total lack of penetration is seriously worrying, particularly at home where a thin crowd is became increasingly impatient at yet another home failure.

That tension was never more evident than when Pearson, rather unwisely, felt it necessary to shush some Kilner Bank critics of a back pass to Chapman. To be fair to him, the run of the ball possibly forced him in to the defensive option, but he really should know better than to react to a crowd who, lest we forget, have had to endure a long recent history of failure and were understandably frustrated at his hopeless punts forward.

The defeat feels pivotal, especially when combined with Saturday’s debacle, and unless there is a quick and convincing upturn in form and results, we could be bemoaning a drift out of the play off places in the not too distant future, particularly with the form of Orient and the resurgence of Bolton.

There is, of course, plenty of time left, yet it is more than a nagging doubt that the club could miss out on the play offs – since Cambridge away, performances have palpably declined with even the one win being far from convincing.

It is hard not to feel for Kevin Nagle, who has had to witness back to back disappointments and is getting scant reward for his commitment. To have to hear that his big January signing has suffered an injury likely to keep him out for a month at best was especially cruel on the owner.

Regrettably, he will need to learn that this club doesn’t do anything the easy way, but play offs, if we get there, are fun, right?

Town’s unbeaten run, which has been tottering for a while despite a couple of important wins at Wycombe and against Stockport, was ended by a committed Bolton side who bullied their hosts and fully deserved the 3 points.

In theory, Town’s tilt at the automatic promotion places should have been enhanced, if not guaranteed, by the addition of 2 strikers to finish off all the chances we make. In practice, the two had to feed on scraps, mostly with their backs to goal and the arrival from yesterday’s opponent seemed to be trying a little too hard against his erstwhile employer.

Bolton looked the most likely team throughout. They played with aggression, pace and desire as if freed from the strictures of their previous manager just days ago, while Town seemed inhibited by the favoured formation and tactics of their current manager.

In the absence of effective wing backs, Town were repeatedly sucked into relying on Tom Lees bringing the ball forward ponderously before making entirely predictable passes to standing targets which stultified any semblance of momentum and this self imposed handicap persisted throughout.

His back 3 colleague, Balker, tried to do things differently and was the only bright spot of a very disappointing early afternoon while Pearson’s attempts at longer balls were invariably terrible.

Lees and Pearson’s fellow stalwart, Hogg, didn’t play badly but was another brake on progressive football and really should not be in the starting 11 while Hodge, who actually added some dynamism, was available.

It was encouraging to have Sorensen back for half an hour, but nearly every pass to him was inaccurate and hampered his ability to take on Bolton’s left back and the dangerous balls in we saw earlier in the season failed to materialise.

All the best chances in the game fell to the visitors and Town only avoided a greater margin of defeat late on by a good save in a one on one and a glancing header which went narrowly wide.

For Town, Pearson should perhaps have done better in the first half when a set piece finally found a home head but he met it too early and it skewed well wide.

Bolton set out their stall in the first 10 minutes and saw a penalty appeal turned away in favour of a free kick for a push on Balker and forced Chapman into a spectacular save from a header despite the striker being offside, which the Aussie wasn’t to know.

Chapman had a more routine save to make from a shot hit straight at him a little later while the visitors also looked to expose Town’s lack of defensive pace between Lees and Pearson with Adebouya shooting narrowly wide as Balker came across to help out.

Town had little in response and Duff was visibly frustrated on the touchline at his charges.

Rather than make half time changes to try to resolve Town’s lack of threat, none were made with the predictable result of nothing changing, other than the scoreline when Bolton capitalised on some ineffective defensive work with a scrappy goal they deserved.

Substitutions were finally made with Sorensen being greeted by a Bolton player crashing in to him at an aerial challenge with both players booked as the home player understandably reacted.

Hodge provided some forward momentum at times and Marshall was more effective than the very subdued Taylor who he replaced and actually had two shots, one which drifted narrowly if harmlessly wide and one which at last forced a good save.

It was too little, too late, however and the visitors comfortably saw out the home pressure which wasn’t either particularly intense or threatening – indeed, Bolton should have wrapped things up during this period.

Perhaps the epitome of the difference between the two sides on the day was highlighted when Bolton’s Johnson flew in to Pearson on the touchline, got booked and then celebrated his challenge with a fist pump to the travelling support who had loudly backed their team throughout.

It was probably a bad time to play Bolton, but then our previous encounter had been a very good time to play them, and there simply wasn’t enough energy or cohesion in the side to subdue them.

The bench Duff named was easily the strongest of the season, which offers some hope, it is a shame he didn’t use it effectively enough.

A reasonably entertaining Yorkshire derby produced no goals but several problems for Town as double Dutch trouble further weakened an injury ravaged squad.

The welcome returns of Hodge, Evans and Hogg provides Duff with better midfield options, but the loss of his most influential player of the season in Kasumu coupled with Lonwijk suffering a hamstring injury in the opening minutes and new signing Roosken, brought in to fill the long term Miller absence, seeing red and accruing a likely 3 match suspension, adds unwelcome disruption, yet again.

It all added up to a disappointing afternoon for the Terriers, who failed to convert a sustained period of dominance in the second half of the first half into a lead. 

Overall, the performance was no better nor worse than the one which brought 3 points against Stockport, and despite their lowly position, the South Yorkshire opponents were a little superior.

With Hodge deputising for Kasumu and Radulovic in the starting line up, Town were already having to adjust to new personnel when Lonwijk pulled up after just 2 minutes and was replaced by Turton, necessitating a change in shape.

An opening 25 minutes with little incident quickly confirmed that the game was going to be far from easy for the hosts, but once they settled and gained ascendancy, they failed to take advantage of some excellent opportunities.

To his credit, Radulovic played a big part in the creation of opportunities with some deft link up play and significantly more physicality than previously evident. It seems unlikely that the Serbian will recover from his early form in the eyes of the supporters, and his potency in front of goal remains tepid at best, but he played a full part in this game and couldn’t be faulted for effort.

A couple of routine saves by Phillips from Koroma and Marshall after decent build up play by the Terriers signalled the start of what could have been a pivotal period, but they failed to turn the pressure in to a lead.

Wiles wasted a good free kick position, awarded after Marshall was clattered following a good link up with Radulovic, firing over. A volleyed Kane effort shortly beforehand had been closer and well executed, but the best chance came soon after.

A quick clearance from Chapman was laid off by Radulovic, despite being fouled, into the path of Wiles, who played Marshall in for a good effort on goal which Phillips pushed out for a corner.

From that corner, Helik saw his header cleared off the line and a scoreless first half ended with some regret for the home side who deserved to be in front.

Sadly, the second half descended in to a rather dour battle, with the visitors looking the more likely to prevail for long periods but, in similar fashion to their hosts in the first half, they failed to capitalise on their best spell of the game with a Chapman stop from close range to thwart Wilks followed by a slightly overhit cross just failing to find Powell at the back post.

Town’s big chance came midway through the half when Wiles out jumped an opponent to set Radulovic free. The Serb made exactly the right decision to pick out the unmarked Koroma in the box but instead of hitting the ball first time, which would have neutralised the keeper rushing out towards him, he took a touch and was unable to force the ball past recovering defenders on the line.

It was another moment that could have turned a disappointing draw in to more pressure on the 3 above them, but with 10 minutes to go, a poor but not malicious challenge by debutant  Roosken, who had been on the pitch for 7 minutes, was punished by a red card which seemed harsh at the time but not upon reflection.

To Town’s credit it was they rather than their numerically advantaged opponents who nearly won the game at the death.

With probably the stand out moment of the game, the incredibly hard working Marshall simultaneously prevented a Rotherham break and created an excellent opportunity with a beautifully executed challenge which cleverly anticipated his opponent’s touch.

Breaking forward, the West Ham loanee curled a superb ball in to the box but neither Radulovic at the front post nor Helik further back could convert and a just reward for Marshall’s endeavour was spurned.

A less than convincing performance, which nevertheless contained very presentable chances, followed a similar pattern to other home displays in the current unbeaten run. 

The lack of natural goalscoring instinct is always going to blight Duff’s charges and until that is addressed, which doesn’t seem very likely in the notoriously difficult January market, Town will not be able to mount a viable challenge for a top 2 place. Indeed, it is to Duff’s considerable credit that the possibility even remains given the lack of fire power and a revolving door of injuries to key players.

There were some positives to the game. The players have shown they can adapt to adversity recently and they were tested again with both an early and late change to well laid plans and they dealt with the double Dutch problems quite seamlessly.

Long term absentee Evans made a good impression on his return as a second half substitute and while Hodge looked a little rusty, he had good enough moments to suggest he can grow into form.

A very different, sterner test faces the team at Wycombe, with the unbeaten record at considerable risk, but it is a challenge a team with automatic promotion ambitions should relish.

As Danny Ward hobbled off the pitch shortly after incurring a freak injury instead of putting Town one up, as perhaps he should, Michael Duff turned, no doubt despairingly, to his bench to decide between ineptitude and frailty.

An unenviable Hobson’s choice for the head coach saw him plump for Freddie Ladapo with Bojan Radulovic still coming back from injury and, to all intents and purposes, he reduced his team to ten men.

The disappointing ultimate result against the bottom team in the league can’t all be placed at the journeyman’s feet as this would suggest he had even the slightest impact on events. He was barely involved throughout his 55 minutes on the pitch.

For all of that time, Town struggled to shake off a lethargy which led to far too many passing errors and poor judgement calls as Burton not only coped with the hosts sporadic attempts to exert superiority but also looked the more coherent side and the more likely to add to their 13th minute opener with the Terriers stuttering against their inevitable low block.

Burton’s goal was symptomatic of Town’s sloppiness with Lonwijk not only losing possession in a poor area but then ambling back with little commitment to prevent a ball in to the box which Webster bundled in scruffily but effectively.

An impatient crowd preemptively judged what would happen next, and from bitter experience. The last time the Brewers were in town, they thwarted their Premier League bound opponents with possibly the most cynical smash and grab performance you are ever likely to see. 

The initial response to going a goal down was positive and had Spencer scored a wholly convertible chance on 20 minutes from a Wiles free kick, nerves and anxiety would have been quelled. Instead, Town floundered and struggled to create anything approaching a dangerous chance in a poor first half.

Far too reliant on centre backs attempting to break lines, the physical and mental tiredness inevitable in a relentless schedule for an injury ravaged squad was all too evident and perhaps exacerbated by the psychological impact of conceding the first goal.

Without trying to labour the point, having an almost entirely superfluous centre forward leading the line didn’t help, but the low quality of most of the play was disappointing and change was demanded.

Sacrificing Lees and employing Turton on the right with Spencer joining Helik in the centre of a back 4, Town looked to speed up their attacking threat and, overall, it worked, once Ladapo was replaced by Radulovic.

However, the visitors should have doubled their advantage and almost certainly secure the points, 5 minutes after the break. Another piece of sloppy work by Lonwijk set the impressive Burrell away down Burton’s right and while he slightly overhit his cross, Orsi should have done better than firing straight at Chapman, who, as he had done against Stockport, made a points saving block.

Following that let off, Town failed to take advantage of a Wiles instigated break as Koroma was set free down the left with a perfect ball. Rather than hit the unmarked Marshall in the box with a first time ball, Koroma took an additional and unnecessary touch, sucking all the momentum out of the move. Eventually, Marshall was unable to connect with the ball in.

It did, however, signal the beginning of an onslaught which culminated in a late, deserved, but not particularly satisfying, equaliser 2 minutes from the end.

Radulovic, to his credit, did make a difference and proved far more effective linking play and did, at least, provide some sort of presence. If this is the faintest of praise, it is because that presence didn’t translate in the penalty area where it counts and a weak header when a chance presented itself exposed the sad truth that he isn’t of the standard required either now or in whatever the future holds.

Under increasingly intense pressure, the Brewers rather scraped the bottom of the barrel with time wasting tactics, but let he who is without sin cast the first stone. 

That pressure was more frantic than measured but the visitors were visibly creaking under the bombardment as corner after corner pinned them back. Only a judicious injury to Crocombe eased the barrage and that respite was short lived.

Though it may not have felt like it at the time, an equaliser looked inevitable and having replaced Spenser with Pearson and pushed Helik forward – a tactic which has been long overdue given the absolute state of Town’s striker options – an excellent Wiles cross was buried by the Pole and the unbeaten run continues.

In and amongst the frenetic concluding third, Duff saw red for aggressively retrieving the ball from the away dugout, which seemed a little harsh, and in injury time, Vancooten was shown a second yellow for a lunge on Radulovic when the referee should have played advantage with Lonwijk clear down the left.

Unable to force a winner, Town took a point from a match they were expected to win and failed to take full advantage of some slip ups above them. They remain more likely to compete in the play offs than secure the first automatic promotion since 1983, but resolving, or even just beginning to resolve the dire problems up front could change that destiny.

Happy New Year.

A misty, atmospheric John Smith’s Stadium saw a disciplined, pragmatic Town side overcome a technically superior Stockport County in a fascinating contest only lacking in goalscoring opportunities.

An extremely fortunate own goal by County’s impressive captain Bate, the least deserving of such a fate in retrospect, after just 45 seconds, informed the rest of the game and the Cheshire outfit’s attractive style was pitted against a home defence which has been the bedrock of the Terriers’ expanding unbeaten run.

Crushing inferior opposition such as Cambridge is fun and a necessary trait in a successful campaign in League One, but you suspect that this infinitely more streaky 3 points will satisfy Duff more. There were periods in this game where Stockport seemed to be finding ways to exploit weakness in their injury ravaged hosts, but Duff kept making tactical changes to thwart them.

The rightly lauded and now recalled Barry was effectively subdued by Town’s man of the match, Spencer, while the immutable Lees, a very strong contender for the accolade, marshalled a defensive performance which restricted the visitors to very few chances. 

Ironically, the nearest the promotion rivals came to an equaliser was when Helik, who remains less than assured this season, sliced an attempted clearance on to the post and was lucky not to gift what would have been a deserved leveller.

Early in the second half, Jacob Chapman thwarted Collar when Stockport capitalised on midfield indecision by Kane and set him free, one on one, with the young Aussie who positioned himself excellently to block to follow up a more routine save made from a Barry effort before the break.

Not long after, another, rather more fortuitous, break was wasted by County but this proved to be the last real threat, if not the end of Town’s anxiety with the visitors continuing to dominate the ball. 

Stockport’s failure to produce more than a weak header at Chapman, which may well have been ruled out for climbing anyway, was as much down to Duff’s increasingly influential tactical tweaks and substitutions as the flawed opposition – make no mistake, it was his victory over Challinor which delivered these 3 points.

It should also be noted that Town should have been awarded a penalty after just 10 minutes when Koroma was pushed over in the box. Yet again, a basic refereeing decision went against Duff’s men though the over theatrical fall slightly mitigated another egregious call.

The extremely hard working Marshall, whose run behind and cross had created the circumstances leading up to the own goal, also flashed a cross towards Ladapo near the end which, characteristically, he couldn’t make contact with. At least it prevented a crowd invasion.

The beleaguered back up striker, who appears to lack even the most basic of attributes, has been so woeful that the crowd has now adopted the old Depoitre song to try and encourage something approaching a performance. Lest we forget, the Belgian scored in a victory over Manchester United and on that famous night at Stamford Bridge, so there may be a touch of irony, which, at least, is better than booing his arrival.

On much brighter notes, Kasumu’s form remains excellent and he had to make up for the subdued efforts of Wiles and Kane either side of him, the defensive substitutions worked very well with Turton and Pearson delivering Duff’s tactical changes seamlessly and Marshall looks back to his energetic best with a lot of headroom for improvement.

There is nothing quite like a home Boxing Day fixture, with the whole day having an air of community and reunion throughout the stands. A loud away support was often challenged by the home fans, and despite the absence of goalmouth excitement, the game kept the crowd interested throughout.

It seems unlikely that Burton will have the equipment to slow Town’s impressive run as they keep pace with the 3 front runners, but there will have been many a gnarly Huddersfield Town fan in attendance yesterday who would scoff at the notion that their team aren’t vulnerable to such a shock. The not so gnarly will likely agree.

However, we can find comfort in the increasingly impressive management of this depleted squad by Duff. 

It has taken a while for the Town support to warm to him and their hesitancy is entirely reasonable given the horrendous managerial appointments littering Town’s recent history, coupled with the ridiculous decisions taken with Neil Warnock. 

Duff has faced continuous challenges in his short tenure. 

A squad infected with loser mentalities, a disastrous transfer window in the summer (not entirely anyone’s fault) which followed awful decision making in the previous one (definitely someone’s fault) leaving him without a functioning forward line and, more recently, an unenviable injury list.

To be still in contention for automatic promotion represents real achievements and it is to be hoped that he is properly supported in the New Year.

A creditable comeback by Town after a quite dreadful first half performance nevertheless failed to banish the doubts which are never too far away from this squad.

An unbeaten run of 10 games, including 7 wins, should be generating far more excitement and praise but supporters remain suspicious of both the overall quality of football being produced and the standard of the competition in League One.

Town lined up with Turton and Ruffles charged with providing width and forward momentum. The good recent form of Turton justified his inclusion, and while Ruffles has rarely excelled in a Town shirt, Headley has gone backwards alarmingly this season and would have been a strange starter.

As a result, however, so easily were they stifled in any attempt to get forward, Town’s shape looked rigid and old fashioned while Lincoln’s comfort in possession saw them dominate the opening half and their passing and movement created enough opportunity to render their 2 goal half time lead a little modest but fully deserved.

Lethargic and wasteful, too many Town players were anonymous at best and negligent at worst. None carried any threat.

Lincoln took the lead 15 minutes in after establishing a control over the game with controlled aggression and a refreshingly positive approach. The goal, a smart header by House from an excellent cross, was at the end of an impressive passage of possession which dragged the hosts around the pitch before creating space down the right to exploit.

10 minutes later, smart interchanges in the box saw Cadamarteri’s shot turned into his own net by Lonwijk for a fully deserved 2 goal lead.

Things didn’t get better against the weirdly garbed visitors, who sported a shiny black effort with the sponsor disguised for some reason, and a single, weak Ward effort was the Terriers’ only notable effort on goal.

A combination of Lincoln’s enterprise, a revert by Duff to his tactical comfort zone and an evident lack of energy produced a stale first half performance which should, perhaps, have been punished more heavily by the Imps.

To his credit, the manager metaphorically held his hands up and replaced the glaringly obvious weaknesses in the team – Turton and Ruffles, who simply didn’t convince as wing backs, to say the least. 

With Pearson succumbing to illness, which explained a baffling and bizarre performance from him, and Lees absent through presumably the same bug, there were some mitigations for Duff’s selections given Headley’s erratic nature and Sorensen’s recent comeback from injury, but the impact of playing unsuitable wing backs was felt throughout the team.

Ward and Koroma were barely involved and ineffective when roused, while Wiles and Kane looked confused when not totally anonymous.

Halftime thankfully arrived and brought to a close one of the worst 45 minutes of the season which, perhaps inevitably, came close on the heels of a wretched display at Bolton – the competition in which they were competing may have lacked importance to many, but that couldn’t hide the paper thin quality of this squad.

Sorensen and Marshall came on to replace Turton and Ruffles, to absolutely nobody’s surprise, and the new shape changed the complexion of the game. In particular, Koroma was free to express himself in his best role on the left and Kane and Wiles finally joined in playing with the impressive Kasumu who had been the sole shining light in that dismal first half.

For their part, Lincoln’s adventurous formation and play inexplicably disappeared, perhaps as a result of Town reducing the arrears very quickly after the break.

The unshackled Karoma took on the visitors’ right side and as they fell away as if taken by complete surprise he dinked a ball into the box which Spencer did very well to steer into the net.

While Town’s performance improved, and ultimately their pressure deserved the equaliser when it came late on, it was hardly a sparkling revival and far too few chances were created given the dominance.

The unfortunate Sorensen had to come off after barely 25 minutes with a recurrence of hamstring trouble, which brought Headley on to the pitch. His first contribution was a stirring run at the Lincoln defence which brought no reward but, sadly, the rest of his performance was not as encouraging, including slipping twice and nearly letting Lincoln in.

Things may have worked out differently if an entirely obvious foul on Wiles in the box had been appropriately punished but a hesitant referee sought confirmation from his assistant, and none came, outrageously. It’s a mere 7 days since another jaw dropping non-decision could have cost us points at Mansfield, with their keeper being reprieved of an automatic red card.

The penalty, assuming we converted it- and it’s a larger assumption than it should be – would have given Town more time in the ascendancy to go and win the game as Lincoln’s players began to visibly fade. 

As it was, the leveller came late and as a result of a kind bounce or two before Marshall finished nicely. It is to be hoped this will give the youngster some confidence to add to his undoubted hard work.

Having already played a part in altering the destiny of the game with their astonishing interpretation of what constitutes a penalty worthy challenge, the officials then proceeded to confirm and rubber stamp their incompetence in the 8 minutes of injury time.

At a corner for Lincoln, who had belatedly decided to take the game to the hosts again, Helik was clearly elbowed in the face by one Lincoln player then abused either verbally or with added moisture by another.

Normally calm and level headed, the Pole reacted furiously to the double assault, and the clueless referee who had missed both incidents very possibly ignored the fact that around half of the injury time had been eaten up without play to blow up and reduce the temperature. He failed in that objective as the furious Town captain railed long and hard after the final whistle and even had to be persuaded to leave the tunnel and return to the dressing room.

Lee Nicholls also got embroiled with a Lincoln player near the dug outs and the return fixture at Sincil Bank on April Fool’s Day will be interesting.

A rescued point and the expanding of the unbeaten league run couldn’t mask some worrying, though far from new, problems. Duff currently doesn’t have the personnel to play his favourite system and it is a concern that he reverted to an overly defensive approach which suited a surprisingly enterprising Lincoln playing 3 forwards.

In his defence, injuries, illness and the inability of some to complete 90 minutes meant the appearance of a player with, apparently, no future at the club and, in Freddie Ladapo, an alleged striker who managed two touches and a throw in during a 25 minute cameo of no discernible value.

It would be churlish not to acknowledge that the first recovery from 2 goals down since 2015, coupled with a gritty display at Field Mill, suggests an improving mentality and we can but hope that ridiculous officiating will even out and that Town will strengthen the obvious weaknesses in January, though it is difficult to attach much conviction to either of those hopes.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Town’s routine victory over a neat and tidy but largely unthreatening Exeter City extended the hosts unbeaten run and the alarming dip in form appears well and truly consigned to the past.

Somewhat dull as a spectacle, the Terriers rarely looked in any trouble and coasted to a 3rd win in 4, with just 1 goal conceded in an impressive point gathering run which has hopefully restored confidence and created some momentum as winter approaches.

A first quarter of an hour bereft of incident at either end of the pitch livened up when the hard working Marshall and Ward combined to create danger in the visitors’ box, with the West Ham loanee eventually seeing his shot deflected over for a corner.

Wiles took the corner and delivered the ball on to the six yard line for Pearson to outjump everyone to power a header past Whitworth who, frankly, didn’t cover himself in glory with his attempt at a save, though it was at close range.

The sterility of the game didn’t particularly improve with the goal, not helped by the away side having little ambition to get forward despite being in arrears.

A delightful passing move which freed Ward to finish nicely only to be pulled up by an incorrect, if understandable, offside call was a rare shaft of light in a generally tedious affair. Perhaps the only person animated by proceedings was Exeter’s manager, who barely stopped arguing, pointing and cajoling, to no discernible effect.

Town controlled the half without needing to hit any heights as the Grecians’ passivity created a bloodless contest. Throughout the entirety of the game, only one challenge, on Lonwijk, brought a crowd reaction and was nowhere near enough to warrant a yellow card from the quite impressive referee. 

Within seconds of the restart, the Devon side missed a glorious chance to level, but an excellent cross was disappointingly glanced by Magennis and Chapman saved easily.

Perhaps an equaliser would have jolted the game in to life, but it slipped back into predictability with Town easily coping with a slightly more adventurous opponent who shaded the opening ten minutes of the second half until the hosts killed the game stone dead with a second.

Ben Wiles, who rightly edged man of the match for the Terriers, was picked out in a lot of space 25 yards out by Kane and the midfielder took a step or two forward before hitting a sweet shot past City’s keeper who, again, could possibly have done better given the distance the ball travelled, all be it at pace. The bounce just before it reached him was, perhaps, the key factor.

Exeter’s urgency increased to the level of slightly miffed as they stared defeat in the face and they had one more, glorious, chance to make a game of it when Magennis lifted the ball over the bar from a good position. There was a case for a foul on Wiles in the build up, but it would have been a soft decision even if given a lot more than not.

Substitute Healey found the net late on after good work from Kasumu, but was adjudged narrowly offside, and the bland encounter finished shortly afterwards.

Successful seasons involve straightforward, vanilla wins and this was undoubtedly a rather forgettable game which, nevertheless, keeps Town in the top 6 despite the alarming slump in form in September and they now look like the contenders they damn well should be.

At 3 up and cruising against very limited opposition, Town still managed to create tension among the supporters in a 10 minute spell where they tried their very best to hand lifelines to a woeful Bristol Rovers outfit.

It may seem churlish to begin with criticism after an eventually comfortable win, but the dip in performance contained endemic weaknesses which Duff and his team need to address.

Before tackling the issues between his players’ ears on relatively simple game management, Duff may also reflect on his own very slow reaction to his opposite number who, having nothing to lose, threw on fresh legs with the intent of turning up the gas. 

Town were rattled by the sudden switch from moribund lambs to the slaughter to a team finally prepared to commit and were unable to match the new level of energy which was almost immediately evident.

Mysteriously, and contrary to his usual use of substitutes, the manager didn’t react in any way for 15 minutes and once he did, the threat receded entirely.

The majority of teams in this division are better equipped offensively than The Gas, and will deal out the punishment the hesitancy and errors of those 10 minutes deserved.

As it was, Town conceded a goal, could have easily given a penalty away when Chapman tried to make amends for a poor punch and had to desperately scramble to recover from the otherwise impressive Miller being dispossessed facing his own goal showing the hesitancy suddenly ingrained in to the team.

It had taken the hosts some time to get in to the game and a dreary opening quarter of an hour lacked any creative spark against opponents carrying virtually no threat, but a Miller effort which deflected over the bar via 2 Rovers players signalled the start of a dominant spell which rather settled the destination of the 3 points.

Wiles, whose influence grew after a quiet opening, delivered two excellent corners to the back post in quick succession. The first saw Lees looping header cleared off the line while the second was volleyed home by Pearson as the ball dropped towards him after an aerial duel.

Prior to the opener, Wiles played a great ball into the box which a defender managed to reach before Radulovic and the striker also totally misread a situation after Marshall had a good effort comfortably saved. The ball fell to him but he got everything wrong and screwed the ball harmlessly wide.

5 minutes after the opener, a penetrating pass by Lonwijk in to the path of a possibly offside Marshall was excellently finished by the Irish youngster, for a two nil lead which didn’t flatter Town who had overwhelmed the visitors after that tentative opening.

On the hour, the Dutchman played an even better, positively sumptuous ball with the outside of his foot in to the path of Miller who turned the ball across for a tap in by Radulovic. The celebration which followed was a little startling in the context of him being in the right place, directly in front of goal and unmarked, to profit from excellent work elsewhere, but maybe the relief of finally scoring overwhelmed him. 

All those months slumming it in Huddersfield finally paid off.

With the game ostensibly over, Rovers’ manager woke up and made the substitutions which threatened to upend Town’s procession while Duff’s belated subs calmed things down and Town collected a relatively easy 3 points.

Excellent in parts, worrying in that brief spell of complacency and peppered with good performances, the result was a little more satisfying than the game itself and more difficult challenges lay immediately ahead.

It should be mentioned that after so little football for so long, Turton was excellent throughout until rightly substituted when fatigued, all the back 3 had good games and Wiles showed his talents more expansively than usual. The midfield trio, with Kasumu providing masses of energy and Kane the creativity looks far more cohesive than Duff’s previous iterations.

On to Wales.

It was a far from perfect performance which finally lifted the gloom surrounding Duff’s misfiring squad, but a deserved win against desperately poor opponents promises an upturn in fortunes which now must be delivered.

Recent home disasters, a careless defeat at Reading and luckily avoiding a mauling at St Andrews created a backdrop of nervous anxiety for a Yorkshire derby, as a season of promise was in danger of turning very sour, very early if it had not already done so.

Injuries, lack of form and a paucity of options up front demanded some creativity from Michael Duff, and his pairing of Kasumu and Hodge with Wiles playing further forward and more central was yet another stab at finding a harmonious midfield trio.

At the back, Lees’ recent form finally caught up with him and Pearson stepped in as the centre of a back 3 which, at long last, contained pace and at least a modicum of passing ability either side of the robust stand in skipper.

Chapman, who acquitted himself well in the two away defeats, kept out the returning Maxwell.

In the opening exchanges, Town flattered to deceive with nicely constructed approach play breaking down too easily in the final third and it was the visitors who threatened first, forcing a good save from Chapman from a free kick conceded by Hodge who was also booked for the foul from behind after he had lost possession.

After that scare, Town took a grip of the first half and should really have taken advantage of several good moves and periods of pressure which saw Slonina make good saves to deny Marshall and Kasumu, while his defenders blocked other attempts from Bojan and the lively Marshall, again.

While imperfect, and somewhat fragile, Town’s first half showing was encouraging and the shape of the side looked far more effective as Kasumu and Hodge’s energy allowed Wiles to find space and use the ball more effectively than in his too often anonymous performances of late. 

With the Reds’ goal leading a charmed life, however, the concern was that an improved display needed to be capped with a goal, and just before the break, a deflected cross looped to the back post gave Cosgrove a presentable opportunity. Spencer thwarted the big man with a well timed jump and block, but could have resulted in an unjust deficit.

Town had competently dealt with Barnsley’s physicality, restricting the South Yorkshire side to a one dimensional long ball game, and pinning them back for extended periods.

Down the flanks, Miller was a constant threat, while Sorensen showed some signs of a return to form with some good link up play down the right with Spencer and Wiles, creating one particular frantic spell where Town could have scored on three separate occasions but for the resilience of the visitors’ defence. He also set up Wiles for a very good chance, but the midfielder mistimed his shot which drifted over the bar.

There were mistakes, some hesitancy born of lack of confidence and a few too many misplaced passes, but it was still the best half of football for some time.

Soon after the break, Radulovic lobbed a decent chance over the bar after capitalising on Barnsley’s central defenders and goalkeeper’s hesitancy dealing with an awkward ball in from a good Sorensen header.

Miller continued to torment the full back opposing him but couldn’t find the right cross to undo a strong Barnsley defence, while Sorensen’s propensity for hitting the first defender while trying over intricate balls in to the box led to the hosts clocking up an unusually high number of corners.

Most of these were deliberately aimed towards Slonina, presumably to try and exploit a weakness, but the men in pink stood firm.

Barnsley then came in to the game more and they enjoyed a ten minute spell of pressure which led to a well worked chance for Cosgrove, only for the target man to shoot over.

The South Yorkshire outfit also looked capable of catching Town on the break and should have done much better when Humphries made a poor decision to make a simple pass inside rather than trying to find the unmarked Cosgrove in the box.

With a scoreless derby looking increasingly likely, Town substitutes Ladapo and Kane combined to release the latter who then found Wiles with an excellent ball at the edge of the box. Taking a touch, Wiles steadied himself and found the top corner with an unstoppable drive.

With just 7 minutes and injury time to see out, Town introduced Lees to shore up a defence which had played very well. 

With no further scares, Town wrapped up the points with a Kasumu strike which should probably have been saved but was nevertheless very well hit.

This was a massively important win for Duff and his misfiring squad. 

Wiles as a number 10 worked. The Kasumu/Hodges axis worked. Having defensive pace either side of rock solid Pearson worked. 

There is little doubt that the team lacks an instinctive striker, but Marshall’s work rate and energy could possibly dovetail with Radulovic, who doesn’t look as fragile as in his first appearances, and it is a duo which perhaps deserves a run.

Whether this was a corner turned or just steps in the right direction remains to be seen, but the team’s shape was more convincing and seemed to release rather than restrain the individuals who are capable of pushing Town towards the top 6. 

A little more calmness on the ball would be welcome, as would improved decision making in the final third, but the boosting of confidence from a deserved victory should help.

While the supporters of Huddersfield Town have every right to complain and worry when defeats pile up, particularly given their experiences of the past few years, the criticism of the team and manager before the international break seemed a little lacking in context.

For all the trauma inflicted by serial mismanagement and a desperately poor relegation season, losing a couple of largely unlamented cup encounters with shadow squads and being on the wrong side of refereeing decisions at an admittedly deserved defeat against Rotherham provoked slightly hysterical reactions.

3 not entirely convincing league wins preceded the New York stadium defeat, a strong start to the league campaign wasn’t accompanied by a great deal of optimism and the over reaction to the subsequent defeats needed a response before negativity set in.

The performances of Town’s middle three in and amongst the losing streak were such that many felt that changes to the Hogg, Wiles and Evans triumvirate were not only necessary but inevitable. The lack of chemistry and cohesion had been evident for some time, but Michael Duff ignored the clamour for change from the armchair experts and retained faith in them all.

Standing in the way of Town’s quest for a much needed confidence boost were a Bolton Wanderers side suffering from a play off hangover of Oliver Reed proportions. Despite a shaky start and a goal drought, The Trotters were amongst the favourites for a promotion challenge at the start of the season and picking up points in Horwich is never easy, despite a good, relatively recent, record there for The Terriers.

A rather forgettable, generally even, first half of few chances was petering out when Miller found the hard working Marshall down the left. The youngster found his striking partner Koroma with a first time cross and the Sierra Leone international glanced the ball in past Bolton’s helpless keeper.

Up to that point, both sides were guilty of carelessness in possession and both squandered opportunities to capitalise when space opened up with neither keeper sufficiently disturbed or troubled.

Town caused their hosts some alarm down the right when Sorensen was released in to space but the passes to him were just inaccurate enough to blunt the threat, while some loose play freed Charles for a run on goal magnificently halted by Helik, who redeemed himself for his own initial mistake.

Koroma looked to have a good shout for a penalty as he tangled with a defender in the box following good work by Sorensen, only for the decision to be given against him. By this point, Town were beginning to exert some control over an untidy contest as the hosts became increasingly pedestrian and predictable against a backdrop of simmering discontent in the home stands.

The goal just before half time was a bitter blow to Bolton. In times of adversity, fortunes can be cruel and setbacks are deeply felt. The real damage was to come in the second half, but the visiting supporters could easily recognise a horrible pivotal moment when things are going badly.

While Bolton made a tactical change at half time with the more direct Adeboyejo replacing the ineffective Charles, an injury to Miller saw him replaced by Headley.

Dealing effectively with a brief opening flurry from the hosts, which included a booking for Hogg who pulled back another opponent he had let past him, Town established a superiority they weren’t to relinquish.

Substitute Headley floated a cross to the back post which was met by Evans, powering over his marker, only to be denied by a superb point blank save by Baxter. From the subsequent corner, Helik hooked a half chance over the bar.

Just before the hour, Town’s second goal finally arrived when, after a smart interchange in midfield, Wiles fed Koroma in behind the home defence. The contact which brought him down was clear, and very similar to the first half incident. This time the referee had a better view and pointed to the spot almost immediately.

Koroma calmly despatched the first penalty of the season and Town gained a two goal cushion and a stranglehold on the game they maintained with some comfort.

Ten minutes after the penalty, the destination of the 3 points was sealed as amidst a flurry of activity following a corner which Bolton seemed determined not to clear, Lees kept his head with a deft ball to Wiles who finished nicely to dispel any doubt about the result.

 By the time Wanderers gifted Town a 4th goal in a comically inept manner, the ground had emptied of righteously aggrieved home fans and the stalwarts who remained were rewarded with the embarrassing spectacle of their team trying to pass around a penalty area press but only succeeding in presenting Evans with the easiest of chances to put a gloss on an emphatic victory.

A fourth league win from 5 games creates a significant shift in perspective with the meaningless cup defeats drifting out of the conversation and Town now have two winnable home games to cement their automatic promotion credentials in front of them. 

Although Bolton proved to be poor opponents on the day, it is far from fanciful to suggest they can turn things around and Town have now ticked off 3 tricky away games and gathered 6 points, without really hitting any heights in performance.

Despite the win, the midfield combination still looks capable of improvement. Hogg was bypassed more times than was comfortable, and while Evans and Wiles had much improved performances, their partnership still lacks a certain dynamism and may come under pressure as options increase in the next few weeks.

Though it may seem churlish following such a heartening win to point out areas of weakness, and Sorensen’s fragile defending can be added, it is hugely encouraging that this squad can and will improve from a position of strength as injuries clear.

The positives, of course, also came well to the fore as Town ruthlessly exploited an opponent in disarray and after many miserable experiences on the road it was an afternoon to savour.

Town’s unbeaten start to the league one campaign was halted by a physical and relentless Rotherham United who deserved the 3 points despite the controversial circumstances surrounding their win.

Though the visitors will rightly bemoan two key decisions which undoubtedly and greatly assisted the Millers, Town’s downfall was still largely self inflicted in a very poor second half.

It was always going to be the stiffest test of the season to date. Rotherham’s lowly position was very misleading and simply didn’t reflect their potential to be well in the mix at the end of the season. They have a powerful and aggressive squad who will trouble most, particularly at home.

A fairly even and quite entertaining first half was shaded by the home team who had the better of the chances only to be thwarted by an excellent Nicholls performance. His point blank block of a Clarke-Harris effort a highlight of a commanding goalkeeping display, while his first save denying Nombe also saved the blushes of debutant Lonwijk, who had lost a foot race with the attacker and beaten too easily.

The new defender was also booked shortly afterwards, but put the nervous first 10 minutes behind him and looks an excellent addition. He was off the pitch, for tactical reasons, when Rotherham’s winner emanated on his side and it may have been different had he still been on.

Tom Lees should have given Town the lead but headed over from close range after Marshall, who worked hard for scraps in a home dominated clash, had sent in a dangerous over head 

A quickly taken free kick found Wiles who drove forward and played a good ball over to Miller who let the ball run through his legs to Sorensen only for the Dane to shoot rather than play in his team mate in return. 

Those two highlights of the visitors’ first half rather exposes the fact that they rarely found enough time and space to impose any control over the game, and Rotherham had the upper hand physically for most of the first 45.

However, there was little to choose between the teams after an energetic contest low on quality and high on endeavour. 

That changed in the second half as the hosts imposed themselves aggressively and progressively to the point that an opener seemed inevitable. To Town’s credit, they defended well against the onslaught but Duff clearly felt change was necessary after 20 minutes of relentless home side dominance.

Evans, who has yet to justify his reputation as one of the division’s best midfielders, was replaced by new boy Hodge while the almost entirely isolated Marshall, who had never the less provided Town’s brightest moment of the half with a raking ball over to Koroma which eventually led to a sharp effort by Wiles, was pulled to make way for Ward.

In Duff’s defence, action had to be taken before Town succumbed to the waves of pressure and it was hardly his fault that moments after his introduction, Ward firstly and comically missed an attempt to head a high ball before going in aggressively against an opponent which brought an immediate reaction from the linesman which undoubtedly informed the referee’s decision to send him off.

Replays suggest it should have been a yellow for an accidental contact and it may be worth launching an appeal, but in real time, the Rotherham man’s reaction more than suggested a deliberate elbow to the face and while a better referee would have taken time to come to a decision and discussed it with the linesman, it looked, instinctively, like the right call.

As they had done at Walsall in midweek, Town responded by scoring. Koroma, who had an excellent game and was clearly exhausted when substituted late on, did very well to chase down a loose ball, outpace his opponent and put the ball across for debutant Hodge to steer in to the net.

It was, without doubt, entirely against the run of play, but gave Town something to cling to in tough circumstances.

A refereeing decision immediately after the breakthrough completely debilitated the Terriers as the home side were awarded one of the softest penalties likely to be granted.

Sorensen, who had struggled defensively throughout the half and had conceded too many dangerous free kicks already, allowed Wilks to turn him but recovered to prevent the forward crossing near the byline. The award of a penalty was a huge error and, again, a better referee would have taken far more time over a crucial decision than allowing instinct to take over.

Stockbridge may have been influenced by Sorensen’s previous and legitimately adjudicated fouls, but looking on from the perspective of a team which hasn’t been awarded a home penalty for 4 years, incredulity at such a soft decision is magnified.

Clarke-Harris smashed home the spot kick and the kick in the balls for the visitors was palpable and defeat far more likely.

Having defended very well against a strong home side, to be undermined by a quite ridiculous decision was wearying for a full complement, and more so for a depleted team.

With no striker option on the bench left – Healey was injured in the warm up, frustratingly and infuriatingly – Duff had to bring the ball exhausted Koroma off and pushed Wiles in to a nominal forward role and went to a back four by withdrawing Lonwijk, who had impressed after his initial errors.

The changes were not only ineffective, they likely contributed to Wilks very well taken winner as Rotherham picked apart Town’s left hand side after a series of short corners finally resulted in space for the Millers.

Town’s Miller didn’t cover himself in glory in the lead up to the goal, Hogg was easily bypassed and Sorensen should have closed Wilks down more quickly. Nicholls had little chance against a fierce, well placed strike and Town tasted league defeat for the first time.

A clearly rattled Duff aggressively shook the hands of the officials at the end of the game, said something in the referee’s direction and was promptly sent off. The referee had fumbled for his red card from his back pocket when dismissing Ward, but the second red card issued to Town’s goalkeeping coach for time wasting allowed him a practised flourish for the manager.

Duff has two weeks to resolve several issues arising from this display. Wiles and Evans aren’t functioning as they should, his wing backs are defensively vulnerable and his striker options are now ridiculously limited. 

It won’t be the last time Town face a physical challenge in this league, particularly away from home, and we need better answers on yesterday’s evidence.

Town’s encouraging, if not entirely convincing, start to the season came to a shuddering halt at the Bescot Stadium as Walsall of the bottom league overturned a visibly precarious 2 goal deficit with a spirited comeback.

It could be argued that there were mitigating circumstances surrounding yet another ignominious exit from the League cup , and the referee didn’t do any favours for the visitors, but that would be to ignore an error laden, ill disciplined and unprofessional display from a side not entirely composed of fringe players.

Indeed, some of the worst performances came from regular starters including Hogg, who must surely be headed for the bench at best, Evans, who continues to misplace passes at an alarming rate, and Helik, who gave possibly the most inept outing of his Town career as a second half substitute.

Add in a bumbling, chaotic Headley, whose decision making bordered on lunacy at times, the sending off of a plodding Pearson caught by a striker getting behind him for the second time and wishy washy Wiles ghostly presence having no discernible impact, and a first defeat for Duff which should, and hopefully will, result in serious reflection.

All over the pitch, as Town surrendered an entirely undeserved 2-0 lead, the lack of leadership, any semblance of control and constant indiscipline ushered in an embarrassing loss.

To overcome adversity, such as a harsh but probably correct red card, leaders are needed and Town have a worrying deficiency of them. The most obvious candidate, Hogg, has always been too volatile to truly lead people, Helik is too quiet (as is Lees) and none of the new arrivals show any proclivity towards asserting authority. 

The establishment of a leadership group may be tacitly acknowledging that no one person in this squad embodies what should be a vital role and that suspicion was conspicuously exposed on an evening where Town had every opportunity to progress in a competition we barely get out of bed for normally.

A far from compelling and error strewn first half saw Town take the lead after 20, largely uneventful, minutes when Koroma created a yard of space for a sharp and well placed effort past a perhaps unsighted, perhaps just slow, keeper for an unlikely opener.

It was the first meaningful attack after Walsall should have taken the lead when Lowe got the wrong side of Pearson but fired wide past the onrushing Maxwell. It was a lesson which was not learned.

Another decent effort whistled past the far upright as the Saddlers responded to Town’s goal, but the game was fundamentally changed just before half time when a long ball caught out Pearson again and while the defender’s challenge on Earing was slight and the striker wouldn’t have pierced the defence as Maxwell easily claimed the through ball, the referee was given a straightforward decision to send him off.

At half time, Duff replaced Sorensen with Helik and moved to a back 4 which seemed sensible in the circumstances while Ward replaced Marshall to provide a stronger presence for holding up the ball, though not surprisingly, this wasn’t really achieved.

Within minutes, the manager’s plans appeared to be completely undermined by Headley pushing a Walsall player in the area for no apparent reason. The ball was on its way out for a dead but, instead, the hosts were handed a lifeline.

Maxwell easily saved a rather poor penalty attempt and a massive scramble ensued which resulted in a clearance by Hogg and Town could now surely use a massive turning point to their favour.

It turned out that they could, since they were about to score against the run of play again when a very good corner delivery by Evans was met at the near post by Ruffels who glanced in from short range.

All that was needed now was resolute discipline to capitalise on Walsall’s deflation at two setbacks which followed in quick succession.

The abject failure which followed was pathetic and worrying. Time will tell whether this was aberration or regression, but in the moment it reeked of weak submission in the face of an admirable comeback from the hosts. They not only overturned Town’s ill gotten advantage, they did so despite the circumstances which would bury many teams (including their current opponents).

A very poor attempted headed clearance by Evans fell nicely to Lowe who atoned for both his penalty and first half misses with a clean strike in to the bottom corner to halve the deficit.

Town’s disarray worsened. Passing accuracy, already poor throughout, declined as their shape, for what it was worth, disappeared and an equaliser looked inevitable.

It came when the woeful Headley allowed a cross field ball over his head and then failed to prevent Adomah sending in a cross which was cushioned in to the path of Lowe to complete his revival with a sharp finish.

With at least the potential entertainment of penalties looming, the Saddlers completed their comeback when a Gordon shot deflected in off Helik, whose miserable substitute appearance was complete (he hadn’t covered himself in glory on the equaliser either).

Town had a glorious chance late on to progress the game to spot kicks when Ward, with his only meaningful involvement, sent in a near perfect cross for Harratt to glance miles wide when any sort of contact would have brought an undeserved equaliser.

Pessimistic Huddersfield Town supporters, and the weight of evidence rather favours them over those with a rosier view, witnessed a typically shambolic early round cup performance yet again denying the club a possibly exciting draw – whatever the management or ownership, the stubborn refusal to advance has become beyond tiresome.

That multiple substitutions failed to inspire any degree of resistance or even basic organisation against the might of Walsall, even considering the numerical advantage they held, was an indictment of a ridiculously poor evening in the West Midlands.

A few days remain in which to recruit both defensively and offensively before a test of this squad’s character at New York stadium on Saturday lunchtime. It is a test they need to pass.

A low quality encounter, settled by an excellent finish by youngster Callum Marshall, failed to ignite an expectant crowd but prolonged the Terriers winning start to a season which will undoubtedly bring similarly frustrating challenges along the way.

Shrewsbury will rue missed chances in a first half where their game plan largely worked against their strangely subdued hosts and, overall, the Shropshire outfit could easily have left with a point.

That they didn’t was down to an excellent stop by Nicholls who, nevertheless, was beaten by an effort which crashed against the bar. Though ultimately ruled offside, the visitors had also caused an early scare with a move which saw Marquis slipped in behind only for the striker to get tangled up as he tried to finish.

It was clear that the bottom of the table side were not going to be pushovers and so it proved as Town struggled for fluency throughout a first half of misplaced passing and, with the honourable exception of the lively Miller, laboured against their opponents’ disciplined defending.

Evans and Sorensen were particularly guilty of losing possession too often and the latter was unable to match his blistering performance from a week ago. 

Fortunately, compensating for Town’s misfiring right flank, Miller was a constant menace for the Shrews’ defence and delivered two great balls in for Marshall who narrowly failed to connect with one of them and headed straight at the keeper from close range with the other.

Thankfully for the youngster, another chance came his way, again from the right but this time from Spencer’s cross which deflected off the top of a defender’s head in to his path at the far post. The Belfast child brought the ball under instant control and hit a smart finish from a fairly narrow angle past Savin.

What should’ve signalled an onslaught actually resulted in Shrewsbury almost immediately equalising with O’Reilly’s curling attempt on to the bar, quickly followed by a blocked Marquis effort, a corner headed over by the same player and a break which resulted in the visiting centre forward bringing out an excellent save from Nicholls.

In fairness to the hosts, the threats contained in Shrewsbury’s response to going behind were short lived – they only had one further attempt on target in the rest of the game – but it unsettled them and, other than a Hogg miss following a melee, there was little to elevate a scrappy and disjointed first half performance.

Surprisingly, no changes were made at half time to introduce more dynamism to a poorly functioning midfield. Evans’ profligacy in possession and Wiles’ anonymity had not helped to build any momentum after the opening goal, and Hogg was having one of his poorer days, too.

The only notable event of a turgid opening quarter of an hour in the second half was a shoulder injury to Spencer, forcing a substitution and reshuffling of the back three as Pearson went right and Lees left. 

Any semblance of pace also left, but it should be said that Spencer had been quite poor by his standards and the silver lining for any prolonged absence could be greater urgency in the search for an additional, left footed centre back with pace. 

Playing the young Irishman out of position has made the team increasingly susceptible and as the quality of opposition heads north in the coming weeks, a better solution is essential.

Pearson’s rugged approach fitted this occasion, however, and the defensive performance improved in the second half despite occasionally allowing too much time and space. It was difficult not to feel that a more accomplished attacking force could unsettle a back 3 so short of pace.

On the hour, Wiles made an excellent contribution with a ball down the line for Ward which held up beautifully as a result of the deliberate backspin he applied. Ward’s ball in to the box found Marshall’s near post run but Savin was there to block.

Rather later than many in the crowd had hoped, Duff changed three players with Ward, Marshall and Evans being replaced by Healey, Koroma and  Kasumu.

Town looked far more threatening for the remainder of the game with Healey being fed in twice by Koroma for very presentable chances. The first he put wide from a decent position and, rather more disappointingly, the second he hit against the advancing keeper when clean through.

Kasumu’s willingness to run at Shrewsbury would have been useful a lot earlier, and arguably from the start, and despite one brief scare from a free kick which Shipley knocked over the bar, Town finished the game with relative ease.

A third league win and fourth victory in a row is an achievement not to be sniffed at, but it would be foolish not to acknowledge the weaknesses revealed by an unsatisfying performance against less than stellar opposition.

A striker to complement Healey, Koroma and Marshall would be a major statement but it should be recognised that this is rather more easily said than done. A reliable defensive recruit with pace and passing ability shouldn’t be beyond the recruitment team, however.

To win when not at your best is a good trait to have and similarly frustrating afternoons and evenings are very likely in the future, but it is to be hoped that the challenge of taking on the better teams in the division – all of them away in the next couple of months – will elevate standards.

An important week of activity looms before a tricky trip to South Yorkshire.

Winning is infectious, creating vital momentum and confidence, and though this was the least convincing of the three games of the campaign to date, it was nevertheless deserved.

If lessons can be learned from a poor second half performance, which saw a much improved Stevenage cause difficulties to a previously untroubled back line, then the anxiety it engendered will be valuable.

Until the break, a comfortable and entertaining home win looked inevitable, with Town having more trouble from poor and inconsistent officiating than their ponderous opponents, who failed to register a shot on goal and appeared completely out of their depth.

Hitting the woodwork early on when Spencer flicked at a near post corner, Town’s dominance grew throughout the half and a wonderful Helik ball to Wiles should have resulted in the opener for the much improved midfielder, but Stevenage’s keeper got vital fingertips to his lob and the ball was cleared off the line.

Wiles had been guilty of pulling a very presentable early chance wide, too, but after a season of ghosting through games with little impact, he is now becoming a genuinely influential player in a side encouragingly brimming with them.

A breakthrough seemed inevitable and it came from a rampaging run from the impressive Sorensen whose perfect cross was met by Koroma who headed in from short range. The goal lifted something of a weight off his shoulders having performed well at Peterborough without scoring and in his short midweek stint when he missed 2 very presentable chances. 

A Lees header from a very good corner delivery by Miller glanced agonisingly wide as Town strolled through the half with a confidence approaching disdain.

It may have been complacency born of such superiority which contributed to an uneven and often very poor second half display, but credit should be given to Alex Revell who replaced the lumbering and ineffective Simpson and Goode with immediate benefit to the visitors.

Setting out with new purpose, the Hertfordshire side ran at their previously unperturbed opponent, and with Helik and Lees uncharacteristically moving towards the same man, space opened up behind them and substitute Appere squared to provide his teammate List with a golden opportunity to level.

Incredibly, List missed. Brahms sprung to mind….

Undeterred, Appere found space for himself as doubts multiplied among the hosts and Nicholls did well to thwart the attempt.

Moments later, Ward should have doubled the advantage but blazed over after being perfectly picked out by Koroma. Standing in for Healey, withdrawn as a precaution with a groin issue, Ward’s overall performance did little to quell the notion that one more striking option is vital for Town’s prospects for the season.

Fortunately, the miss was soon rendered irrelevant by yet another Sorensen assist. Picked out by the otherwise quite subdued Evans, the Dane took the ball in his stride, took a step forward and fed Wiles who swept the ball home with a refreshing and welcome confidence.

With that, the game was effectively over. Stevenage knew their chance had come and gone and while their general play was much improved over an abysmal first half, the belief had disappeared.

Duff attempted to revitalise his charges with a triple substitution, followed ten minutes from time with two more, but only Marshall of the replacements stood out with a lively 25 minutes. If anything, the changes only served to entrench the Terriers’ disjointed efforts.

As the game fizzled out, the positives of a good first half, another 3 points and a clean sheet compensated for an unconvincing second 45. Unfortunately, a poor referee intervened at the very last by awarding a penalty against Spencer as a potentially dangerous cross came in. Nicholls had flown out to punch clear, but Spencer’s infringement was definitely punishable, even if similar incidents are too often ignored.

The late breach was not undeserved and, along with the failings evident in the poorest half of the season, should allow Duff to drive necessary improvements through a squad which has generally performed well but has a lot more to offer.

Despite a largely comfortable afternoon, bar a ten minute spell, and an ultimately deserved victory, Town need to recruit in the next 2 weeks of the window to shore up a defence lacking pace and which has to play Spencer out of position and add to the options up front.

Hopefully, that is also the conclusion of the watching Kevin Nagle who, at least, was rewarded for the impetus he has created around the stadium which is definitely contributing to a new sense of optimism around the club.

It’s never promising, is it, the first round of the Milk cup or whichever sap has been persuaded to sponsor it this year?

Striking the balance between giving youth an opportunity, getting minutes in to legs and completely disrespecting a competition you aren’t ever going to win is difficult and, for years, Town shamelessly haven’t really bothered grappling with the conundrum, and insist upon charging people to watch an enhanced training session, which they invariably lose.

All evidence is pointing towards Michael Duff abandoning the strategy of never reaching the next round of any of the cups, with a refreshingly intense touchline display, urging  his charges to defeat a team which was vanquished within 45 seconds anyway.

It would be foolish to draw anything other than mild satisfaction that Town hadn’t metaphorically soiled themselves yet again.

A final score line of 3-0 entirely flattered the hapless visitors whose brave/barmy supporters (delete as applicable) sang defiantly to the end in a cause they knew was monumentally unlikely. If ever there was a football equivalent of pulling the wings off flies, this was it.

That the score wasn’t the pummelling the hosts’ emphatic dominance should have delivered was the only concern from a night which featured some very good performances.

Marshall, on debut, recovered from a shaky start to finish a ball in from the lively and excellent Sorensen for Town’s second and worked hard to regain lost possession, drive in to the area and feed Ward who smartly converted the third.

Sorensen had already assisted Headley’s chested opener with a great ball across in the opening minute and tortured Morecambe’s left hand side until he was withdrawn in the second half.

The Shrimps’ right hand side fared little better with Headley constantly running at them and often times turning them inside out. While the dire quality of the opposition has to be fully acknowledged, the outing confirmed that this could be a breakthrough season for a talent which has been evident but far too often wayward.

Another emerging talent, Iorpenda, showed the touches of class which has persuaded Duff not to send him out on loan. We should expect to see more of him as the season progresses, despite the depth of midfield options available.

Those options include Kasumu, who looks to have put his distinctly average form of last season behind him, with an energetic 15 minutes at Peterborough followed by a dynamic display in this game. Again, praise must be caveated given Morecambe’s shortcomings, but he is another who will play a big part for Duff.

Kane caught the eye with his intelligence and use of the ball, with passing ranging from probing to sumptuous, including a perfectly weighted ball to Ward who appeared to be fouled as he took his subsequently off target shot.

The second half was little more than a procession, but the visitors did cross the halfway line with something approaching threat a couple of times only to thoroughly waste one decent shooting opportunity and then squander a dangerously situated free kick by hitting the first defender.

Town could have scored a hatful, with Koroma the main culprit despite playing well when he came on for Ward. His first effort was unfortunate as he shot past the keeper on an angle only to see the ball hit the inside of the far post before bouncing out instead of in. There was no excuse for hitting the keeper, though, when an awful ball across his own goal by a Morecambe defender fell at his feet.

Koroma was also brought down just outside the box as he was clear on goal, leading to a second yellow card for Harrack and a Herbie Kane free kick which elicited an “ooh” from the crowd despite always going over the bar.

With 15 minutes plus stoppages against 10 men, the Town of old stepped up and failed to score against depleted opposition, despite the aforementioned Koroma chances being in this period.

A second win, a second clean sheet and a professional dismissal of an inferior but battling opponent bodes well. 

Significantly more difficult challenges lay ahead, beginning on Saturday.

It’s been a while.

A while since Town opened the season with a win. 

A while since a comfortable, drama free away victory.

A while since the team looked coherent, unified and competent.

Caution abounds, of course, and the first 20 minutes of the opener were far less comfortable than the remainder of the game, but there were so many positive pointers it is difficult not to get slightly carried away.

Peterborough are historically tough to beat at London Road, regularly compete at the top end of League 1 and hold more than a few demons for their visitors, but to say they are a work in progress would be being quite kind to an ultimately weak display. It is also fair to say that they have significant injury problems at the back, which were exposed on a regular basis after the break.

Their initial, and predictable, early enthusiasm rather pushed Town on to the back foot, whose cause was not helped by constantly conceding free kicks for niggly, often unnecessary, infringements, easily spotted by an unfairly maligned referee.

The majority of promising openings in the first half hour fell to the home side though Nicholls, a commanding figure throughout, was barely troubled by the resultant attempts on goal.

The seeds of Posh’s destruction were evident, however, even during their most productive period, as Town constantly undermined their attempts to play out from the back with an effective, if too often illegal, press. 

With a makeshift, youthful, back four, the strategy looked fraught with danger from early on and, commendable as it was to stick to their identity, it increasingly stifled the hosts’ threat on the counter. When they did go more direct, they looked a little more threatening.

But goals change games and Town’s opener, a little against the run of play, signalled a massive power shift.

Evans, the most impressive Terrier across the piece, latched on to an excellent pull back from Wiles and though a deflection added a slice of luck to the opener, he hit it cleanly and purposefully and profited from finding the space in the first place.

Posh never really recovered from the blow while Town grew in stature and landed a second blow just before half time to demoralise their opponent even further. 

A corner found its way to Koroma who wriggled around to create a shooting opportunity only for it to be blocked before falling very nicely for Wiles to drill home emphatically.

Flattering as the scoreline was at half time, the 15 minutes of dominance all over the pitch after the half hour mark was very encouraging, as was the shape and substance of a midfield, in stark contrast to last season’s mess. 

Miller and Sorensen offered width which was a little under utilised, while Evans and the resurgent Wiles provided guile in front of Hogg’s energetic (if too often misplaced) graft. 

With a throttle hold on the contest, Town dominated after the break with an aggressive and hugely effective press forcing Peterborough in to error after error, and other than a brief scare when Spencer conceded possession carelessly which led to a half chance, the home side were entirely subdued.

Town chances didn’t particularly flow from their superiority, but Helik looked a little unfortunate to have a third ruled out for offside, possibly against a colleague and substitute Ward eschewed at least 2 opportunities to shoot when put through late on.

Healey and Koroma worked hard up front without seeing many opportunities, but strengthening forward options, as evidenced by the loan move late last week and continuing interest in Luton’s Joe Taylor suggests, is essential if a realistic promotion challenge is to be maintained.

A lack of pace at the back, very nearly exploited on occasion by a generally becalmed opposition, also needs to be resolved but, for the moment, it is enough to enjoy an ultimately comfortable away win after the deluge of misery the past few seasons have delivered.

Kane’s late cameo in place of Evans was a welcome reminder of the depth of midfield options now available to Duff, who should also have been impressed with Kasumu’s short deputisation of Hogg, who will surely be used more sparingly in this campaign. His experience was worth utilising here as the team finds its competitive legs, but progress will be evident when it isn’t needed at all.

A very promising start.

When I was a boy, reading The Examiner, a broadsheet at the time, was a sumptuous pleasure, before I knew what sumptuous meant.

The type print, the sober and serious stories, the import of local news which weaved like an invisible thread through a community with it’s liberal tone and innate decency which endowed an unassailable authority on an institution we took for granted for so long.

Selling in it’s tens of thousands, from a plethora of local newsagents throughout the town and the myriad villages up hill and down dale, stretching across housing estates, work places and rural areas, the local paper’s power, carried with a natural responsibility, was palpable and, seemingly, eternal.

Reporters and columnists became known and respected through carrying on traditions rooted in civic pride, a sense of duty and the certainty of righteousness.

Central to the ethos of The Examiner was coverage of sport. 

Town and Fartown were covered extensively and respectfully, of course, but if you played in goals for your school and played well despite conceding 9 goals, someone told the local paper about it and your name was put up in lights.

The District, Works and Sunday football leagues were assiduously recorded and elevated.

Local cricket was reported upon comprehensively, accurately and with no little reverence. 

Bowls, squash, tennis, rugby union and all other forms of sporting endeavour were recorded and, more importantly, celebrated.

Day in, day out and week in, week out, The Examiner accumulated history, recording the triumphs, failures, tribulations of a Yorkshire town with diligence and compassion and was a huge part of each member of the extensive community’s lives, whether we embraced it or not.

The final ever Huddersfield Town report by a dedicated reporter will be filed in response to the club’s well earned victory at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, and the tragedy of that fact will only be fully realised in the years to come.

Steve Chicken’s far too short tenure in the footsteps of Alan “Longfellow” Driscoll, Martin Hardy, Paul Clark, Mel Booth, Doug Thompson and others did, at least, end with a victory, but the melancholy will linger hard for those of us whose lives encompassed Examiner coverage of Huddersfield Town over decades.

The loss was, perhaps, inevitable in a world where information is cheap, but that loss will reverberate in ways not immediately apparent. 

The resource; wide, deep and, above all, trustworthy, is disappearing fast as the conglomerate which owns local newspaper legacies displays little interest in maintaining investment in the assets which create a continuous, compelling witness to the events which shape our lives, including the fortunes of our local football club.

It is too easy to lapse in to nostalgia, and there is much to be nostalgic about, but every citizen of Huddersfield should feel sorrow at the emaciation of a hugely important institution and find ways of supporting those people trying to keep the spirit of local news alive.

Huddersfield Hub (https://huddersfieldhub.co.uk) are very worthy of support, and from a Town perspective, Steven Chicken, with colleague David Hartrick, is now taking the Huddersfield Town torch independent with a Substack venture. Go to https://weareterriers.substack.com and subscribe.

The service, including their excellent and well established podcast plus Town articles is a snip at £5 per month. Recording the history of Huddersfield Town is massively important and a fiver per month a very small price to pay for its continuance.

A significant community asset was extinguished this week and should be rightly mourned.

For me, a love of words, Huddersfield and Huddersfield Town grew out of reading Driscoll, Hardy, Booth and the rest in the pages of t’Examiner, every day of the week bar Sunday.

RIP The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.

(I was that keeper).

In case you’ve been wondering where the Town match reports have gone, and I can tell you that at least 3 people have made this enquiry (though 2 of them just asked without suggesting they were missed), they are the victim of Carlos Corberán’s squad’s relentless winning.

It’s not that I don’t like Town triumphs, it’s just that it has become monotonous and I find the style of play disconcertingly bloodless despite the occasional burst of excitement.

In the context of following a football team, this is an extremely first world problem and almost entirely assuaged by the phenomenal points total achieved. I just stopped wanting to write about it and will wait until we revert to being mediocre again (where all the nuggets lay).

However, I am moved to put down thoughts on the upcoming play off final; the culmination of a remarkable season which was supposed to be about anchoring ourselves to mid table and away from any drama.

A slow, Covid impacted start – not helped by having to face Fulham with a threadbare team and a keeper with a reverse Midas touch – culminated in a win against an equally dire Preston without having a shot on target.

The bad news pretty much ended there. A low cost, highly motivated and together group of players gradually won over a support ground down by the unabated drudgery of defeat and failure. 2020/2021, a season followed over laptops and tablets, was the final straw for many but most of those who resolved to stay away are probably, and happily, back in the fold now.

As ever with Huddersfield Town, the greatest success comes with barely a price tag and the ingenuity of Bromby and his recruitment team has paid off in spades, burying the understandable scepticism of most as one uninspiring signing after another trudged through the doors. How wrong we were.

Inevitably, a low cost squad lacked the free flowing flair of the top 2 in the division. Probably some of the bottom 6 too, but dips in results were few and far between all the way through and often predicated on matches falling too soon after travel.

The two league defeats in 2022 – more on the cup defeat later – fitted this pattern with a confidence shattering draw at West Brom preceding an entirely flat performance in South London and the traditional battering by Bournemouth. Then I returned from the States and there have been no defeats for me not to report upon, and just one draw.

Despatching Luton in the play off semi-final with less than convincing displays nevertheless broke the spell of never recording a home play off win without penalties. It has been a major feature of the season to break several voodoos, including a win at Middlesbrough which pretty much confirmed an extension to the season.

And so, to Forest. Excitable, hugely enthusiastic and desperate Forest.

Back in the early Spring, Town drew the Tricky Trees in the 5th round of the FA Cup. A rather mundane tie between 2 clubs from the same division, both with more pressing concerns than a competition they wouldn’t win. Then the 6th round draw was made, before the tie, and the East Midlanders’ unbridled joy at the prospect of a home game against Liverpool rather drowned out Town fans’ mild stirrings.

This outbreak of Tiggerish excitement was explained by the fact that Forest hadn’t played Liverpool for around 40 years and the collective memories of Clough inspired glory days were triggered to slightly uncomfortable levels. This is not to disparage the emotions – Town fans of a certain age will remember being drawn against a Gaza and Lineker inspired Spurs side in the 90s before losing to Blackpool in a rearranged tie. The disappointment was not only palpable, it is still remembered.

Town’s commitment to the game at a ground where they had rather robbed 3 points a few months previously seemed less than convincing and a fairly weak team was quite easily beaten despite taking the lead. The disappointment was fleeting and rather subsumed by astonishment at the endearing but vaguely odd celebrations of Forest fans.

Playing celebration police is never a good look and we have endured such crap before, but it was a little weird to see a famous and undoubtedly big club prostrate itself at the feet of the Premier League giants and compound it by desperately searching for evidence that the Scousers cared that it had been so long.

The build up to Wembley is taking a similar shape. It matters enormously to Forest that they are promoted to a league they have been away from for so long and, again, this is understandable. It is, however, nearly a quarter of a century since they disappeared from the top table and despite the delusions of some of their fan base, there hasn’t been a massive clamour for their return. 

Premier League clubs care about just one thing. Themselves. Most of them look at promoted clubs as likely fodder who will keep them afloat and away from relegation. They couldn’t give a toss about the City Ground’s capacity, history or atmosphere and once the first few months of unending patronisation is over, neither will anyone else.

Forest’s own play off semi final rather betrayed what could well be their Achilles’ Heel. An excellent hour at Bramall Lane saw them dominate and run roughshod over an injury hit Sheffield United, who wouldn’t have been able to complain if they had been 4 down, but they weren’t and a late goal pulled the tie back from a Forest formality to competitive.

At home, the expectations of their swelled support overheated the team and despite Forest grabbing a lead, they were second best for long periods as the weight of expectations bore down. A fortunate save by the excellent Samba near the end kept Forest in the game and Sheffield United crumbled in the penalty shoot out as badly as they did 10 years ago.

Man for man and £ for very little £, Nottingham Forest have better players than Huddersfield Town and this was evident in both league encounters. 

In the first one in West Yorkshire, the stifling presence of Houghton had been banished and the visitors were entirely convincing 2-0 winners and collected their first 3 points of the season under a caretaker manager.

It was a different story at the City Ground. As with a fair number of games this season, Town fans left at the end wondering how a win had been achieved and they particularly rode their luck on this occasion. However, one of the most difficult away games had been successfully negotiated and Town’s unbeaten streak of 17 was well underway.

At Wembley, Town fans can’t really lose. A defeat will be disappointing, of course, but a season where their presumed doomed team finished 3rd and reached a play off final is nothing less than an outstanding success. And we know what is in store for the winners.

For Forest, it is difficult not to sense that they are putting themselves under enormous pressure with their untrammelled belief in their destiny and they will not be helped by a media who very much like the look of Forest’s history and desperation for Premier League football.

Next Sunday will rest on a few factors; the quite fascinating clash of 2 of the best coaches in the game (not just the Championship), Forest’s attacking intent from the start and how Town cope with that, how Forest react to frustration if they can’t get past a stingy Town defence and at what point the favourites begin to tire as they are want to do.

Most of all, however, will be how Forest cope with all the self inflicted pressure. If they don’t let the occasion overwhelm them, they are the more likely to win but it is just as likely that Town’s stifling and pragmatic style can pile on the pressure and create the few openings they need to win.

For many Town fans, defeat will be met with stoic disappointment. Memories of the sheer ruthlessness of a brutal league rather tempers the excitement this time around and it just isn’t convincing that inevitable and grinding defeats will be accepted on the altar of earning lots of money.

Regardless of the consequences of winning, however, win we must.

The stakes are much higher for Forest and you rather fear for them if they fail. They are reliant on a few too many loans, the obvious talent of some they do own will be gone and the estimable Cooper will have something of a rebuild to do. Winning will resolve these issues but the other problems begin.

For both sets of fans – enjoy it and remember it’s only a game.

See you on the other side.

Scoreless draws take a few forms. The one in Lancashire midweek was a poor example of the genre, while yesterday’s Yorkshire derby was a stalemate at it’s best.

This was despite only one save of note being made by the keepers and genuine chances being at a premium; it was the spectacle of two pretty decent teams going toe to toe for a win which created an edge of the seat drama right through to injury time.

With both teams in form – though the much nicer Sheffield club’s rise up the table has been built on wins while Town’s admirable unbeaten run has relied on resilience and draws – a tight contest was expected, in which the visitors began as favourites.

Carlos Corberán sprung some selection surprises with the inclusion of Russell in midfield and Ruffles at left back in place of Toffolo. The former had thrilled and intrigued supporters in the cup against Barnsley, though some remained sceptical about his pace and ability to compete against the better midfields in this division, while Ruffles’ elevation over a pretty subdued incumbent has possibly been too long coming.

Russell, whose languid style is at once thrilling and alarming, produced a first class, if not flawless, Championship debut and would have celebrated his arrival with a goal but for the incompetence of officials who incorrectly interpreted a tussle in the 6 yard box which should’ve been a penalty, not the cause of disallowing Russell’s excellent header.

Not long afterwards, United appeared to illegally prevent Russell meeting another corner. 

The referee, who had a very poor first half with both the big decisions and the more mundane ones, which included leaving unpunished a ridiculous number of niggly and cynical fouls by the Blades in the opening 15 minutes, managed to balance out the generous calls Town have had over the past few weeks.

It was unfortunate for Berge to collect the booking his team deserved, but the overdue caution settled things down and the game was all the better for it.

An excellent start by the hosts yielded too little threat with a tame Ward header from a difficult angle and a wild shot from Pipa being the meagre return for some otherwise enterprising play.

Once the Blades stopped infringing and started playing, their quality began to emerge and a dominant 10 minutes rather unsettled Town who found it difficult to gain possession and gave it away cheaply when they did. However, and like their hosts, United were unable to turn superiority in to genuine chances.

The pendulum swung back in Town’s favour once they got to grips with United’s surge and it was noticeable that this followed O’Brien giving Russell some forceful positioning advice as the debutant’s defensive inexperience had been a little exposed.

Getting back on the front foot, Town put together some decent combinations to create some shooting opportunities for Ward but the top scorer failed to connect with one effort and hit the other tamely wide.

Down the left, Ruffels was having an excellent Championship full debut, attacking with energy and defending well against Sheffield’s dangerous right side. Sadly, his left side partner, Koroma, was not up to speed and wasted good attacks with poor choices; a failure which was to recur badly in the second half.

It was Ruffels who won the corner from which Russell scored the disallowed effort. An excellent Thomas delivery was superbly met by the soaring debutant only for the nonsense on the line – Baldock wrestled Ward to the ground and Fotheringham fell over him – to be misinterpreted by the referee, linesman or fourth official (or a combination of the 3). The referee was clearly happy with the goal and allowed celebrations to go on longer than it usually takes to dawn.

Doubly annoying as it was, a goal for Russell would have capped a very good first half, Town haven’t much room to complain about referee decisions recently, though this looked entirely like a cop out for officials unsure what had happened on the line.

To their credit, Town didn’t collectively sulk and finished the half strongly with intent and a flurry of corners. They had been the better side and more than unfortunate to be going in level.

The second half proved to be much more even as the Blades’ quality came more to the fore. Berge, in particular, saw more of the ball though perhaps more could be expected of a clearly talented player than neat, tidy and very safe passing. 

It was Town, however, who should have made much more of an excellent break with United found short at the back. No fewer than 3 players gave Koroma options to left and right only for the out of form winger to lose the ball to an outnumbered defender.

A rare poor ball from Hogg, who is looking far more like the influence he is in the past two games, saw Russell robbed midway in his own half which allowed United to break. A rare opportunity for McBurnie saw him loop a header towards goal, but the attempt was comfortably gathered by Nicholls, who also saved a reasonable Berge effort minutes later.

For Town, Pipa and Thomas were combining well down the right to cause the visitors’ problems but the openings were always thwarted by good defending. The combination, however, augurs well for the final run in.

Koroma was finally, and mercifully, replaced by Holmes just after the hour and the Anglo-American made a big difference with a performance brimming with energy and intent, in stark contrast to his midweek efforts.

The awkward McBurnie’s elbow found the face of his captor, Matt Pearson. Town’s central defenders, augmented out of possession by Hogg, were excellent throughout and Sharp was similarly subdued by Lees with an off target shot his only contribution of note.

By this point, Russell’s vision and range of passing came to the fore. He regularly released his colleagues down right and left with perfectly weighted balls, some of which were things of beauty.

As the last 10 loomed, Corberán tried to make changes to win the game and replaced the excellent Ruffles with Sinani, but the adjacent decision to move O’Brien to left back, which had unwelcome echoes of last season’s campaign, took a while to be exposed and Toffolo, rather than the original choice of Rhodes, was chosen to replace Ward and get O’Brien back in midfield.

The confusion very nearly became a catastrophe when Toffolo made a complete hash of a routine clearance and presented the Blades with an opportunity they rather wasted.

Another penalty shout, this time from Pipa who went down under a double challenge, looked optimistic in real time but pretty conclusive on replay. At the other end, Pipa gave away a needless corner which nearly resulted in a late winner for the South Yorkshire men.

A practised routine found Fleck unmarked just outside the box and the Scotsman caught the ball very sweetly. Nicholls saw it through a crowd of players and finger tipped it on to the post and then off his leg for a corner. A wonderful save from possibly the player of the season so far. It preserved his 14th clean sheet, and it is testament to his abilities that those are all founded on his mastery of the basic goalkeeping skills which he carries out with supreme simplicity. Throughout this derby, his confident, calm collection of crosses, headers and any other threats was massively influential.

A Russell header, easily saved by Fotheringham was Town’s last attempt for a winner and an absorbing, entertaining encounter came to a close.

Both clubs remain in contention for a play off position and, from a Town perspective, it was gratifying to equal a very good Blades outfit. The return of Colwill, the intriguing arrival of Anjorin and the emergence of competition in midfield and at left back could prove crucial in the imminent run in. 

Maybe this squad can avoid ritual humiliation at Craven Cottage next week or even better. After all, they have got to 50 points before Valentine’s Day and secured Championship status far earlier than many, or any, of us believed in August.

A desperately poor game at Deepdale, venue of Huddersfield Town disappointment since 1969, saw the Terriers’ unbeaten run maintained but did nothing to enhance their play off credentials.

While a rare point in this corner of Lancashire was welcome and the defensive display admirable, the complete lack of threat to the Lilywhites throughout was disappointing for a team high in the table, and the final flurries of a game which had stalemate stamped all over it belonged to the home side who had a credible penalty shout in and amongst being thwarted by the excellent Nicholls.

Desperately poor performances by Sinani, who constantly made wrong decisions and lost possession on far too many occasions, and Holmes, for whom nothing went right on a frustrating evening, rather undermined Town’s efforts going forward and it was left far too late to replace one or both of them to try and create some change.

Ward’s hard work, touch and energy were entirely wasted through lack of support and his withdrawal in favour of Rhodes was a huge signal from Corberán that the point was to be preserved, rather than trying to win the game by putting two up front.

Rhodes is not an effective lone striker, which must be known to Town’s management, and losing Ward’s unselfish endeavour simply handed the initiative to Preston and the visitors ended up fortunate to gain a point which had looked reasonably comfortable until the last 10 minutes.

As an attacking force, Town were virtually non existent. Thomas managed a couple of runs and crosses but there were too few colleagues in the box as conservatism pervaded the team. While Sinani and Holmes’s ineffectiveness was key to a poor offensive performance, O’Brien’s surging was largely snuffed out too.

The attack and defence seemed unbalanced all evening, and cohesion suffered accordingly. To gain a point when playing poorly, because several defensive players came out of the game very positively, is not to be sniffed at but the spectacle did nothing to dispel the feeling that Town are a little, and possibly more, short of play off quality.

The return of Colwill after the weekend and the imminent arrival of his Chelsea colleague on loan may well change the dynamic and will certainly give Corberán better options for the final run in. The current squad battles on, and while the Deepdale showing was pretty dire, they are maintaining momentum.

Sheffield United present a stiff lunchtime test on Saturday, and Town can suffer with early kick offs following a midweek Wednesday game, and a big offensive improvement will be needed.

The football gods have heaped more than a fair share of good fortune on Town this season, which continued in midweek as Wayne Rooney’s Derby County came looking for more points to aid their unlikely survival bid. 

If you hold your nose against the stench of over spending cheating going back to Frank Lampard’s Derby County and beyond, there is something rather heroic in their efforts to claw back the penalties imposed upon them and their support is clearly rallying around the flag in times of adversity. The visiting support was particularly vociferous all evening.

Town’s good fortune continued as a reckless challenge on O’Brien by his erstwhile colleague Stearman, following an excellent early press which forced a big error, had the referee producing a fairly straightforward red card. It was just as reckless, and probably more so, as Koroma’s on Friday night but this time the referee was competent.

It has been a regular feature down the years that Town are often comically inept when facing 10 men, though they did take advantage when Blackpool were reduced a few weeks ago; even so, Stearman’s departure was not quite the gift outsiders would assume.

Naturally, the Rams were limited by the decision and what promised to be an open and exciting game became a frustrating and attritional affair with the visitors, not unnaturally, digging in for a point and Town struggling to make their numerical supremacy count for long periods.

The initial euphoria of seeing an opposition player dismissed usually wanes fairly quickly as it dawns that the advantage is more marginal than assumed and frustration, on and off the pitch, follows on behind. Town didn’t deserve the boos of a small amount of supporters, but their attempts to pick their way through a deep defensive wall were not particularly inspiring and creating good chances proved difficult.

Not that the home side lacked energy and, if anything, it was over elaboration which saw them falter as they sighted goal. One intricate move involving Sinani, Toffolo and O’Brien opened up the visitors at last only for Holmes’ effort from a fairly tight angle to be well saved by Allsop (a dead ball was mistakenly awarded).

Overall, though, Town were restricted to half chances and thwarted by a very good defensive performance by the visitors.

Unsurprisingly, Corberán’s half time change saw Pearson replaced by Eiting who finally saw a peopled stadium as his second Town career begins. With Hogg moving to defence, Corberán was signalling good intent, but Eiting’s stumbling introduction to the game with 3 consecutive poor passes failed to provide the desired momentum.

In fact, the first chance of note fell to Derby and Town only escaped considerable embarrassment because Sibley just failed to bring the ball under control when he was heading for a one on one with Nicholls.

The scare did prompt a reaction from Town, though they still failed to threaten as the final 20 minutes approached. They should have been further aided by another sending off when Ebosele, who impressively snuffed out Thomas’s threat pretty much entirely, fouled O’Brien to stop a break having already been booked for kicking the ball away.

Rather belatedly, after nearly half an hour of insignificant threat from the home side, Corberán replaced Hogg with Rhodes and gave the Rams something different to think about. By this point, Pipa had revitalised the right flank having replaced the dependable Turton and he helped Thomas find more space with his surging runs.

On the three quarter mark, good fortune shone on the hosts again as a move involving simple passing by Sinani, O’Brien and Eiting found Holmes on the edge of the box. At the point of taking the shot, Bielik threw himself at the ball which diverted it in a loop over the beaten keeper. 

The relief of the home contingent contrasted sharply with Derby’s despair as they saw all their hard work undone by a deflection. Cruel.

With nothing to lose, the visitors pushed forward and were always vulnerable to the counter, with their defensive shape necessarily abandoned and, sure enough, an incisive Town attack freed Ward to shoot at Allsop who parried in to the path of Rhodes to register his first goal of the season and his 74th for the club.

Rhodes could have added a third late on but inexplicably got his legs tangled up and the chance was gone.

So another 3 points gained, the unbeaten run extended and a strengthened squad with 2 Chelsea loanees to be added over the next few weeks. It wasn’t particularly pretty, often frustrating and far from straightforward against a valiant opponent but Town maintain their challenge with momentum and promise.

An excellent transfer window gives Town a very good platform for the rest of the season; carpe diem.

Despite being the beneficial recipient of two outrageously poor refereeing decisions in a first half they largely dominated and deservedly won, Town yet again paid the price for a hopelessly supine 2nd half allowing Stoke, who outplayed their hosts comprehensively, to equalise late on.

The first decision in Town’s favour was to leave a high, dangerous though probably not malicious tackle by Koroma completely unpunished. No red, and the no yellow and no free kick. Within 5 minutes, Koroma celebrated his remarkable reprieve with an opening goal which Town deserved after harassing the Potters for long periods. 

Just after the goal, Stoke had a huge appeal for a penalty as Lees took out Campbell in the box and it was difficult to imagine a more straightforward decision for the referee to make. Paradoxically, a Stoke equaliser at that point may have aided Town by preventing the nonsensical retreat back to the penalty area which occurred in the second half. 

Bright and full of intent, Town nearly took the lead early on as Koroma easily outstripped Stoke’s right back for pace before finding Ward at the near post who flashed a decent glancing header just over the bar.

With O’Brien dominating midfield and regularly surging forward, Town dominated from the off though actual chances on goal were rare and pretty tame. It took Stoke a long time to get in to the game but Pearson, who had a rare off night, made an error on the byline which allowed Fletcher to gain possession and a few seconds later Nicholls was having to make a smart, instinctive save.

Pearson himself was sold short by Hogg on the halfway line and a breakaway could have resulted in an equaliser but Lees did well to slow the pace of the attack and Nicholls was equal to the eventual shot.

Town finished the half strongly but, again, the quality of opportunities was poor and a second goal rarely looked like coming.

Stoke brought on Joe Allan after the break and when Powell replaced the injured Vrancic on the hour, their superior bench turned the tide of the game.

A quiet first 15 minutes saw Town slowly adopt the defensive mindset to cling on to a single goal lead until it became entrenched. Just as surely, they retreated as a unit and left the stage entirely free for the talented, if injury prone, Powell to dictate the tempo at will.

It would be churlish not to acknowledge that the strategy has collected points both home and away, but it is neither edifying nor enjoyable to watch and in 3 of the last 4 home games, unsuccessful.

Town’s cause was not helped by some fading legs. Sinani, Ward and Koroma, who had led the highly effective pressing in the first half seemed to lack energy and O’Brien’s probing ceased. Hogg, who was physically ill on the pitch during the second half, played far too deep and Pearson didn’t recover from a poor first half and gave a rare duff showing at centre back.

Stoke didn’t create a great deal for all their dominance but the pressure was increasingly intense and inexorable. Nicholls made a few routine saves and Pearson continued to make poor decisions on the ball and it seemed obvious that Town needed to make a change to their shape and personnel.

Although Corberán’s options were not particularly numerous, and a struggling Ward needed to be replaced, the like for like moves he made were unimaginative and simply didn’t move the dynamic. Rhodes is simply incapable of playing the role Ward has made his own; not just now, in his 30s, but in his entire career. Had he been brought on to play in a two, with someone pushed further forward, this may have worked but, as it was, the substitution was a waste.

Holmes for the anonymous Sinani was more acceptable and the American nearly scored a vital second following excellent work by the criminally under utilised Thomas but couldn’t adjust his body to take full advantage of the headed chance.

At the other end, Pearson finally made an error which was fully punished, trying a short pass out of an area flooded with Stoke players instead of aiming for the proverbial row Z. Baker smashed his shot against the post with Nicholls beaten, O’Brien made a fantastic block to prevent Campbell scoring but Brown, on for Fletcher, hit an unstoppable drive in to the top corner for a deserved leveller.

Rather irritatingly, Town stepped up a gear after the setback but a comfortably saved effort from High was the only notable attempt and another home draw was played out over 7 minutes injury time.

Perhaps the switch to a back 4 has unsettled Town’s defence with neither Pearson or Lees as comfortable as they have been though it should be noted that Turton, at right back, was probably Town’s man of the match. With Stoke playing a lone striker in Fletcher, perhaps utilising Sarr as the central man of 3 would have been more sensible. But definitely not on the left!

Corberán insists that the steady retreats backwards when in front is not planned and arises as players tire, passes go astray and the opposition encouraged, but he needs a solution to the issue.

Still, unbeaten run continues even if it has a Lee Clark feel about it.

Town’s unbeaten run stretched out to 9 after a chaotically entertaining encounter with troubled Reading with another double chalked up largely through Danny Ward’s first hat trick since 2014, which he registered for Town at Watford in a dead rubber. That was also Town’s last hat trick in the League by any player, but this one was far more valuable than the one at Vicarage Road.

Still without Holmes and Colwill, Town’s trip to Berkshire was considerably more tricky than assumed by too many against a Reading side admittedly in indifferent form but who had players returning from injury, including regular Town nemesis Joao, and from the AFCON tournament. They only succumbed to defeat in the final minutes at Middlesbrough last time out and in their last home game, they should’ve seen out a routine win against Derby but imploded late on.
Not that the Royals looked much of a threat in the first five minutes as Town hit their straps early and flew at their hosts in a terrific opening spell which forced a couple of promising situations only to be thwarted by timely blocks.

Unfortunately, the flaw in Corberán’s bold strategy to get on the front foot and have two marauding full backs but only two central defenders was immediately exposed in Reading’s first venture in to the visitors’ half.

With players isolated and out of position, neither Hogg nor Pearson could affect any influence on the momentum of the attack and wide spaces opened up leaving Lees wholly exposed. Toffolo’s whereabouts can only be speculated upon though he did make a very late appearance in the box as Joao tucked away the simple opportunity for a 1-0 lead.

Town responded with a devastating spell of attacking football with Pipa surging down the right, excellent centre forward play by Ward and intelligent support from Sinani who injected creativity in to an impressive period which turned the game on it’s head.

Sinani was found by Pipa after the Spaniard drove at the Reading defence and the Luxembourger, who had already tried his luck on a couple of occasions, took a couple of steps inside before hitting a defender’s chest which took the ball past the flat footed keeper.

If there was an element of fortune about the equaliser, it needs to be set in the context of Town’s total domination of possession and territory. Reading’s opener felt like a minor setback, particularly with our recent history of games turning sour on the scorer of the first goal, and the Berkshire outfit looked extremely vulnerable at the back.

Town took the lead after 15 minutes with a decent run by Koroma down the left being poorly dealt with in the box allowing Thomas to shoot against a defender and then shoot again only for the ball to fall in to Ward’s path, who instinctively turned it past Southwood.

It was no less than Town deserved and their ambition wasn’t diminished by taking the lead with Reading still only creating sporadic and relatively tame threat, despite having a goal ruled out for offside, but Koroma, who had a poor game overall, carelessly lost possession, and less than a minute later Town conceded an equaliser.

For the near 1,000 visiting supporters, the concession was disturbing and annoying. Corberán’s teams had shown tremendous guts at the City Ground and Ewood Park to earn deserved clean sheets and now the discipline, shape and resilience had somehow been replaced by a rabble without a cause.

In a near carbon copy of their first goal, Reading moved the ball quickly and simply through the spaces an over committed opponent laid out for them and Puskas slotted home with little resistance.

Within minutes, Town regained the lead. Thomas was pulled back near the touchline and delivered a teasing ball from the free kick but one which was easy for a keeper to take, and Southwood duly did. Unfortunately for the custodian, as he fell to the floor he let go of the ball which fell to Ward who buried it past the myriad defenders in front of him. 

By this point, Corberán had abandoned the back four, pushing Toffolo inside to form his usual 3 centre backs. Thomas switched to the left with Koroma on the right, though the latter’s display didn’t discernibly improve and he messed up a great opportunity to forge a two goal advantage which would have represented a chasm for a team struggling at the wrong end of the table with 6 punishment points to make up.

Instead, and with particular bad timing, Town conceded another equaliser when Morrison was allowed to attack a corner unchallenged, nay, unnoticed, and his header deflected in to even up the score on good fortune. 

So came to an end a half of dreadful defending by both sides, 6 goals and the certainty that the second half would almost certainly not yield the same number of scores; indeed, a goalless second half could feasibly be expected.

As it happens, the game needed just one more goal to determine the destination of the 3 points and it was a strike which brought Danny Ward a hat trick and the match ball.

Toffolo had been fouled near the touch line after releasing the ball from about half way in his own half. The decision, made by a linesman pretty close to the action, brought more outraged howls from the scattered home support which spent much of the afternoon decrying a pretty competent referee, though they may have had a point that the free kick was taken from the wrong place.

Pearson lifted the ball forward and Ward won an excellent flick on which Koroma fought well for and either he, the defender or a combination of both managed to get it in to Ward’s path as the striker followed up his own aerial victory. His stride was perfect and he struck an unstoppable shot past the keeper with his weaker foot.

At this point, Ward deserves yet another eulogy. His poor season, when it really did feel that Town were trying to reheat a soufflé which wasn’t that great the first time around, can be forgotten now, with his contributions since late Autumn being exceptional.

Looking fitter than ever, Ward expends masses of energy leading the line, his ability to hold up the ball and, crucially, move it on with threat and precision is now a feature of his game rather than the frustration it once was and, of course, his scoring record is now very acceptable. A real asset and a major reason behind Town’s unlikely challenge for the play offs, which is looking less and less ludicrous as the weeks go by. 

Reestablishing the lead before the hour mark, Town were significantly more conservative in their approach to defending it in this half and low blocked their hosts with relative ease in retrospect. Despite lots of possession, Reading simply weren’t good enough to break down a Town side which had closed the spaces so freely surrendered in the first half.

Nicholls, booked for time wasting yet again, had to scramble a bagatelle ball following a corner which could have fallen kindly for the home side but didn’t have a real save to make as Reading ran out of ideas and, as the game wore on, energy.

Sorba Thomas, slowly getting back to his best over the past few games, and playing with the naive enthusiasm so effective earlier in the season, had the best chance of the half after the goal but shot too near to the keeper when Ward was an option in the middle.

There were far too many errors in possession as Reading tried to increase the pressure as time slipped away, but the back line and Hogg held firm. O’Brien, who made some decent forays forward, was rather wasteful at times and was responsible for a couple of half breaks which Reading failed to exploit.

Rhodes replaced Ward, who looked to have taken a knock, and was very good running down the clock in 5 minutes of injury time and the whole team rather comfortably saw out the last quarter without a real scare to earn the 3 points.

Scoring 4 goals away from home should always mean winning, but the outcome was a little too close for comfort at times though the defensive organisation in the second half was much more like the Huddersfield Town we have come to know this season.

With a schedule much more straightforward than most, who will be crowbarring postponed fixtures in for some time to come, a squad with greater options than in recent seasons and a healthy points total in the bag, Town’s season continues to hold promise. Most will temper optimism with the lingering feeling that this group of players are over achieving, but we have seen that scenario before.

An intriguing couple of months awaits.

It is some consolation that despite being overwhelmingly outplayed in a disappointing 2nd half, Town’s unbeaten run continues as does their unlikely challenge for a play off place.

Swansea’s hunger for possession was known and predictable as were the recent failures they have suffered despite quite astonishingly high numbers in control of the ball and had the second 45 followed a similar pattern to the first half, Town would still be in the top 6.

Unfortunately, an enforced change of personnel at half time, with goal scorer Sinani being replaced by Scott High, seemed to unhinge the hosts’ dynamics and they were simply incapable of escaping the stranglehold Swansea created with a higher quality of possession than their first half efforts.

There was an air of possession for possession’s sake about the men from South Wales in that first 45 and most of it fizzled out on contact with Town’s solid back four. Nicholls had to make one very good save following an effort by Manning which was the result of a fortunate run of the ball rather than the conclusion of a 35 pass move from back to front.

Town’s patience and discipline allowed them to easily cope and despite their own forays forward being relatively limited, they looked far more likely to score than the visitors and duly did on 15 minutes.

It was just reward for an energetic start which pushed the visitors backwards and a high press which panicked them in to errors. O’Brien rushed his former colleague Hamer in to a wild clearance, and then brought an excellent save from him with an effort which looked destined for the top corner.

The subsequent corner was put in to the net by Koroma but he was offside after Pearson had won the aerial battle.

The Terriers’ superiority in the opening 15 minutes was rewarded with the lead when Pearson’s excellent ball forward to Ward was expertly taken by the striker and, in one movement, he released Koroma down the left and carried on to the penalty area to receive the ball back. Ward’s effort was blocked and Hamer denied O’Brien again with the follow up only for the ball to deflect to Sinani who couldn’t miss.

The reversal prompted an improvement in the Swans and the aforementioned Nicholls save was made soon after the goal, but the home team appeared very comfortable with defending the visitors rather rambling possession.

Soaking up the pressure, such as it was, with ease it was only a matter of time before the home side broke forward again and an excellent move just before the half hour should have seen a doubling of the lead and a completely different game would have ensued.

Ward was at the heart of the move again with a superb take and turn followed by an inch perfect ball to Thomas who fed the rampaging O’Brien in the box only for Hamer to thwart his former team mate with a remarkable save which was undoubtedly a turning point for his team’s fortunes.

An entertaining half with Town deservedly in the lead seemed to augur well for the hosts but Sinani’’s injury, and the absence of Holmes to provide a like for like solution, derailed the team to such an extent that escaping with a point became cause for relief.

For their part, Swansea became far more potent in possession and, since they had the ball almost uninterrupted, it was always likely that Town’s increasingly desperate resilience would break.

The visitors’ intensity also improved substantially with their assaults on Town’s defence having far greater purpose than their efforts before the break. Town had no answers to their opponents’ movement and precise passing to the consternation of a large crowd enticed by the offer to watch for a fiver.

That Town lasted until the final quarter was far more to do with the heroics of Nicholls, who had to make many saves and interventions, and the rugged determination of Pearson who blocked and tackled throughout to pull his colleagues out of self inflicted trouble.

Poor Scott High, who was sent on to do a role which looked like duplication, suffered a torrid half which included giving the ball away twice in ludicrously dangerous areas, one of which led indirectly, but indisputably, to Swansea’s deserved and overdue equaliser.

Town were simply unable to escape out of their own half. Ward, excellent in the first half, was isolated and superfluous, the midfield chased shadows as their superior opposition passed them in to oblivion and having been starved of the ball for such long periods, brief moments of possession seemed to come as a surprise to too many and given away with startled regularity.

As he admitted post match, Corberán made the wrong call at half time but there was more than a hint of too much hindsight and insufficient action taken to rectify the error. Hogg, who will need time to get fully back up to speed, should’ve been replaced for a more progressive option. On at least 3 occasions, the returning skipper halted rare moments of promise with a backwards pass. 

Not that he was alone. Only O’Brien, with some scintillating breaks, played with bravery and risk. The introduction of Pipa produced better things on the right at times, though it moved Thomas over to the left in place of the disappointing Koroma and minutes after the switch, the Welsh international missed a tackle which allowed his opponent to feed Downes for an excellent finish to equalise.

Corberán then went two up front after the equaliser but not before Swansea nearly took the lead with an effort which Nicholls did well to keep out. Rhodes arrival, for the last 5 minutes and injury time did result in some long overdue pressure from the home side and they proceeded to ask decent questions of Swansea’s under worked keeper and defence.

Hamer produced yet another save to deny O’Brien, who must have been heartily sick of him, and the final flourish in search of an unlikely and undeserved winner did, at last, provide some entertainment for a restless home crowd.

The final act, however, saw Swansea come close to taking the 3 points which few would have begrudged as Pirhoe headed just wide with Nicholls scrambling.

One point closer to survival and likely safe before the Spring is not to be sniffed at, but it wasn’t a day upon which that Corberán will look back fondly. Far too late in reacting to a game in which his team were barely competing, hopefully it is a lesson learned.

Town concluded their Festive season fixtures with a dogged goalless draw at a sodden Ewood Park and enhanced their credibility as a play off contender by thwarting the form team of the division in a ruggedly entertaining encounter.

A larger than anticipated away following, no doubt enticed by a too rare pay on the day opportunity and Town’s recent form, caused difficulties which resulted in a 15 minute delay to the kick off, which also allowed a little more time for the pitch to drain of excess water.

That additional drainage didn’t entirely resolve the problem of parts of the pitch being too waterlogged to allow for free flow of the ball and the visitors put themselves under pressure as a result of the ground problems on a few occasions in a frenzied opening 20 minutes completely dominated by Rovers.

For all their possession, thrust and aggression, clearly built on high levels of confidence, only an excellent break and shot by Khadra, which crashed off the bar, caused great concern as an individual moment, but the pressure was intense and unrelenting.

Unable to advance out of their own half and simply not coping with conditions as well as their hosts, Town squandered a glorious chance to break when Holmes fell over his own feet, presumably in a puddle, with lots of options opening up in front of him.

It was just the type of break they would have been hoping for, knowing that Blackburn would be on the front foot early but Town had to wait until midway through the half before getting anywhere near the home goal.

Sinani supplied a very presentable chance for Holmes who was unable to match his finish at the City Ground with a diving header which was well stopped.

It would be inaccurate to say that this brought a massive change in the rhythm of the game and a big, if incorrect, penalty shout on the half hour had been precipitated by a poor loss of possession by Holmes on the halfway line allowing Blackburn a rare opportunity to attack with Town’s defence on their heels. Brereton, who was rarely as effective as he had been at the John Smith’s stadium, was probably correct that Lees had fouled him outside the box but his dramatic fall several seconds later as Pearson muscled him off the ball fooled no one.

Town continued to grow in to the game and having weathered the best Rovers had thrown at them with all 3 central defenders contributing to a fine rearguard performance, along with the highly dependable Nicholls, the evident gap between the two sides began to narrow quite quickly.

Still, the sanctuary of half time was more welcome for the visitors who had worked exceptionally hard as a team to thwart a highly dangerous attack. The pitch condition improved as time went on, which probably helped as Town simply didn’t handle the going as well as their hosts.

There was a final scare for Town before the break as Rovers had another penalty appeal waved away as the final act. An attempted cross hit O’Brien from short range and the referee rightly and immediately dismissed the claim.

The second half was far more comfortable as Rovers ran out of ideas and were consistently guilty of making basic errors; the number of poor passes which left the field of play was quite staggering for a team which would finish the day 2nd in the table.

Not that life was comfortable for Town’s defence, but it seemed a lot easier for them to manoeuvre Blackburn’s forwards where they wanted them to be and the threat they posed was noticeably diminished. 

Pearson, Lees and, particularly, Colwill were immense at the back, rarely putting a foot wrong, intercepting with aplomb and keeping Blackburn at arm’s length for long periods. 

The youngster on loan from Chelsea was outstanding. Poised, elegant and supremely confident, he breezed through a game against one of the most potent attacks in the division. Time and space are his currency, rarely needlessly rushing in to tackles and not once on this afternoon. At 18, his future looks assured at the very top level and it is a pleasure to witness the beginning of what could be a glittering career.

Levi’s effortless quality was matched by his fellow defenders more basic qualities and, behind them, Nicholls had another flawless game exuding confidence from the last line.

Town flattered to deceive a little going forward when they had the chance, but a lovely ball through to Holmes should have seen the diminutive midfielder test the keeper at the very least but one touch too many meant the angles disappeared and his shot hit the side netting.

He was nearly freed again later in the half but Dolan, a fresh substitute, never looked like losing the foot race. Inexplicably, Holmes then launched a challenge from behind which should have been punished with dismissal. The only thing which saved him was a slight push by another Rovers’ player which the referee, incorrectly but understandably, may have interpreted as the cause of the lunge.

At the other end, Thomas made a routine clearance from the line having been well positioned to deal with a rather unthreatening header, and right at the death, a horrid Lees’ back pass nearly sold Nicholls short but the custodian dealt with probably his most concerning moment of the day with a good clearance.

A very creditable end to the holiday games, then, including shutting out two form teams away from home, and collecting 10 points from 12. Things could have turned out differently in 3 of these games, but managing to win or not lose games is key to success in the Championship, and it is perhaps time to acknowledge that luck is earned and that this team has created the momentum which delivers such results.

2022 is looking very promising. 

Despite an unforgiving onslaught by Nottingham Forest which began on the half hour and remained pretty relentless until the final whistle, Town made it 3 wins in a row and ended the year in the play off positions and in damn good shape.

The character shown in an exceptionally tough away game was impressive with bodies being thrown on the line to keep the win intact.

A combination of excellent goalkeeping, intensely determined defending and some Forest profligacy delivered the unlikely win, though it should be said that Samba had to make just as many excellent saves (one) as Nicholls when he tipped a rasping O’Brien effort over, both sides hit the bar with Thomas doing so from long range in the very first minute and both missed one easy chance each.

This is not to suggest that Forest were anything other than dominant, particularly in the second half, but the sum total of their efforts resulted, roughly, in to the same important metrics as Town, other than the most important one.

An entertaining first half was more evenly contested until Town took the lead on the half hour. The impressive Colwill set Holmes free with a nice forward pass and the ex-Ram played a neat exchange with Toffolo before firing home at Samba’s near post.

With Ward off injured or ill after just 15 minutes, Town were weakened early on but not put off their stride and easily matched their in form opponents across the pitch from the moment the pipes and drums of Mull of Kintyre faded in to a bizarre Forest ritual before kick off. What is that all about?

Holmes’ opener heralded a siege of Town’s goal for the rest of the first half and the visitors were clinging on by their finger tips and unable to relieve the pressure in any meaningful way. There was an air of the hosts not being able to see the wood for the trees, and perhaps a more guileful approach would have served them better than bludgeon, but it was a huge relief when the half time whistle blew.

Town showed great strength of character and resilience in an extremely difficult second half of unabating pressure though, again, there wasn’t much finesse on display as Forest looked to pummel their way through.

Their best chance fell to the impressive Brennan, who will surely be playing at a higher level very soon, but he was unable to convert a straightforward opportunity after Nicholls could only parry.

O’Brien’s effort which was well saved by Samba and Sinani’s poor miss meant that Town were not entirely swamped but it was a win rather gifted by the opponent who had one of those nights which all clubs suffer from time to time.

Despite riding their considerable luck, Town did compete with personality and are beginning to become likeable as a squad again. Overcoming the early loss of Ward, dealing with the cynical targeting of O’Brien, which was never tackled by an otherwise decent referee, and coping with a furious onslaught made this a fantastic win in the circumstances.

Though Pipa’s reappearance was notable more for his first two poor touches, his availability provides Corberán with more options and the imminent return of Hogg in the New Year will provide much needed relief for the over used High who, not unnaturally, is starting to fade a little.

Blackburn may well prove too stiff a challenge coming soon after this bruising contest, but 2022 looks a hell of a lot brighter than a lot of 2021.

Happy New Year to all.

There simply isn’t an argument to be made against the fact that winning 3-2 after twice being behind is the most satisfying result possible in football.

In recent years, Town’s ability to salvage anything from losing positions has been virtually non existent until it was achieved at Bristol last week and their default reaction when an opponent goes down to 10 men is to reject any calm, tactical approach to the advantage and attempt to batter down defences which have automatically tightened up. 

The comeback at Ashton Gate was more than welcome, finally bringing a dismal spell on the road to an end, but a Boxing Day encounter with an old, traditional foe with lots of incident, controversy and entertainment comfortably topped it.

With Colwill out with illness, Corberán made the puzzling decision to yet again utilise Naby Sarr on the left side of 3 centre backs. And, yet again, it proved to be ill judged. When Naby has played centrally, he has looked just fine in an enormously improved defence when he has been needed. 

It was a Tom Lees ball which failed to reach its target in the first minute, however, which saw Town concede stupidly early for the second week running with Yates producing a nice finish after a simple ball forward played him in.

To their credit, Town levelled quickly with a quite fabulous goal. Toffolo advanced down the left, took one touch after receiving the ball and whipped in a magnificent cross for Ward to meet perfectly to head home. A thoroughly enjoyable goal which looked nailed on as the ball entered the area.

Town dominated possession from the equaliser but decent approach play rather crumbled in the final third, while Blackpool’s power up front and their ability to break with menace slowly came to the fore, culminating in them taking the lead again.

Sarr didn’t do enough to prevent a rather lobbed cross to the far post which allowed Madine a run on Pearson. The well travelled striker climbed high and headed past Nicholls to establish a lead the Tangerines just about deserved at that point.

The Lancastrians grew in confidence and were by far the more dangerous and likely team. Town’s best chance fell to Holmes who was fed by Thomas only for the American to blaze over following a bobble. Blackpool had an even easier chance on the half hour with a nicely worked move which Anderson contrived to head wide.

A 3rd for the visitors at that stage would likely have ended the contest, particularly as there would have been no need for any of the men in tangerine to commit reckless challenges.

Shortly after the missed chance, Madine elbowed and then swung an arm in to the head of Tom Lees just yards away from the referee who was looking straight at the incident. Ignoring the serious foul play, which warranted at least a booking and probably more, Blackpool were allowed to attack and very nearly scored while Town’s central defender lay prone.

Jeremy Simpson’s performances when refereeing Huddersfield Town games are rarely anything other than underwhelming, and often dreadful, but the level of incompetence he showed in this incident must surely be investigated, given the complete lack of care he took over player safety. 
Lees spent over 10 minutes on the floor and then being treated; this was a serious concussion event and Simpson’s ridiculous lack of action renders his fitness to officiate in considerable doubt. It is to be hoped that Town make a formal complaint.

Madine should face retrospective enquiry too.

The incident rather altered the direction of the game with Blackpool not looking as dangerous after it and Town, now with a back four with Sarr central and Turton at right back, seemingly more comfortable defensively.

Nicholls had to make a smart save from a shot which was moving in the air but it was mostly the hosts who spent the ten minutes added on for the injury on the front foot.

A fairly tame opening to the second half saw Town with territorial superiority but the more potent attacks were coming from the visitors. Scott High made an excellent block after some incisive Blackpool approach play and a third goal seemed a little more likely than an equaliser at that point. High made way for Rhodes on the hour to cement the change of formation to 4 4 2, with Sinani dropping in to midfield.

The change was an unusually bold one from Corberán, and within a couple of minutes the fundamental nature of the game was upended by the sending off of Gabriel. Already on a booking for a crude challenge on Holmes, the promising youngster clattered O’Brien on the touchline to collect another yellow and one which could have been red. His manager’s post match protestations about the bookings were bizarrely ridiculous. Gabriel was no angel.

Within minutes, Rhodes had the ball in the net following a Thomas cross only for it to be ruled, marginally but correctly, offside.
Though disappointing for the returning striker, the incident spooked Critchley in to making two overly defensive substitutions. Goal scorer Yates and persistent menace Bowler were sacrificed and the visitors were emasculated from that point.

Madine stayed on for a further ten minutes but even cursory knowledge of Town’s performances against ten men should have persuaded Critchley not to withdraw all of their threat.

As it was, Thomas, who had played reasonably well in the first half, started to impose himself on the game and proceeded to give Husband a torrid time, assisted in no short measure by the much maligned Turton who had an excellent outing against his former club.

Rhodes’ nous was also welcome as the tangerines wobbled without an outlet following their substitutions. In contrast, Corberán followed up his initial bold move with the introduction of Koroma and Rowe to force the pace in the final ten minutes.

The equaliser was a quite lovely goal. Thomas played a wall pass with Sinani and then another with Rhodes in the box before keeping his composure to finish. Brilliantly constructed and finished by Sorba, who’s dip in form appears to be over.

Minutes later, the ex-Borehamwood man snatched victory for the Terriers as he latched on to a half clearance and threaded a volley through a sea of legs.

Blackpool, who looked a much improved outfit from the one at Bloomfield Road earlier in the season, were pretty much done at this point and they had little left to worry the home side and couldn’t muster much to try to force an equaliser.

The visitors will rue the missed opportunities to take a 3-1 lead, which would have completely altered the path of the game, as much as the stupidity of Gabriel, but game management comes in many forms and for all Critchley’s moans afterwards, he and his team simply didn’t manage this one at all well.

Town now have two tough away games to navigate, assuming Covid doesn’t intervene, but with 36 points on the board there is a little less pressure on them. With Lees absence, Corberán will need to make some decisions about the defence; let’s hope one of those is to resist playing Sarr on the left at all costs.

Goodwill is a vital currency for the manager of a football club. It is used to see them through inevitable slumps in form and gives them breathing space to instigate change and regain momentum.

Sadly for Carlos Corberán, the frustrated booing at full time last week at Oakwell and again following a desperately unconvincing draw with Mark Robins’ impressive Coventry, it seems his goodwill well is dry.

Town were on course to blatantly rob the 3 points despite playing second fiddle to the slick Sky Blues who had been thwarted by some excellent goalkeeping, the post and several blocks before an injury time equaliser delivered a sliver of justice for their progressive, easy on the eye style.

In fact, the football played by the visitors seemed to be the type we were promised under Carlos but which is rarely delivered by a squad who appear constrained by rigid tactics. As well as they can defend, which is the significant difference over last season and the reason the limited football isn’t dragging us closer to the relegation battle, any early season joy has been sucked out of performances.

On the rare occasions Town break out of the rigid structures imposed by the manager, they show that they are not without talent. The goal which very nearly took them over the line was a case in point as a sweeping move down the left resulted in a perfect low ball in by Toffolo which was sweetly struck first time by Ward. 

Despite some good work down the left by Colwill in the opening 20 minutes, Town had been scruffy in possession and unthreatening before the goal, while Coventry’s neat and tidy approach play failed to trouble the hosts but more than suggested they were going to be a tough challenge. 

And so it proved. The goal didn’t settle Town at all and they nearly handed out an equaliser 2 minutes later when a poor Nicholls ball to High saw the youngster engulfed and robbed but O’Hare’s attempt to lob the keeper was badly executed and easily dealt with. It was a big let off and simply increased the already jangling nerves. Possession was lost immediately after the scare too though Coventry again failed to take advantage.

On the half hour, O’Hare hit a shot too close to Nicholls, who blocked well, following a sumptuous cross field ball by the visitors which completely opened Town up. They had hit a similarly excellent ball earlier in the half but rather messed up the opportunity but should have equalised with the second one.

The half rather fizzled out after Coventry’s big opportunity and Town took an undeserved lead in to the break and an opportunity to regroup.

The whole complexion of the afternoon could have been changed in the first minute of the second half as a lovely ball in to Holmes who had made a good run in to the box saw the midfielder hit a good effort which was finger tipped on to the post and away for a corner. Coming desperately close to doubling the lead was a massive turning point; Town’s confidence levels, which appear to be low at the moment, would have been boosted and Coventry’s resolve possibly weakened.

As it was, the visitors proceeded to batter the Terriers who were desperately poor in possession throughout a very disappointing second half. 

A cracking shot from just inside of the area slammed against the post, last ditch blocks thwarted other attempts and generally poor finishing (including a far post header at a corner which looked much easier to convert than miss) and decision making at the sharp end contributed to Town barely clinging to a lead which looked increasingly preposterous.

And yet, with virtually his only contribution after replacing Ward on 70 minutes, when other candidates, particularly the ineffective and out of form Thomas, looked far more prudent, Campbell hit a shot against a defender which looped up invitingly for Pearson. Sadly, the defender couldn’t convert to seal the points, heading wide.

This was a rare foray forward as Town consistently gave up possession and sat deep to cling on to their precarious advantage.

Though the defending could be seen as effective and, in some ways, admirable, it was anything but that. Constantly failing to clear correctly – and even the otherwise excellent Colwill was guilty of this as time went on – and persistently wasting the small amounts of possession available to them, Town were as unattractive and ineffective as they had been the week before against much inferior opposition.

The injury time equaliser, one of the most deserving the stadium is likely to witness, came as a result of tired defenders and Nicholls failing to deal properly with a ball in the box. Godden arrived at precisely the right time to glance his header past Nicholls to the delight of the excellent travelling support who had encouraged their team throughout.

Most of that support will never have seen Coventry in Huddersfield before, the clubs having assiduously avoided each other for decades (nearly 50 years in the league until last year’s behind closed doors encounter), and their club looks to be on a good path after many years of horrendous struggle through mismanagement.

The boos which descended from the thin home support, and the clear evidence of significant stay aways continues to be of great concern, was justified and a judgement on a performance which seemed at least as much to do with the architect rather than the team.

Nobody was fooled by the elevated position Town were occupying just a few short weeks ago, but levels have dipped enough to create real concerns that a repeat of last season is, at least, a possibility. This seems unlikely given a significantly improved defence and it is hard to imagine an injury crisis of similar proportion, but the dull performances simply cannot continue if Carlos wants to remain in post.

The ownership uncertainties buy him a little time to imbue this team with a bit of personality. Maybe if he stopped the micro management and allowed them to play more freely, he may rescue himself? 

Fortune certainly favoured the meek in this one.

There are those of us of a certain vintage who were delighted to see a Cardiff back line with McGuinness Flint in it but, early 70s nostalgia aside, this sobering defeat in horrible weather was more than disappointing.

Town’s trips to South Wales rarely bring much reward but the circumstances of this encounter promised more than most. Cardiff’s dreadful form, which cost Mick McCarthy what may prove to be his final job in management, coupled with the Terriers’ encouraging season to date was sufficient comfort to overlook a generational propensity for Huddersfield Town to be the perfect opposition for struggling teams.

Despite having better squad depth available to him this season, Corberán went with an unchanged 11 from the physical demands of the past week. It was a decision which looked far from wise by half time, despite his charges leading 1-0 at the end of a low quality 45 minutes, as both Hogg (after less than 10 minutes) and Holmes had to be replaced with injuries. Both failed to complete the Peterborough game and Hogg, in particular, should not have been brought back so quickly.

A swirling wind carrying the type of rain which sprays and soddens with miserable intensity was weather more suited to the rugby international which made Cardiff city centre a great place to be prior to the game; a sparse football stadium seemed miserable in comparison.

Hogg’s injury immediately preceded Town’s opener. McGuinness, under no discernible pressure, under hit a back pass to Smithies which turned in to a through ball for Sinani, who finally opened his account for Town by holding off a challenge well before squeezing the ball between Smithies and post.

This was a perfect gift for the visitors. An early lead, provided by the incompetence of an opponent struggling with confidence, has the affect of deflating home support which eventually turns against their team whose anxiety levels spike and performances implode.

Town largely let Cardiff off the hook. Instead of piling on the pressure, some ridiculous decision making at the back, the main culprits being Nicholls and Colwill, managed to achieve precisely the opposite. It was fortunate that the Bluebirds were incapable of taking advantage of their opponents’ largesse, some decent recovery work by Town players should be acknowledged, but the opportunity to bury Cardiff psychologically was completely missed.

Towards the end of the half, the visitors could and probably should have doubled their lead with a couple of decent forays forward but Holmes failed to react quickly enough to a ball across by Sinani. O’Brien also created a shooting opportunity as Town finished the half strongly, but it was far too little, too late.

The second half was as frustrating an experience as you expect from Town on far too many occasions. They were clearly the better side, they were capable of some very decent football sporadically and created simple opportunities to put the game to bed which, had they been taken, would have resulted in an entirely different post match conversation.

In the first 25 minutes of the second half, Town largely controlled their struggling opponents and started to ramp up pressure with extended periods of possession which culminated in a burst of activity which should have sealed the 3 points.

Scott High had a goal bound effort blocked following good work by Koroma, as the left side of Town’s attack began to click; Toffolo, O’Brien and Koroma were causing problems with decent interchanges and movement.

It was O’Brien, whose bursts caused Cardiff problems all through the second half, who fed Sinani for another blocked shot which led to the corner which, in turn, produced the easiest chance to go 2 up and win the game.

Thomas, who looked far too leggy, delivered a quite superb corner which eluded a bunch of battling opponents to reach Colwill about 3 yards out. The youngster had little time to weigh up his options, but they weren’t particularly complex. Either head the ball down or back across from whence it came. Unfortunately, the ball rather hit his head and flew at Smithies who, nevertheless, made a very good save to push the ball on to the post.

It was a remarkable miss and a potentially deflating one but Town kept coming and forged 2 further chances to finish the contest.

Ward did very well to beat Flint to a high ball from Nicholls which left him clear on goal and one on one with his good friend, Smithies. His deft chip beat the keeper but not the upright and another glorious opportunity went begging.

More good work down the left saw Koroma deliver a sumptuous ball across the face of Cardiff’s goal but Ward was unable to apply a finishing touch.

The encouragement of a spell of play which emphasised Town’s growing superiority was quickly replaced by the dread of the knowledge that spurning opportunities would only lead to punishment, and so it came to pass.

A rather cheaply conceded corner indirectly following sloppy attempts to play out from the back (which blighted Town all afternoon) was very well delivered for Moore to get in front of Colwill and equalise.

Hugely disappointing, though ominously predictable, it was the first time the dangerous Moore looked like contributing to the afternoon and wouldn’t be the last.

Town responded reasonably well and, to their credit, didn’t simply retreat to take the point, but they were unable to carve out another chance despite some promising possession.

Thomas, while trying to set up another Town attack, under hit a pass forward, Cardiff switched it out to their left, Pearson was too easily beaten and Moore, again, beat Colwill to head home a thoroughly undeserved, but undoubtedly welcome, winner.

It is legitimate to question Corberán’s decisions for this game, particularly keeping an unchanged line up after a gruelling week. Losing Hogg and Holmes in the first half was prima facie evidence of error and one which reduced the possibility of flexibility in the second half to counter the evident tiredness towards the end.

And oh for a centre forward who can play as poorly as Keifer Moore did and score twice!

When we are all dead and gone, future Town teams will be losing away games in this manner as they have so often in the past. 

(And that’s me done for a while – finally allowed back in the US. Will return for Barnsley away)

With two thirds of the season to go, a point at Peterborough took Town to half of the 50 point target which, usually, keeps you above relegation.

The result was disappointing following a performance which, while far from faultless, should have been enough to secure a creditable away win, and it should be said that there was some genuine bad luck with decisions and injuries.

However, it was probably a more realistic assessment of Town’s chances of sustaining a challenge at the top end of the table that they were unable to see through a victory against fairly limited opponents, lacking the ruthlessness necessary for tricky midweek fixtures away from home.

A dominant first half display, which wobbled ominously towards the back end, should’ve laid the foundations for victory and the exceptionally marginal offside decision against Ward when he converted a rebounding effort from Holmes off the bar, was particularly galling following a similar decision at Bournemouth. Neither call remotely hinted at the benefit of doubt supposedly afforded to strikers (if there is such a thing), and the much improved Ward has been desperately unlucky to be denied goals which attested to good striking instincts.

The disallowed open play goals would also have provided a little more balance to those achieved through set pieces, which seems to overly concern the more esoteric fans and commentators.

A high press which was maintained throughout a solid first half pinned the hosts back for long periods but, the disallowed goal aside, the control didn’t result in opportunities and a late flurry by Peterborough nearly, and ludicrously, could have seen Town go in one down.

Just before the break, Hogg went down injured and though he made it to half time, he didn’t reappear and was replaced by High. This was a blow; High is a good footballer but simply couldn’t hope to replicate Hogg’s experience which had been instrumental in the dominance of Posh in the first half.

Still, it was the visitors who continued to look the more likely winners and with O’Brien driving the team forward, they looked increasingly dangerous from both flanks. Thomas, who was otherwise a little flat and probably in need of a break, delivered a great cross to the back post which was headed over by Holmes, who perhaps should’ve done better.

Toffolo was brighter than he had been for much of the season and was integral to a couple of complex passing movements down the left which failed in the last action. He also brought a standard save from Posh’s otherwise too underworked keeper.

It was Toffolo who won the corner which led to Town’s goal with more good offensive work down the left and Thomas finally delivered a decent delivery on to the head of Colwill, who headed down for Ward to snaffle the opener from short range.

Ward thoroughly deserved his goal, particularly after being on the wrong side of two highly marginal decisions in the last 2 away games, and, along with Holmes who put in another strong performance before injury saw him replaced by Turton, should be highly praised for their massive improvement.

Sadly, the goal provoked a mindset which ultimately cost the team 2 points. Wether Turton would’ve been sent on to shore things up had it not been necessary to replace the injured Holmes is a little moot. Town’s approach became defensive and tentative and it is disconcerting that they were undone by an opponent simply throwing on a big fella to try to turn around a game they never looked like gaining anything from.

With just over 5 minutes to play, High and Turton conspired to miss opportunities to either clear a loose ball or block the consequent cross which exposed Colwill to Clarke-Harris in the middle. A small push by the Peterborough substitute was missed by the officials – O’Brien was furious and booked for his protests – but Town really only had themselves to blame.

Despite the disappointment of dropping 2 points, there was a fair amount to like about the performance. As mentioned, Ward and Holmes performed to high levels again, O’Brien and Toffolo put in their best displays of the season to date and, the late lapse aside, Town still looked defensively solid.

Saturday’s trip to Cardiff, likely with an injury depleted squad, will be tough despite the travails of the Welsh club, but whatever the outcome, the first third of the season has been more than satisfactory.

The breaking news about Phil Hodgkinson’s other businesses adds a layer of uncertainty and unwelcome distraction, but there is nothing Corberán, the players or the fans can do about that. If it proves to be the end of his ownership, however, his stewardship during a painful and difficult transition is clearly bearing fruit and this should be acknowledged amidst the crisis he is now facing.

A mildly entertaining, robustly contested game appeared to be heading to a goalless draw, which neither side would have complained about, when a late Sorba Thomas corner was headed in by Jonathan Hogg, arriving at the near post with immaculate precision.

Following their chastening defeat on the south coast last weekend, all be it inflicted by an excellent Bournemouth side looking certain to run away with the league, it was important to react in front of their own fans. An in form and very awkward Millwall team, who had won 4 of their last 5 to join Town and a plethora of other clubs on 21 points, provided typically stiff Championship opposition.

A cagey opening 15 minutes handed the visitors the initiative and though they were unable to turn their superiority in to chances, they easily thwarted Town’s attempts to gain any momentum and a long, attritional afternoon beckoned.

The similarities to the stalemate with Birmingham were glaringly obvious yet, somehow, this encounter proved more entertaining despite neither side creating enough goal scoring opportunities nor troubling either keeper much.

When Town finally began to look forward with their passing and introduced an element of pace and movement, they engineered a chance for Ward in the box only for him to volley it high and wide. The busy Holmes had fed Thomas who picked out the striker from the right with a great ball in and Town should have taken the lead at that point.

Ward did make the Millwall keeper work with another effort which was struck well but straight at him and contributed well over all against a resilient Millwall back line.

Both teams moved the ball well at times but the lack of penetration where it matters blunted their efforts, and a goalless first half rather limped to its conclusion and Town’s drought stretched over the 3 and a half hour mark (though it should be said that the goal scored by Ward at Bournemouth was perfectly legitimate and not offside).

If Town were to win this one, the most likely source of a goal would be a set piece and within minutes of the restart Pearson latched on to a flick on at the back post only for his effort to be cleared off the line by the keeper’s legs.

After this brief flurry of excitement, the game settled back in to attrition with personal battles taking place all over the pitch and, to the credit of the participants, it rarely boiled over despite the physical intent.

Hogg, unsurprisingly revelling in this full blooded contest, set Holmes on his way after winning possession and the much improved midfielder set up Toffolo for a strike which was fairly close but not particularly troubling for Bialkowski.

O’Brien then made an excellent run past three attempted challenges through the middle before laying the ball off to Sinani who fed Holmes before Thomas fired wildly over from a decent position.

The defining moment of the game arrived immediately after Thomas’ effort as Millwall broke effectively and played in Tom Bradshaw behind the Town defence. Pearson recovered and put in a crucial tackle to stop the considerable danger and almost certainly prevented the visitors taking the lead.

Bradshaw was replaced by Benik Afobe shortly afterwards and Pearson was to thwart the ex Town man as well later on to cement his man of the match status.

Town also made a change with Koroma replacing Sinani. The Luxembourger seems to divide opinion with his performances, but he has undoubted ability which doesn’t come off quite enough during games despite useful contributions to the team effort. He is worth persevering with, however, and the extra couple of percent he needs to add will create a very useful creator, which the side rather lacks.

Koroma’s introduction added urgency and a more direct approach and Town’s ascendancy in the final quarter of an hour became pronounced. Corberán also switched things around with Turton replacing the excellent Colwill to form a back 4 and Campbell replacing Holmes and joining Ward in a rarely seen front 2.

The changes paid off with a period of pressure creating a series of set pieces, still the most likely source of goals for this side.

Ward had a fierce effort blocked following a free kick delivery and Millwall began to creak under the pressure.

Perhaps their growing discomfort allowed Jonathan Hogg to get in front of the South Londoners’ defence to divert yet another Thomas assist in to the far corner. The unlikely scorer was fantastically delighted with his winner and his performance fully deserved the accolades which would follow.

First, however, Town had just over 10 minutes to cling on to their lead and, perhaps understandably, retreated a little too deep for comfort. However, the defensive resilience of this team is well established now and despite one or two moments of concern, notably a strike by Afobe which a less lenient referee may have called handball by Toffolo, the 3 points were secured.

A typically tight Championship game, settled by fine margins, produced a decent level of entertainment by both sides with Town just about deserving the win on chances made.
5th in the table and miles away from the wrong end of the table, Town enter the winter in very good shape. 

The elevated league position feels a little flattering to the actual ability of the squad, but it is also encouraging that there is room for improvement in some areas, particularly creativity and conversion, and with a January window on the horizon, a good platform is in place.

The run of 1-1 draws between Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City in Yorkshire came to an end, at long last, at the 6th attempt.

Unfortunately, a goalless stalemate was not the sequence busting bonanza we were hoping for, but a largely uninspiring contest, refereed by another idiot, kept Town in the play off spots ahead of an exceptionally stiff challenge at the weekend.

A 3rd consecutive clean sheet strongly indicates why the Terriers continue to trouble the right end of the table, and yet another superb Lees performance, ably supported by Pearson and Colwill, not to mention Nicholls behind them, restricted Birmingham to one decent chance in the whole game. This was late on and Gardner should have scored, but headed wide from close range. 

Perhaps the late let off affected Nicholls. Minutes afterwards, he was caught by Deeney as he gathered a loose ball and then spent an age putting his boot back on, composing himself and finally taking the free kick. Around 2 or 3 minutes elapsed in this pantomime, which rather inflamed the frustrations of the home support, and when a free kick in injury time was passed backwards, this translated in to some final whistle booing which appeared harsh without context.

The Blues, struggling after a bright start to the season, defended deep and robustly, much like Hull had tried to do at the weekend, and largely kept Town at arm’s length until the appearance of Campbell threatened to deliver a win for the hosts.

Ward, despite the usual struggle with hold up play, had been competent before being replaced, but Campbell brought aggression which unsettled Birmingham and injected some momentum in to the home side. He had only been on the pitch for a minute before hitting the post with a shot on the turn from a low Thomas cross.

A speculative effort by Campbell hit the other post in injury time, but a breakthrough was not to come.

O’Brien shot narrowly wide earlier in the half, which rather disguised the fact that Ward had been flattened in the area attempting to reach a cross, though expecting this latest abysmal official to spot an offence in the area would be going too far.

If ever a game needed a goal, it was this one. Town threatened sporadically in a first half which was fragmented but far from completely unentertaining. Faced with an opponent deploying almost their whole team defensively, the home side worked some decent openings and Sinani forced another good save from an opposition keeper while Ward, in the very first minute, flicked over the bar from a marginally offside position.

Holmes’ good form continued, providing most of the energy produced by the Terriers, but both Thomas and Sinani looked mentally and physically weary and will surely be rested at Dean Court, along with the enforced absence of Colwill who picked up another rather silly booking.

A disappointing evening would have been much more palatable had one of the near misses been converted, as the previous home game showed. As it was, the only bright spot was the retina scorching advertising displays at either end of the ground which were inexplicably fired up towards the end of the game.

Still, nearly 50% of games have seen Town achieve a clean sheet, which would have been laughably unlikely in the past few seasons. These shut outs are the reason Town are not, and will not be, struggling down at the wrong end again. 

After easily his best performance since returning to Town, Duane Holmes latched on to an over cooked Thomas corner, slid past two Hull players on the edge of the box then unleashed an excellent shot in to the top corner to seal a deserved, but not entirely comfortable, win for the Terriers.

Limited but awkward, the Tigers enjoyed the majority of possession in a game more notable for inconsistent officiating than the quality of play, but came up against a resolute host deliberately drawing their opponents on to a solid defence and looking to hurt them on the break.

The adoption of a low block was possible because Town scored their earliest goal in a game this season from a rather eventful corner, which arguably shouldn’t even have occurred as the referee failed to penalise a strong challenge on a Hull player in the passage of play immediately preceding.

With Town’s artillery massed beyond the far post, an unusual ploy appeared in the offing though the chaotic events which followed had less to do with a planned set piece and more as a result of a powerfully whipped in swinger from Sinani proving too difficult for Hull’s keeper to handle. Under pressure from Ward, which looked marginal for legality, Ingram punched the ball upwards and behind him, allowing Lees to attempt to force it home from inches away, only for a block to hit him on the back of the leg and over.

Town’s game plan changed after the goal, allowing the visitors to come in to the game but while the impressive Nicholls had to make one smart save and also cut out a potentially dangerous cross, Hull’s threats were fairly limited.

Sinani, who really needs that first goal in Town’s colours, forced a very good save from Ingram as the half time whistle loomed and there were a few decent counter attacks to cheer but it was all a little mundane.

A plodding second half saw Town relinquish possession in favour of defensive shape against opposition which struggled to break down their block. The superiority of the hosts’ back 3, backed up by the confidence instilling competence of Nicholls, kept the visitors at bay, though the counter attacking which was meant to accompany the solidity was too rarely seen.

O’Brien, with his best display of the season, constantly carried the ball from the danger area and was regularly dumped to the floor by unpunished challenges. Despite giving out an early card to Colwill, rightly, for a high foot the inconsistent and regularly bewildered referee allowed far too much leeway (just minutes after Colwill’s booking, O’Brien was chopped down while breaking and a yellow card was obvious but not produced).

As the second half wore on, Town’s devotion to defending began to look a little extreme and rather tedious. While there has been a marked and welcome improvement in game management this season, such a deep block against fairly limited opposition appeared too over cautious and the prospect of a calming second goal remote.

Thankfully, Holmes capped his energetic performance with a lovely strike, unaided by a bobble this time, to put the result beyond reasonable doubt.

A professional, competent display and a sprinkling of excellent individual performances, garnered 3 welcome points without providing many thrills. Over the past few seasons, such games have invariably ended in defeat so it would be churlish to critique the win too deeply.

The keeper and back 3 performed with exemplary calm and executed a defensive strategy with aplomb. Pearson, who went off ill, was back to his best after something of a form dip in recent weeks, while Lees continues to excel. Pearson’s replacement, Naby Sarr, had a very Naby Sarr moment when he kicked fresh air and let in a Hull forward only to recover with an excellent block. 

In the middle, Hogg and O’Brien put in monumental shifts to thwart and frustrate Hull. The latter was rewarded with several unpunished clatterings to go along with his concussion in the first half when trying to finish off a Ward cross.

Holmes, operating out wide where he is significantly more effective than in the middle, was busy all afternoon and fully deserved his excellent goal.

Up front, Ward contributed a lot to forward movement though his ability to hold the ball with his back to goal remains poor. For the first half hour, he was dominated by central defenders getting to the ball before him, though when he did free himself of their attention, he showed that he can link up play to good effect.

A game to swiftly move on from, but the very welcome points pushed Town in to the play off positions, cementing a very encouraging opening quarter of the season.

A hard earned point, played against the backdrop of a biblical deluge, sees Town enter the latest international break in pretty rude health.

Desperately poor in a first half where they were bereft of craft or inspiration, Town nevertheless managed to limit a relentlessly aggressive Luton side, buoyed by their nap hand victory over Coventry in midweek, to one gold plated chance just before the much needed break.

As Bell crashed his effort against the woodwork, following excellent work by Cornick to set up the chance, it felt like a pivotal moment in a game where Town appeared to be just waiting to concede.

Despite the Hatters’ dominance, and their intensity couldn’t be criticised, their decision making largely let them down in the final act and Nicholls, who was excellent throughout, was rarely extended. In front of him, Lees put in another peerless performance and cruised through a game others found extremely challenging.

Town undoubtedly missed Hogg in a first half where they rarely advanced in to their opponents’ half with anything resembling purpose. O’Brien battled hard but was unable to exert any real influence, while Scott High looked lost in the face of Luton’s remorseless hunger for possession.

Occasionally, Town tried to loosen Luton’s grip with long balls down the channels, with virtually no success. The one time Thomas was found, he delivered a very good ball in to the isolated and anonymous Ward but the danger was mopped up quite easily by home defenders.

It was a scrap of encouragement for the sodden Town following, but did nothing to dispel the fear that their team was hanging by a few threads and massively more likely to concede than strike on the break.

In dreadful conditions, in a desperately poor arena and against an opponent high in confidence, reaching half time still level was commendable, though Bell’s miss was a huge slice of fortune, and a slender lead would have been the least Luton deserved for their unremitting superiority.

A good towelling down, possibly including a verbal one, at the break seemed to have had the desired effect as Town produced a much improved performance in the second half.

Far more composed and confident in possession, Town began to cause problems for their hitherto unperturbed hosts, particularly down the left.

O’Brien began to surge forward with far more purpose, High was far more effective and the previously anonymous Sinani began finding pockets of space for the first time.

The shift in the balance of power was evident from the kick off, with Town imposing themselves on a tiring opponent who seemed unable to maintain the intensity which had threatened to overwhelm the visitors in the first half (and would’ve undoubtedly swamped last season’s defence).

The first 15 minutes was largely played with Town on the front foot, with corners and a free kick allowing Thomas the opportunity to deliver danger in to the box. Unfortunately, his deliveries failed to trouble the Luton defence, but it was encouraging to see Town shrug off the inadequacies of the first half and operating much further up the pitch.

A curling Sinani effort whistled past the far post, and represented the Terriers’ best effort just over an hour in to the contest. A later strike had power but was straight at the keeper, and it was Sinani who was instrumental to a move which should have opened up the Hatters.

Breaking from a now fairly rare Luton attack, Sinani manufactured a position on the right with Koroma in the clear to his left. Unfortunately, the Luxembourger slightly under hit his pass and the opportunity was, frustratingly, lost.

Luton briefly reasserted themselves with a couple of corners and were handed a free kick on the edge of the box following a clumsy Sarr challenge, which they duly wasted. The hosts’ increasingly rare threats were effectively dealt with by Nicholls and the men in front of him.

Late on, Town created their best chance of the game down the left as a combination between Koroma and Holmes, on for Sinani, freed Toffolo in the box. The full back chose to shoot over the bar rather than lay the ball off to the options in the box; a poor decision.

A winner would have been more than a little harsh on Luton, but the second half turnaround would’ve been sufficient vindication had Town grabbed the 3 points.

7th place going in to the second international break, Town’s progress over the ridiculously poor standards set last season has been moderately pleasing. 

Vulnerability in the first halves of away games is a significant and problematic feature of the campaign so far (and only a slice of good fortune prevented them going behind and likely suffering defeat at Kenilworth Road), and demands resolution.

A much stronger and reliable defence should allow Corberán to build and improve upon a good start, and with notable absences likely to be fit again for a home double header which looks potentially fruitful, a strong start after England have disposed of a team of farmers is eminently achievable.

Thankfully, the delights of Luton’s barely adequate ground, which were several levels of misery worse in a relentless downpour, are behind us for another season.

As a terrific contest was reaching it’s crescendo, the much maligned substitution strategy of Huddersfield Town’s much maligned manager justified itself as the much maligned Turton found Toffolo with an excellent cross; the left back looped an assisting header for the much maligned Danny Ward to secure victory with his second goal of the game.

There has been good cause for these malignancies to become common currency amongst the Town support, but, for this evening at least, all was forgotten as a rollickingly excellent clash with an expansive Blackburn Rovers delivered 3 points and banished the sour taste of two poor defeats.

A 3-2 score line is, arguably, more redolent of entertainment in football than any other, particularly if the scoring sequence casts doubt over the result throughout. Lots of goals without being freakish, indicative of committed struggle and achievement and where the loser often leaves the pitch with credit. All of these applied on a quite special evening at the John Smith’s stadium.

After the stagnant displays of late, Town’s energised start to the game was hugely encouraging and created 3 very presentable chances. Before a minute had been clocked, Thomas put in an excellent far post cross met by Koroma who headed across for Ward. Unfortunately, the first half Ward was somewhat diminished compared to his second half performance and his attempt was skewed well wide, coming off his head as if it was thru’penny bit shaped.

Sinani wasted an even easier chance, inevitably set up for him by Thomas, in minute 2, blazing over from near range.

Though Rovers gradually gained more composure, the early momentum remained with the Terriers and a third, more complicated, chance arrived for O’Brien in the box just after the quarter hour. Toffolo capitalised on a slip by a Blackburn defender before laying the ball back to his captain. With defenders closing down space, O’Brien had to hook his foot around the ball to get his shot off. He was marginally short and saw his attempt rattle the woodwork.

It took a while for the visitors to show why they have only been beaten once this season, but their quality on the ball and ability to open up defences became evident even if their execution fell short. 

Brereton’s hard work and willingness to find space, combined with the trickery of Rothwell and Dolan more than hinted at their ability to hurt defences, but the outstanding Lees commanded a largely convincing rearguard in a first half of high entertainment as the 2 sides went toe to toe.

Just as it seemed the Lancastrians had worked their way to the upper hand, Town struck.

Koroma’s persistence saw him rob possession in the middle and his measured, very well timed ball out right was perfectly in the path of the marauding Thomas. Favouring cutting inside, the Welshman celebrated his remarkable progress from Borehamwood to the Wales squad by laying off yet another assist to Vallejo, who swept the ball past a slightly disappointing effort from the Rovers’ custodian.

It was also a fitting reward for an excellent performance from the Spaniard, whose passing and positioning was instrumental in maintaining Town’s progressive momentum.

Rovers responded immediately from the kick off and only blocks by Thomas and Lees prevented an equaliser. They also pounced on a mistake by Koroma who failed to clear with a mangled attempt at an overhead kick and Town were grateful for a good save by Nicholls from the lively Brereton, who had earlier shot just wide from outside the box.

The contrast of the first half of this game to the debacle against Forest was stark. Both sides contributed to a breathless tussle and perhaps therein lies the answer. Rovers came to win and opened up space which allowed Town’s qualities to the fore. Corberán’s dilemma is finding ways to beat the less flamboyant, who tend to pick off his style.

But this wasn’t a night to carp about the past. The second half surpassed the excellent first 45 minutes to produce a classic; even had it ended in a draw, or even a narrow defeat, Town supporters would still have been able to take home warm feelings and, after the bitterness of defeat has disappeared, it is to be hoped Rovers fans can do that.

Town began the second period on the front foot without creating the number of chances they had in the first. A powerful drive by Sinani was too close to the keeper and several promising incursions by the hosts rather faded with the final actions. The intent, however, continued to be savoured by a crowd whose faith was being restored by that intent.

On the hour, however, Town lost Vallejo to injury and the disruption was immediately felt.

The impressive Rothwell, whose own departure later through injury had a similar disrupting impact on Blackburn, picked up the ball just inside Town’s half and embarked upon a surging, quite thrilling, run past O’Brien and then Pearson before squaring for Brereton, who had a little work to do before equalising.

Town shrugged off the disappointment, regained their composure and produced the best goal of a great game. Ward, by this point playing with a natural confidence largely unseen since his return, started and finished the move. His link up play was a few percentage points up on the first half, which were adequate, and the difference was exponential.

Taking a forward pass instinctively in his stride, he fed Sinani who, in turn, released Thomas to deliver a superb cross in to the perfect area between keeper and defenders. Ward got in between the much taller central defenders and buried a perfect header past Kaminski.

Within minutes, Blackburn struck back, all be it aided by the gifting of a penalty as Sarr’s lunge was hurdled by Brereton with any contact happening after the ball had gone. In real time, the decision of a generally poor and indulgent referee was understandable however, and the Chilean from the Potteries bagged his own brace from the spot. Nicholls nearly reached it but it was firmly and very accurately slotted in to the corner.

Resilience in adversity is not a trait often associated with Corberán’s squads, or many since Wagner to be totally fair, and may have informed his decision, which seemed baffling at the time, to substitute Thomas and Koroma following 10 minutes of decent reaction to the second equaliser when Town were on top.

Koroma’s withdrawal was perhaps the more understandable. His contribution to the first goal was substantial, but his efforts afterwards rather less so. Turton for Thomas looked entirely defensive, however, and seemingly an admittance that a point would suffice. Which wasn’t entirely without merit.

Counter intuitively, and as described many paragraphs ago, Turton provided the cross from which Ward, who, again, had instigated the move, converted following Toffolo’s very deliberate set up.

After the lead, Corberán’s substitutes, including Ruffles, the 1,000th player to represent the club, helped see out a rather nervous last few minutes and the 6 of injury time which followed.

Despite the concession of 2 goals, one predicated by a flash of brilliance and the other a less than convincing penalty award, Town were largely excellent defensively. Lees was magnificent, as was Nicholls, while everyone else involved created a difficult unit to break down, which bodes well.

It was the verve of the attacking which will, rightly, be remembered, however. This was many miles away from the tentative, safe and slow play which hampers the individual qualities the squad possesses. The performance had a natural and instinctive tone and some very good displays. Blackburn’s expansiveness aided this, and they contributed hugely to a great spectacle (including 2 fabulously inept foul throws) but the confidence sapping week which preceded this still had to be overcome.

At the final whistle, Toffolo went to collect a banner from behind the goal in support of a young Town fan suffering from terrible disease, to demonstrate the support of the club for him, as the players and staff stood behind it.

It was a reminder about the nature of triumph and defeat in sport and everyone extends their support to Daz in his battle.

Town plodded to a disappointing defeat at the hands of a rejuvenated Nottingham Forest, who dealt with the extremely limited threat offered by their hosts with supreme comfort from the very first minute.

Results across the Championship in round 8 were in head scratching territory, “invincible” Fulham beaten at home by a side dismantled by Town a short time ago, crisis club Derby despatched Stoke and Blackpool went to Middlesbrough on the back of a heavy home defeat and won.

Perhaps it was the combination of an unshackled squad of professional footballers finding the freedom to achieve their potential against a complacent group who have had too much wind blown up their collective backside, but the mockery of the respective form of the contestants was bewildering.

Even before Forest’s excellent opener, Town looked sluggish and devoid of flair. Every player consistently took the safe option and soon dissolved in to a syrup of turgid possession which rarely survived contact with Forest’s defence who will struggle to have an easier 90 minutes all season.

In contrast, the East Midlanders were prepared to play on the edge of risk and none more so than Joe Lolley, restored to the starting line up by Stephen Reid, as the left side of Town’s defence succumbed far too easily.

It was no surprise when a dominant Forest took the lead with a goal of simple, direct quality. The highly regarded Brennan roasted Colwill for pace, having brushed aside attempts to stop him further up the pitch and delivered a fantastic cross met by Grabban who powered his header past a hopelessly exposed Nicholls.

Arguably, Town could point to a dubious advantage played by the referee after O’Brien was upended, they lost possession moments later allowing the counter, but that would be clutching.

The entirely deserved goal deepened the resolve of the visitors, who were able to control the game despite, and possibly because of, Town’s dominance of possession.

Keeping hold of the ball only served to bring a plethora of old problems to the surface. Allied to the numbing and desperately slow passing was a hesitancy which consistently closed up space, movement stagnated as deliberation overwhelmed instinct and intent became entirely predictable.

Ward, a surprise inclusion following his performance at Bloomfield Road (and pretty much every other one), was fortunate to see only yellow after a lunge precipitated by a typically awful first touch before the goal and again offered far too little but did, at least, have Town’s only attempt on target, a weak header straight at the keeper, of a desperately poor first half.

In an attempt to change the dynamics of a game in which they were clearly second best, Corberán opted to change to a back four, bringing on Turton for Pearson.

Theoretically, this would push Thomas up the pitch and provide better protection on the left, where Forest’s main threat emanated.

With Colwill having perhaps his least convincing performance and the proven threat of Pearson from set pieces, the personnel aspect of the change was questionable, though the tactical argument was fair enough.

Unfortunately for Carlos, the substitution proved immediately disastrous. Colwill, rather than leave a mundane ball in the box to Nicholls, chose to put the newly arrived Turton in trouble and he was promptly dispossessed. Nicholls made a decent save from the eventual shot by Yates, but Lolley was alert to possibility and capitalised on Turton’s lack of reaction to double Forest’s lead.

Within minutes of the restart, then, Corberán’s plans were in tatters, Forest’s confidence was confirmed and enhanced, and a team which had struggled to overcome a small hill in the first half were looking up at a steep mountain.

Belief, a commodity already scarce on an afternoon to forget, disappeared both on and off the pitch.

If anything, a third Forest goal looked more likely than a Town comeback but after a brief flurry the visitors sat back to comfortably soak up any pressure their hosts could muster, which proved minimal.

The much maligned Holmes came on at the hour mark and provided a little hope with an energetic performance. Sadly, his colleagues, including fellow sub Mipo, were impervious to his prompting and continued their safe and slow approach to a game clearly already lost.

Mipo is yet to make any impact whatsoever. His introduction in to the past 3 games haven’t been ideal, but he has barely touched the ball over about 50 minutes of game time. He should, of course, be given time and patience, but simply doesn’t look the answer to our central striker problems, which are deep, on the available evidence.

Towards the end of the one sided contest, Lees met a Thomas corner but put the chance wide when, it could be argued, Pearson would have converted. Turton also glanced another corner chance wide which the top scorer would have probably gobbled up.

It was unfortunate that Corberán’s decisions to try to change the game imploded almost immediately. Town have survived mundane first half performances before (indeed, this was the case just a few short days ago), but Forest’s second entirely undermined any hoped for transformation.

Mechanical, risk averse and lacking intensity, Town had a very poor afternoon but credit should be given to a thoroughly professional Forest who will surely recover from their terrible start played out under a manager who appears to have strangled them with his noted pragmatism.

The Championship though? Weird.

A pleasant late Summer evening on the west coast, directly contrasting with a grey, wet and miserable day over the Pennines, was almost as welcome as a gritty, cohesive and unified performance, enhanced by moments of genuine quality.

A highly competitive first half provided few clues to the eventual outcome, as Town doggedly matched their high octane hosts but were rarely able to impose their own personality on a game bogged down by attrition, though not short on entertainment; full blooded commitment has its own delights.

For all the considerable efforts of blue and white and tangerine shirted participants, and what a rare treat it was to see traditional kits battling it out as they did in the days of Jimmies McGill and Armfield, neither side created nearly enough to trouble the scorers. 

Following their shock victory over Fulham, Blackpool started the game with high confidence and energy with a press which caused discomfort to Town’s back 3 and beyond, notably an uncharacteristic error in possession by the returning Colwill. The home side were unable to capitalise on the mistake, and were just as unsuccessful with some hesitancy on Town’s right where a rather harshly booked Pearson was naturally tentative.

The visitors’ resilience in the face of Blackpool’s energetic pursuit of slip ups curtailed much of their attacking aspirations, particularly as, in Ward, they have a central striker largely incapable of holding up the ball. It has been noted that the proximity of colleagues doesn’t help his cause, but it is difficult to ignore his continuing lack of real impact on games, to the point that any small differences he does achieve are ridiculously magnified.

Town’s cautious play meant that 20 minutes passed before they even hinted at causing a problem for the Seasiders, with Thomas finally being released from his own half to deliver a far post cross of predictable quality, only for Toffolo to appear to be in several minds what to do with it and ended up clearing the bar with ease.

Blackpool themselves failed to create opportunities from a couple of free kicks in dangerous areas, while any aerial threat was easily dealt with, particularly by the impressive Lees, though a header in to the side netting caused a modicum of alarm and Nicholls was forced in to an instinctive save from Dougall, who latched on to a rare loose ball.

There were glimpses of creativity in Town’s attempts to probe the home defence, but these were blighted by over elaboration. With Blackpool largely crumbling in the final third too, a goalless half came to a natural conclusion though, perhaps ominously for the hosts, the last action was an effort by Sinani, growing in influence, which resulted in an awarded but not taken corner as time ran out.

While an explanation for Town’s transformation is better sought elsewhere (Cf. Chicken and Hartrick), it was clear that Koroma needed to be far more effective, Thomas needed to be utilised more offensively and opening up space more prioritised, and the reward for Corberán’s tweaks was soon in coming.

Sinani, who had grown in to the game as the first half went on, surged in to space before feeding Koroma, via O’Brien, on the edge of the box, in his favourite position. His trademark curling shot followed, beyond the despairing hands of the previously untroubled Maxwell.

After a poor display at Stoke and an underwhelming first half by the beach, it was a confidence boosting moment from last season’s most notable player and top scorer.

The rest of his performance seemed to confirm this, including a blistering run past a floundering Keogh which made for a rather stark comparison with last season. 

Keogh was rather unkindly booed by sections of the away support; while most, probably all, are relieved that he is no longer plying his trade at the heart of Town’s defence, to its considerable improvement, he couldn’t be accused of lack of effort in some quite challenging circumstances. 

Having taken the lead, Town needed to ensure they didn’t sacrifice it as easily as they did at the weekend, but promptly contrived to nearly succumb to not only the same fate, but in a similar manner by failing to pick up a man at a corner. Lavery, who was that man, thankfully got a little underneath the corner delivery and his effort landed on the top of the net.

It was a pivotal moment, not least for Sorba Thomas, who received a vicious lambasting from his captain which presumably conveyed the message that the game is not just the glory bits. In Sorba’s defence, this was a rare lapse (not picking up his man) from an inexperienced player who works hard without the ball, but a sharp reminder from a seasoned campaigner won’t go amiss.

It was a brief interruption to an increasingly dominant away performance, which was quickly followed by a second, nerve calming goal from another familiar source.

Pearson, who recovered from a nervy first half hour to fully contribute to an excellent defensive performance, met a Sinani corner to double Town’s advantage. 
That the delivery came from the Luxembourger rather than Thomas emphasised the variety now possessed by a squad which looks exponentially more equipped over last season.

The home crowd had rallied their team to a response following the opener, and their team had responded, but the second goal deflated both.

Taking control of possession, Town were increasingly sharper than their slumping opponents, who had perhaps blown themselves out with their first half intensity, and the pressing tables were turned.

On the hour, O’Brien, who was much sharper and productive throughout, pinned Blackpool’s central defender to the corner flag. In hindsight, Ekpiteta should’ve cleared earlier but instead, his clearance bounced off O’Brien in to Koroma’s path whose shot was blocked only to sit up nicely for Jonathan Hogg to finish with style.

At 3-0, the game was finished and Town easily coped with Blackpool’s increasingly tired attempts to salvage something from the game, though the hat should be tipped to Josh Bowler who created problems down the right but failed to deliver quality in to the box.

Comfortable in possession, Town could have added to their score as Blackpool’s defensive frailties emerged in the face of a far more effective attack in the second half.

Nicholls, whose presence has been a hugely significant factor in Town’s vastly improved defence, was called upon to stop a late tangerine thrust and the aforementioned Bowler hit an excellent strike tantalisingly wide, but Blackpool were well beaten in an excellent second half display by the Terriers.

It was an exceptionally hard fought win against an aggressive, well organised side who lacked the quality Town eventually brought to the contest. The lack of an effective centre forward remains an issue for the Terriers and Mipo doesn’t appear quite ready to start yet, but this squad look an entirely different proposition to the struggling group of last year.

So does their coach.

Expectations should continue to be tempered, but this was a very satisfying away win from a side with plenty of room for improvement and growth. 

Book your Wembley hotel (tongue firmly in cheek).

It may be that the international break undercut the momentum of 3 successive league wins. It certainly robbed Town of Colwill and Sinani, both deemed too fragile to appear, as Corberán left them on the bench and opted for Holmes and Sarr in their place.

Long on endeavour and short on quality or inspiration, both sides worked hard to cancel each other out for long periods with the first half bogged down with mediocrity and defensive dominance. The second 45 delivered a few moments for both but overall the contest will not live long in the memory.

With Thomas shackled and Koroma suffering a poor afternoon, Town’s threat was too predictable and sporadic, not helped by a lack of midfield thrust. To their credit, Stoke stifled the visitors’ threats to the level of futility slightly more effectively than Town did to theirs, resulting in a narrow home victory.

A bright start by the Terriers soon faded and neither side could produce a decent effort on goal. The flow of the game wasn’t helped by Town’s time wasting at dead balls, set pieces and throw ins, an unattractive trait which has a big propensity for blowback; having to chase an equaliser late on, for example.

Stoke themselves were not averse to a tactical foul or two to disrupt their opponent, and a better referee would have punished both sides earlier which may have elevated the game above the desperately mundane.

The first half may have been fascinating for tactical purists, but an extended yawn for the rest of us.

An early goal for Town in the second half promised to open up proceedings. In keeping with the overall tenor of the fixture, it was a scruffy affair with Toffolo taking advantage of a loose ball following a decent Thomas free kick delivery and, at last, a shot on target saved by the keeper’s legs.

Having broken through, the fate of the points rested on Town clinging to their lead with defensive solidity, discipline and, inevitably, more of that time wasting (which would, at least, have more of a point than in the opening twenty minutes).

Such ambition was crushed within minutes as an excellent corner found a Potter’s head, without challenge, and the home side were level.

To Town’s credit, they always strived to get on the front foot but had neither the guile or the physicality to break down the hosts’ solid organisation and looked increasingly vulnerable to the counter.

As attacks fizzled out at the business end, a rare Stoke counter saw the impressive Vrancic turn Sarr far too easily on the edge of the box and fire a ball across the danger area. Pearson, under no discernible pressure, got everything wrong and fumbled the ball in to the net to give the home side the lead.

Perhaps the own goal was karma for the Preston game, and left the visitors with a huge task to salvage a point from the encounter.

One decent effort from Thomas aside, which was just wide, they never looked like coming back. 

It certainly wasn’t for lack of effort, but Stoke were defensively excellent, epitomised by a sequence when 3 successive shots were blocked by committed home players.

The introduction of Sinani and Mipo were too late to change the course of events. The youngster barely got a touch in his ten minute cameo, though Sinani and Turton (on for Lees as Town went to a back four) created more space for Thomas on the right. When personnel allows, Thomas will surely be pushed further up the pitch.

A routine defeat away to a well organised and physical side is not a cause for concern, and few have got carried away by a short spell of good results which demanded contextual scrutiny, but it was a day to quickly forget.

A lot more evidence will be required for many to be convinced that Town have turned the corner and can deliver a season free of desperate struggle, soul sapping defeats and barely deserved survival, but an encouraging start to the season was confirmed by an emphatic home victory.

Amongst a clutch of very good performances, notably the back 3, Hogg, Sinani and Koroma, the impossibly exciting Sorba Thomas, with 2 assists and his first senior goal, stood out, yet again, on an afternoon which couldn’t have gone much better for the Terriers.

Completing a third win on the trot, Town overwhelmed a desperately poor Reading side who could barely cope with the plethora of threats carried by the hosts as Corberán could leave the early season Covid issues well and truly behind, naming a strong squad with options all across the bench.

The opening half hour saw plenty of intent from the confident Terriers, which was slightly let down in execution too often, particularly by a surprisingly unsure O’Brien, and only an excellent free kick by Sinani, which slammed against the far post caused genuine consternation for the visitors, but pressure was building.

A marvellous cross field ball by Colwill found Thomas on the right. The youngster executed a precocious flick over Yiadom, leaving the Reading right back on the floor, controlled the dropping ball with his chest before hitting a first time ball in to the area which eluded Ward and two defenders before reaching O’Brien. The sought after midfielder slotted home from close range for a deserved lead.

The promise of the first half blossomed in a second period brimming with hope as Town dismantled their hapless opponents.

Within 5 minutes, victory was all but assured as Thomas curled yet another superb free kick delivery behind the Royals’ defence for Pearson to tap in. The defender was one of a clutch of players who could have converted, such was the quality of the ball in.

Reading responded with their best spell of the game, forcing a couple of corners and free kicks but couldn’t translate it in to anything even vaguely alarming for Town’s dominant defence and assured goalkeeper.

As they pushed forward in the hope of a nerve inducing goal, the Berkshire outfit simply exposed themselves to counter attacks in to the spaces necessarily vacated and were punished twice in quick succession just after the hour mark.

First, Thomas carried the ball from just inside his own half with pace and purpose, received a little luck from an attempted challenge just outside the box, which his adventure deserved, and found a yard of space before steering his shot across the keeper for his first Town goal.

Minutes later, Koroma collected the ball in a tight spot on the left, pushed it past Reading’s right back and roasted him for pace before supplying Ward, unmarked, in the box. The rightly maligned striker neatly side stepped the exposed keeper and slotted home a much needed goal.

Ward, who upped his game to adequate levels of competency was substituted immediately but could reflect on a much improved performance. Doubts, sewn over many, many months, remain but it would be unfair not to acknowledge his contribution to a hugely satisfying team display.

The problems Corberán faced last season as injuries ravaged a thin squad, forcing him in to fielding an inexperienced and panic inducing goalkeeper, relying on ageing central defenders prone to error and an attacking force of minimal threat seem to have been largely resolved.

Nicholls provides the much improved back line with a level of assuredness and certainty, the flair on both flanks is unrecognisable from last season’s tepid efforts and while creativity in the middle and a genuine cutting edge at centre forward remains elusive, the positive improvements throughout the side overcomes those issues just enough.

Sinani offers something a little different too. He needs time to adjust to the rigours of the Championship, but the potential is real.

Much sterner tests await. A depleted and, frankly, terrible Reading offered little and their ridiculous spending seems ready to bite them badly this term but the confidence and momentum Town can take from a thoroughly entertaining and encouraging afternoon augurs well.

If, as seems more likely than not, O’Brien stays now that a sickening move down the A62 appears off, and if Mbenza can be taken off the payroll opening up the possibility of recruiting a striker or creator, Corberán should be able to guide Town to a season with far less trauma. 

And maybe better.

Bramall Lane erupted in relieved delight as Billy Sharp finally got the better of a resilient rearguard action by Huddersfield Town, scoring the Blades’ first League goal of the season and surely earning a deserved point for his side? The veteran had already given notice that his obligatory strike against the visitors was on its way with a snap volley straight at Nicholls.

Most of the Yorkshire crowd would have accepted a draw following a largely dour struggle, though the West riding contingent felt more deflated that an injury time leveller apparently prevented a second, dogged, victory of the week.

It is greatly to the Terriers’ credit that, rather than clamming up to protect their reduced reward, they won a corner and decided to deliver it rather than take all the sting out of the game with some time consuming tippy-tappy (which invariably results in a dead ball and a final assault).

Thomas’s delivery, which had been a little below par on the few opportunities he had, was far more dangerous this time and needed to be cleared. Picking up the ball, Sarr laid it sideways to Vallejo, whose pass was intended for O’Brien but landed at Toffolo’s feet. The much missed full back superbly turned his marker and laid the ball square for Colwill to convert his first professional goal and Town’s winner.

Two minutes of an otherwise forgettable game may, and perhaps should, provide the catalyst for an upturn in fortune for Town. Though still lacking much of a spark, and heavily reliant on Thomas for moments of entertainment, the shambles witnessed against Fulham has been replaced by unspectacular (to say the least) discipline.

Neither of the subsequent opponents have the quality of the favourites for the league, but the Blades can call upon 4 strikers of variety who were largely subdued as they took turns to try and break down their Yorkshire neighbours. Sarr, in particular, stood firm and, so far, is only eclipsed by Thomas as Town’s most effective individual.

Town started quite well, taking the game to their nervous hosts, fresh from a midweek battering, but the early promise fizzled out quickly and United began to dominate possession. Pushed back, the Terriers were disciplined, restricting their hosts to a spectacular but fairly harmless overhead attempt by McBurnie which Nicholls pushed away with relative ease and a free kick by Norwood straight at the well positioned keeper.

Norwood’s opportunity arose from Turton and Hogg over passing on the halfway line allowing McBurnie space to run at the defence. Turton, who needs to step up in the absence of Pipa and is too prone to error, fouled the Scottish international on the edge of the box.

Through the middle, the obvious class of Berge rather shone out despite the youngster failing to unlock Town’s defensive wall. Scares were few for the visitors but with them carrying no threat themselves, the contest rarely nudged above the mundane.

Ten years ago, the last Blades v Terriers league meeting in Sheffield featured Danny Ward. It was patently absurd that he featured again (but for his injury, Jordan Rhodes, a sub that day, would also be back on the away bench), made all the more ludicrous by his supreme ineffectiveness in the previous 2 games.

On the hour, Town made the changes which would ultimately decide the game. The invisible Ward made way for Campbell, while Toffolo replaced High. The appearance of the first choice left back allowed Town to change shape and dynamic; Ward’s anaemic display was replaced by Campbell’s energy, which may not bring the veteran many goals but causes far more difficulties for the opposition.

Suddenly, the visitors, who had survived a spell of sustained but chance free pressure, began to threaten. Koroma shot wide from a decent position and Campbell spurned 2 opportunities to shoot before being robbed of possession. But the Terriers had disrupted the one way traffic and exploited United’s nerves as a first goal continued to elude them.

It seemed inevitable that Town would score after soaking up so much pressure, and an excellent through ball by Thomas to Koroma opened up the Blades’ defence. Koroma got a shot away which was blocked by Foderingham but calmly side footed the rebound to register his first goal of the season.

Sharp’s equaliser, a goal created by his strength and instinct, and Colwill’s late winner embellished a game low on quality if high on endeavour. 

The similarities between Sheffield United’s first season back in the Championship following an awful 2nd Premier League campaign and that endured by Town are pretty obvious. Blades fans should look at our plight over the past few seasons and worry.

For the Terriers, this week may or may not prove pivotal to their fortunes. Other than brief spells towards the end of each game, performances have been poor, if determined, but the return of Toffolo augurs well for the options Corberán now has for his team.

No doubt this cautious optimism will come crashing down at some point, sooner rather than later perhaps, but to take 7 points from a quartet of fixtures where we have played well for just short periods, and this is being charitable, is encouraging.

Low on confidence, bereft of quality and hit by illness in the squad which forced a late change at the back as well as a blessed substitution at half time, Huddersfield Town snaffled 3 welcome but thoroughly undeserved points on a night of relentlessly turgid football.

Preston, early prime candidates for relegation alongside their woeful hosts, spurned two reasonable chances in a first half as rancid as any seen over the past few years of interminable struggle, while Town’s inability to cause even a modicum of threat put an intermittently restless crowd in to a stupor.

Fear of losing hung heavy in the air throughout the opening half, with transition seemingly beyond the Terriers. Up front, Koroma was pushed forward to make a two with the wretched Ward, though he spent most of his time occupying Thomas’s space and blunting the almost non existent threat the team carried so ponderously. 

Turton, presumably, was supposed to be the right sided wing back, yet forays forward were rare and invariably fruitless.

In midfield, glimpses of O’Brien’s ability to surge forward belied the price Leeds are reportedly ready to pay for him while the dynamism shown on Saturday by Scott High was entirely absent as the youngster drifted in to deep, unthreatening positions on the right far too often.

Hogg’s worryingly pedestrian start to the season continued, with his efforts subdued by a, perhaps forgivable, emphasis on protecting his defenders.

Ward, who was withdrawn at half time with illness, managed to match his now infamous lack of contribution against Fulham with an appearance of staggering pointlessness.

Guilty of giving away possession, wandering without intent and barely competing in the air, if he has transmitted any infection it will be the first time he has passed anything to a team mate in two halves of football.

On the positive side, it was a relief to welcome some competence in between the posts as Nicholls made his league debut, though he didn’t have a huge workload in the first half, while Sarr made an important block on the line to prevent Evans converting the best chance of the game and dominated in the air in the box.

Sarr also came to the rescue when his young colleague, Colwill, lost the ball in a dangerous area with a slip.

Other than the occasional foray down the left by Thomas, when his path wasn’t blocked by Koroma, Town’s impotence didn’t even extend to shooting blanks. It wasn’t just that they failed to register a shot on target, they barely mustered an effort worthy of note.

Ward’s ineptitude may charitably be attributed to his reported illness and his withdrawal at half time handed his manager something of an undeserved gift as Campbell’s energy and sometimes misplaced enthusiasm gave Preston far more to think about.

Not that his colleagues took the cue. Leaden footed, slow to pass and with far too many desperately mundane performances, Town struggled to find any cohesion and a goalless evening beckoned. 

Their opponents, who displayed more competence and basic technique, were nevertheless rather predictable and rarely tested the home defence beyond the occasional panic redolent of the Terriers for so long.

O’Brien’s possibly final appearance for Town ended with his substitution by Holmes. Tame as the likely final hurrah had been, he leaves with good wishes, even if the promotion to a Premier League bench seems rather premature. 

Putting aside his shambolic display on Saturday, Holmes offered something a little different to the plodding efforts up to his arrival, and, for the first time, Town offered a little more going forward (though showing less would have been impossible). He was, at least, willing to try to join up with the isolated attackers and his run forward which resulted in the winning goal was to be applauded, if not the attempt at execution.

Fed by Koroma, the American’s first touch in the box eluded him but not the sliding feet of Van Den Berg who pushed the ball past the previously unemployed Iversen.

It was entirely fitting that this entertainment free game was settled in such a manner.

To be fair to Town, the lead seemed to spark some life and confidence in to them and the exciting Thomas, the one offensive bright spark, nearly killed the contest with a curling shot against the post following another incisive run.

Koroma should have buried North End late on when freed by the hard working Campbell but screwed his shot wide, preserving Town’s proud record of no shots on target despite collecting maximum points.

The desperate visitors were unable to conjure any guile against a now deep defensive wall, though their one dimensional play did force an error from Nicholls who came out too far to flap at a ball which would’ve been dealt with. The subsequent mêlée saw the otherwise peerless Sarr smash an attempted clearance against Turton. Thankfully, the ball looped in to Nicholls’ arms.

To the disappointment of few, all Lancastrian, the referee called time on a contest between two clubs more than likely to be struggling throughout the season.

As it is, however, Town’s good fortune saw them climb to 16th in the table, out of the play off positions on goal difference. On this performance, this will be the closest they ever get to such a position and nobody leaving the ground was fooled.

Nicholls, Sarr and Thomas produced acceptable performances amidst the crud and the introduction of a fit Pipa and Toffolo in to the side could make a huge difference but the confusing tactics, the ever present threat of comedy goals against and the inevitability of far superior opposition than Preston remain foreboding.

Recruitment with the O’Brien money, if allowed, is key. At least 5 of the team put out should be the nucleus of a reasonable bench, which will only be possible if higher quality and proven players arrive, and quickly.

Bramall Lane will be a test of much higher magnitude; it is to be hoped that this inglorious victory will inspire some confidence to meet that challenge.

There are mitigations, but it is an enormously charitable stretch to believe that a catastrophic home defeat is anything other than portentous for another season of dire struggle.

Missing 4 senior players takes its toll, though one, possibly two, of them will be sold in this window anyway and the shallowness of the squad being exposed so early is desperately worrying. 

The enforced absence of Nicholls once again threw Schofield to the lions. Nervous and shredded of confidence, it is now borderline cruelty to play him and with the first choice almost certainly out of Tuesday’s game, Bilokapic should step up. This is a depressing solution which may harm another youngster, but the constant refusal to accept that Ryan Schofield simply isn’t close to being Championship standard has delivered yet another avoidable crisis.

Fulham will undoubtedly challenge for the Championship title this season, but the level of comfort they enjoyed for large swathes of a ludicrously one sided contest was a tactical embarrassment for Corberán, whose position is surely under severe scrutiny. Home supporters were treated to the young coach’s frantic touchline extortions for the first time in the flesh and, coupled with his Bielsa tribute act, which seems to consist entirely of aping his seating arrangement, few could have been impressed.

A crazy first ten minutes sealed Town’s fate. After an early chance for the visitors was saved by Schofield, the Terriers were denied the lead by a linesman’s flag which was baffling to everyone but the official. The corner had been won by Holmes who forced a save following a lay back by Thomas. 

Ward shot in to the side netting following a promising move, but amateur hour was just around the corner.

Thomas, who had delivered an excellent corner for the disallowed Pearson effort, inexplicably volleyed a back pass from the half way line towards Schofield. The ball appeared to be well over the dead ball line as the much maligned keeper tried to control it on his chest and then saw his, frankly ridiculous, attempt at a clearance hit Mitrovic and in to the net.

The outlandish comedy of errors surrounding the opener seemed to paralyse the home team and Fulham dominated all areas of the pitch and imposed their obvious superiority. A full half hour of struggle followed as Fulham pushed past their opponents with alarming ease. Hogg, Holmes and Vallejo were reduced to rubble as their ponderous attempts to gain even a tiny amount of control utterly failed.

A routine save from Mitrovic, who should have buried the chance, was followed by the same player heading past Schofield only to be called offside. Wilson missed a sitter as the visitors’ grip on the game became overwhelming.

For the second week in a row, Town were finally breached on the back post following a corner. It was the least the Londoners deserved and there looked no way back for the demoralised hosts.

Out of the blue, however, and with just 5 minutes until the sanctuary of half time, Town halved the deficit as Pearson met another Thomas corner delivery. If the Terriers could professionally see out the rest of the half, a glimmer of hope could be embraced.

It was extinguished within 2 minutes when Holmes lost possession following a throw in and Fulham burst forward. Turton and Koroma allowed Decordova-Reid to advance in to the area and provide Carvalho with an easy chance and the two goal cushion was restored.

Town had thrown away a barely deserved foothold in the game with rank amateurism and left the pitch to understandable jeers of a crowd seeing their return to the stadium ruined by the ineptitude so familiar from home viewing.

Campbell replaced the ineffective Ward at half time while Vallejo was chosen, presumably by lots, to be sacrificed and High came on. Corberán could have hooked any of the 3 midfielders, and it was a little surprising that Holmes and Hogg, both of whom had shockers, were left on.

High added some energy to the docile Terriers, and for a time a level of competency threatened to break out. It was short lived and while Koroma finally made Gazzaniga in the Fulham goal make an easy save, it wasn’t long before the visitors regained control, with Wilson hitting the bar after Schofield parried the ball in the Welsh international’s path.

Wilson was sent off for a retaliatory kick on Colwill after the Chelsea loanee had fouled him.

Seasoned Town supporters know that the opposition going down to ten men is rarely a cause for optimism, and it proved to be entirely meaningless again. Trying to push forward, Town were caught square by a superbly weighted pass for Cavaleiro, who had the easy chance to beat Schofield for Fulham’s 4th after destroying Pearson for pace.

The final humiliation came just before the curtain came down on yet another heavy, punishing defeat under Corberán, with Cavaleiro easily avoiding the attention of Pearson to give the score line an entirely accurate representation of the game.

With the exception of Colwill, whose ease on the ball puts his massively more experienced colleagues to shame, the summer recruitment programme, which aimed to add depth to Town’s elderly and creaking defence of 2019/20, lay shattered and broken by the end. 

Ripped asunder by a vastly superior opponent, it may prove to be a simple mismatch of resources, but the nature of the defeat was deeply demoralising, and witnessing it live brought the club’s travails stretching back to early 2018 in to bleak focus.

Poor recruitment, a coach who tries to impose a style of play well beyond the resources at his disposal and a hierarchy grappling with the problems left behind by the former benefactor add up to yet another season of struggle. 

Serving up a supine, error ridden display with virtually no redeeming qualities in front of their first live home crowd was disastrous; the suspicions of those not already convinced that a desolate future seems inevitable were starkly brought to the fore, making redemption even more difficult to achieve.

It was unfortunate to have to play a weakened team against a relegated Premier League squad likely to bounce back, but Town were incapable of meeting any of the challenges such a fixture brings and the reasons for that failure are far more complex and deep seated than economic disparity.

Fulham, cheered on by a disappointing number of followers, effortlessly negotiated an easy game and though they would be wise not to over estimate the value of this victory given the shambolic opponent, look well equipped to go straight back up again.

By the time they drop back down, the chances of them making another trip to Huddersfield look slim.

In the end, Wayne Rooney was able to name an experienced first eleven after a week of drama as his boss tried to navigate around the sanctions he himself has brought upon the Rams, and the delusional predictions of an easy task for the Terriers predictably evaporated.

Town’s own, more short term, difficulties arose in the run up to the game and stripped them of a goalkeeper, two left backs and their most valuable asset (also a sometime, if misjudged, left back). With Corberán also isolating, the disruption was complete.

Defensively, Town look far more capable of overcoming injury and suspension this season, though that is a particularly low bar to clear, and the adoption of a back 3 in some games had been predicted, if not for the opener. With Turton on the right being significantly more defensive minded than Pipa, risks were reduced somewhat but at the expense of threat.

An ill prepared but experienced home side was pitched against a well prepared but disrupted visiting team and the eventual sharing of points was a fair outcome in a game lacking quality in most areas, but not effort. 

The fact that Derby didn’t visibly tire as the game wore on was admirable given their horrible circumstances and, indeed, they could have claimed all 3 points had Schofield not made up for a poor decision parrying a low cross in to a dangerous area with a good save from Sibley.

Minutes before that heart in mouth moment, substitute Campbell fired an excellent chance too close to Roos with Town looking increasingly more likely to grab a win.

The introduction of Campbell and Koroma introduced a better dynamic than the partnership of Ward and Rhodes. Neither of the original front two played badly but they lacked chemistry and produced little in the way of threat.

A disappointing first half, as the sides weighed each other up, was only brightened by Sorba Thomas’s vibrant and fearless efforts. None of his substitute appearances last season suggested the vertiginous raising of his levels he is showing, despite the obvious enthusiasm he displayed.

Somehow, Corberán needs to find a way of accommodating both Thomas and Koroma – the latter looked nearer to his own high standards when he came on than in his disappointing display at Hillsborough last Sunday.

Derby opened the scoring rather out of the blue, though an uncharacteristic error by Pearson had nearly let the home side in just before the half hour with Schofield doing well to close down the threat and the Rams had a brief period of ascendancy before their opener.

Giving away a corner following good work from Lawrence, the ball should either have been headed away by Holmes defending the near post or left to Schofield who came to claim it only to be thwarted by the ex-Derby man’s unintended flick on which flew to the back post. A combination of Curtis Davies and Levi Colwill bundled the ball over the line.

Encouragingly, Town were level by the break as the impressive Thomas delivered a superb ball in to the box from a free kick (he had delivered another to Rhodes minutes before which the striker didn’t quite connect with and the glance went wide). This one was met, unchallenged, by the towering Sarr and momentum switched back to the visitors for the second half.

Even before the half time whistle blew, High drew a good save from Roos and the subsequent corner should have caused more danger following another Rhodes flick.

A more interesting second half followed, with Town largely on the front foot but Derby looking dangerous on the break. The visitors played too slowly on the whole, though the penetration provided by Thomas was enhanced by the arrival of Koroma who carried threat down the right and Town began to look the more potent.

A corner resulting from another passage of attacking play found Pearson unmarked and the defender should have buried the chance rather than head over. Thomas, of course, had put the opportunity on Pearson’s head.

The outstanding player of the game then set Campbell free for another gilt edged opportunity but his shot was too close to Roos and, at that moment, it felt that the visitors’ chances of a winning start to the campaign had gone.

That final lapse and redemption by Schofield ensured that a positive, if slightly disappointing, result was achieved.

Playing their first competitive game ahead of the new season was sensible preparation, only to be ruined by the COVID problems, while the circumstances of their opponents, which will bite later in the season, added up to a game where conclusions are difficult to draw. 

The anticipointment (yes, this is a word!) which usually accompanies the first game was absent, though the joy of both sets of fans to be present was not.

Stiffer challenges await, particularly in the next 5 games, but the emergence of Thomas as a talent of great potential will be fascinating to witness. Goals look as scarce as ever, but a Thomas/Koroma combination may provide the ammunition up front to keep Town clear of trouble, if the former can maintain his progress and the latter can adapt to playing down the right.

Defensively, Town look more secure, though they need a calmer influence behind them than Schofield. Nicholls needs to be restored against Fulham, if his circumstances permit.

A strange opening day, then, but life apparently returning back to normal is to be celebrated. It felt good.

The sights and sounds of a ritual paused for 513 days unfurled as, at last, a crowd descended on Hillsborough for a Yorkshire derby in a cup disrespected and abused for so long by the visitors. Not today.

Cars seeking out parking spaces around the venerable, yet haunted, South Yorkshire stadium, a waft of fried onions from a van from the outer edges of the street food fad, the anticipation on faces young and old with the latter wearied by experience but still clinging to hope, programme sellers doing brisk trade, lines clutching tickets for a game which would normally just attract the obsessed. Even concourse culture seemed acceptable (for now).

The welcome, if endlessly frustrating, distraction provided by iFollow through the long months of crisis was replaced by the real thing. 

Around 2,000 Town fans packed the upper tier of the Leppings Lane end and proceeded to be as loud, crude and (occasionally) funny as ever. 

It wasn’t difficult for either set of fans to single out a villain, with Jack Hunt’s parentage regularly questioned by the visiting support (much to the amusement of his former team mate, Ward, at one point), while Rhodes taking the first penalty of the shoot out which decided the affair rightly infuriated Owls’ fans who remember him conspicuously ducking out of the rather more important one in 2017.

The individual targeting Barry Bannan, for reasons known only to himself, provided more idiosyncratic amusement.

Who knows what disruptions lay ahead but, for now, let’s rejoice that, however disconcerting the return to old norms was for some, perhaps many, the long awaited event actually took place. Town reached the 2nd round of the League Cup.

Despite their travails, Wednesday provided tough opposition, literally and figuratively, though their threat was largely absent as Town controlled and dominated an entertaining first half long on the visitors’ possession but rather short on end product.

Scott High, who impressed again, forced a decent save from Bailey-Peacock and two other chances were created by effective pressing to force less demanding stops.

Defensively, Town coped comfortably with Wednesday. 

Colwill’s clash with Paterson was excellent experience for a young player with undoubted class in possession but still developing to meet the demands of facing aggressive centre forwards. Alongside him, and one unpunished error aside, Pearson provided strength and know how. 

A better team than Wednesday would have exploited Toffolo’s high position far more effectively as Town left too much space behind him at times, though Turton concentrated more on defence on the other side, providing a third central defensive presence when Toffolo was bypassed.

O’Brien, watched by Bielsa’s from the stands, was outstanding throughout. Last season’s poor preparation through injury and enforced positional changes diminished his obvious ability but, sadly, it looks likely that Leeds will benefit from the stable pre season he has enjoyed, if they are prepared to meet Town’s high price.

Up front, Ward looked sharper and fitter than at any time during his return and had some lovely touches but only one half chance late on when a shot on the turn was never going to bypass the number of bodies between him and goal. Encouraging though.

In contrast, Koroma was a little flat and not quite up to speed and his replacement, Thomas, continued his good form in pre-season with an eye catching cameo only slightly tainted by missing a good opportunity when put clear by High, though Bannon’s recovery and tackle was excellent.

Holmes provided some good balls through to front positions though carelessness in passing at times could’ve been costly.

Other than a ten minute spell in the second half, which brought one decent save from Nicholls, Town were largely on the front foot and regularly tested the Owls’ resilience. It will have encouraged Moore to see his side stand up to the pressure, though Rhodes, on as a substitute in place of Ward, found space in the area twice and should have won the tie for the Terriers.

His first header would have been routinely saved, but Hutchinson intervened unnecessarily and was relieved to see his sliced clearance loop over the bar. The second, however, was a golden opportunity provided by Thomas with an excellent cross. Rhodes’ disappointment was clearly evident, though this didn’t affect his composure in the shoot out.

It barely needs stating that Town won the penalty competition; the success over the years is nothing short of remarkable and this one was achieved with no German influence (unless Hefele’s presence inspired).

Every penalty was a good one with Wednesday’s keeper standing no chance with any of them. In contrast, Nicholls saved two meaning that the full complement of spot kicks were unnecessary. The chanting of a certain Argentinian’s name, which will surely accompany every Owls/Terriers clash down the decades, twisted the knife.

Despite failing to score, rather emphasising the fear that the defensive strengthening may be undermined by the lack of goals in the squad, the performance provided some hope for the season ahead and bringing  the tie forward a very useful innovation for both clubs.

For the many who have waited so long to witness professional football in a stadium again, the event was always going to be bigger than the result. Let’s hope the recovery doesn’t stall; the near normalcy was hugely welcome and refreshing.

Now on to the season proper….

3 years ago, Town players’ celebrations of a 1-1 draw down South were so epic, they made the pages of the Daily Mail. The hangover persists.

There are very few straws to be clutched after a hugely disappointing season which ended with a typically bloodless exercise in completion, but at least the point gained by a very late Edmonds-Green equaliser at Reading meant the campaign wrapped up with Town avoiding defeat.

The game itself featured a fine free kick by Koroma which gave Town the lead, a very promising full league debut by Scott High, a soft penalty given against the visitors and one denied Vallejo who had run half the pitch before being clipped then, ludicrously, booked, some poor defending for Reading’s second, a mixed bag of performances and Lewis O’Brien, yet again, at bloody left back.

It wasn’t the worst dead rubber game ever played, but the drama elsewhere was an easy distraction. Relief that Town were not involved in the nerve jangling horror as 3 sides jostled for the one survival place on offer was tinged with the fear and, for many, expectation, that it was simply being postponed for 12 months.

Occasional injections of energy by both sides provided some lift, but the lack of tension or peril was never far beneath the surface and tedious stretches of slow, unadventurous play were a regular reminder of the game’s fundamental banality.

Recently crowned player of the year, Jonathan Hogg, put in a curious performance with errors which led to the penalty and Schofield bailing him out with two good saves. In contrast, Vallejo played with a calm authority and signing him should be a priority in a summer crammed with priorities.

Koroma’s happy knack of scoring regularly is also key if Town are to progress away from flirting with relegation year after year. His free kick, which he curled in to the top corner to give Town the lead was a thing of beauty. High had hit the post moments before and was later to press very successfully, robbing a dawdling defender, before skying over the bar.

As ever, Town’s main problems were defensive. Hogg’s indiscretions were the main issue, though the penalty he conceded was harsh and coming just a few minutes after the opener, prevented the visitors gaining momentum and control.

Just before the half hour, Town were behind. Schofield made a good save to spare his captain’s blushes but the subsequent corner resulted in a deep cross which was met, unchallenged, by Meite who looped his header over Schofield and in at the far post. 

If the first 30 minutes had been relatively bright in the circumstances, the final hour of the season rarely bothered to pretend to be little more than an exhausted stroll to a finishing line yearned for by both clubs. Reading, whose stellar start to the season seemed certain to see them in the top 6, have collapsed in the past few months despite some genuine talent in their ranks and a pretty eye watering wages to turnover ratio.

For long periods of a dull second half, the hosts enjoyed swathes of possession while Town sat back and soaked up largely ineffective pressure. The appearance of Joao, who had destroyed them in the home game, was ominous but the Portuguese’s impact was restricted to a glancing header from a corner which flashed wide.

As the game drearily trundled on, Town began to show some flickering signs of life and finally ventured in to the final third with a faint, but noticeable, sense of purpose. It was no coincidence that Eiting had come on to the pitch, adding some desperately needed guile. Another substitute, Thomas, added some much needed purpose down the right which had been entirely barren while Aarons, who was woeful, had been there.

Vallejo’s long run from the halfway line to the box ended with the Spaniard being clipped, felled and then booked for non existent simulation. Town’s record from the measly 3 penalties awarded to them through the season suggested that even with an award, an equaliser was far from guaranteed.

The new found enthusiasm to chase a point included the appearance of Schofield in the area for a corner. Would that the club had shown as much urgency in 2021 rather than leave it until the final moments.

In the end, Town levelled through a clever ball played by yet another substitute, Bacuna, to yet another substitute, Edmonds-Green whose shot rather went through the Reading keeper. The influence of all these replacements cast something of a shadow over the team picked to start; Hogg owes nothing to the club and can be forgiven a dip in performance but Aarons and Holmes have a lot to prove. At least the latter works hard and energetically.

Falling short of the hastily adjusted target of 50 points, and miles away from the mid table progression which preceded the new objective, it is difficult to over state the size of the challenges ahead of the club. 

Patience and goodwill has all but expired, the promising first 4 or 5 months of Corberán’s tenure is buried beneath persistently puzzling tactics and repeated errors and there is little trust that recruitment will deliver the necessary transformation of a club steeped in disappointment and defeat.

With many departures expected, some tinged with sadness and many others with complete indifference, the opportunity is to rebuild, regain trust and create a new mentality. We can only sit back and see if the club is up to the job. If they are not, and the evidence doesn’t favour optimism, a much tougher Championship next season looks daunting.

There has been precious little to enjoy since Christmas and while it would be churlish not to acknowledge the injury difficulties which stripped an inexperienced coach of very important players, the worst defensive record in the division cannot simply be shrugged off. Horrendous capitulations at Norwich, Bournemouth and Blackburn did not have common causes; deliberately weakening the side on the south coast, overwhelmed by quality with little fight in Norfolk and a tactical disaster at Ewood Park suggest far deeper issues.

Yet another reset beckons, then, and the success of that will determine wether this horrible slog of a season can be consigned to history or be seen as a continuation of a long term and vertiginous decline. 

Have a great summer, and thanks for reading.

The collective paranoia surrounding that day in 2001 which condemned Town to relegation as an improbable series of results improbably happened casts a pall which refuses to clear 20 years later.

The victory at Forest a couple of weeks ago effectively confirmed Town’s championship status, logically if not mathematically, but the refusal to cement their position with supine performances since has simply added significant, perhaps immutable, pressure on a coach who fails to convince and a hierarchy labouring under a cloud of distrust.

It was fitting that the final point needed to scramble over the line was undeserved. The fundamental issues which have afflicted the club since the turn of the year were on full display, not least self inflicted defensive frailty which Coventry failed to translate in to a handsome victory.

From day one, with Stearman’s back pass handing Norwich victory, this season has been defined by defensive negligence leading to a shameful goals against record; more boobs than Razzle.

Yesterday’s culprit was Toffolo, who, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, decided that he could escape the attentions of 3 Sky Blues players without exposing the rest of the defence. His options were, admittedly, limited though one of them included clearing the ball away from danger which seemed the obvious choice to make.

In fairness to the left back, his poor decision making was punished, unlike the multiple attempts made by his colleagues to hand Mark Robins a victorious return to the scene of possibly the worst day of his managerial career. Town’s defending probably gave him flashbacks to that opening day drubbing by Bournemouth.

An evenly dull first half featuring two weak efforts by the home team and a fairly obvious penalty denied to the visitors when Keogh stopped a shot with his arm, was categorised as acceptable by Corberán post match, presumably on the basis that his team enjoyed decent levels of largely unproductive and painfully slow possession.

To be fair to Carlos, there wasn’t a great deal wrong with the left hand side of his team, the defence managed to navigate 40 odd minutes without handing chances on a plate to the opposition and Sanago proved once again that he isn’t a bad target man at times. Sadly, and remember that this was the coach’s choice, he completely exposed Rowe on the right hand side and received a quite dreadful performance in return. 

Compounding the decision to play him out of position, something of a Corberán feature, he paired him with Bacuna whose rare moments of brilliance never balance his lack of care, appalling decision making and staggering self indulgence.

The much maligned Holmes, who really needs to be taken off dead ball duties, including the increasingly ludicrous long throw which invariably falls short and never creates threat, did his best to spark life down the right but it was a losing battle.

Koroma, put through by O’Brien, should have produced a much better effort than the one easily saved and Keogh managed to completely miss the ball when presented with the best chance of the half, but Town’s lack of penetration on the rare occasion their approach play looked threatening epitomised a largely unremarkable first half. Comfort could be taken from the referee’s poor decision on the hand ball claim; at least they went to the break level.

Perhaps news that our hapless relegation rivals were again struggling to start to put together a sequence of wins which would have defied all logic, injected the carefree and apathetic attitude to fairly basic disciplines which allowed the visitors to dominate the first 20 minutes after the break.

Presented with a succession of chances as a more intensive press elicited all the usual errors, misjudgements and carelessness which has dogged this collection of players since Christmas, Coventry contrived to make hard work of putting their opponents to the sword.

Schofield, who endured a horror show at Ewood, made two excellent saves to keep Town in the game only for his colleagues to completely fail to sharpen up. 

Rowe’s nightmare afternoon came to an end after yet another error – how he re-emerged from the dressing room was puzzling unless he was going to be switched out left – only for Pipa, his replacement, to put Coventry through on goal with an errant pass shortly after his arrival.

Coventry were finally rewarded for their dominance when Toffolo’s ill advised slalom in to a brick wall released Shipley whose deflected shot wrong footed Schofield.

It would have been fitting for Town’s survival to be further tainted by a predictably ignominious home defeat, but Coventry managed to deliver a thoroughly undeserved equaliser for their hosts. 

An Eiting corner was fumbled by the keeper and half cleared by a defender to Ward who finally notched a goal after a quite horrible return to the club which has been blighted by injury and ineffectiveness. It was well taken.

In the end, the 47 points gained following the Forest victory was enough and the halcyon days of Autumn 2020 had delivered the points needed to slightly out perform two low budget opponents and two clubs clearly in financial crisis. It is no cause whatsoever for even the slightest celebration.

Support for Carlos’s continued employment is sketchy and perhaps founded on mistrust that Phil and Mark could make the right decision on a successor. The promise shown in the early months is also to his credit, though his tactics, selections and in game changes since have been puzzling to say the least.

It is difficult to view Town’s current trajectory as anything but downward (few would express any confidence that next season will be anything other than another grim relegation battle) and it demands a huge stretch of credulity to believe a turnaround in fortunes is just one summer away.

With just the festival of schadenfreude represented by the Derby/Wednesday death match to look forward to, a miserable season can be put to bed and not spoken of again. It seems unlikely that many will be tuning in to the meagre offering on show in Reading next Saturday, though it is the type of game Ward revels in so witnessing another pointless hat trick may be a draw.

Let’s see if Carlos survives the week (likely).

Despite a seismically disastrous performance at Ewood Park, which should, but probably won’t, send shockwaves through the club, Huddersfield Town’s survival chances were boosted, yet again, by results elsewhere.

Few care. The assumption, and one which is far more believable than the opposite, is that another relegation battle looms next season and relying on others’ failings to cover your own is just skating on paper thin ice.

A thoroughly unprofessional display, riven with basic individual errors and a total absence of collective spirit handed Blackburn a victory which should have challenged the Norwich debacle in severity. Even the most partisan Rovers supporter would not claim they are anywhere near the level of the Champions elect, rendering this result even worse than that horrible night in Norfolk.

The victory at Forest last week created the gap which will likely secure Championship status but had the home side in that game capitalised on Town’s nervous first 20 minutes, as they surely should have, defeat was extremely likely. Blackburn showed no such mercy.

With Toffolo, Pipa, Eiting and Koroma in the starting line up, Town were, on paper, at their strongest for months. Proper full backs, invention in the middle and increased threat up front, the scene was set for the collection of at least a point with 3 not far from the minds of the optimists among us.

The opening minutes held no clue to the disgrace to follow as Town saw two shots blocked in a reasonably bright start. Jonathan Hogg, of all people, began the rapid descent to farce just minutes later, losing possession in a dangerous area.

Schofield was called in to action early to repel Brereton effort after the big forward had been played in far too easily down Blackburn’s right. The subsequent corner was aimed at the young keeper who inexplicably flapped at the ball with an attempted punch which, even with the benefit of replays, remains entirely inexplicable. Adam Armstrong had the easy task of reacting more quickly than the dozing Bacuna and headed the hosts in to the lead.

Professionalism, composure and even the most basic levels of skill deserted the visitors and calamities ensued.

Naby Sarr seemed congenitally unable to make simple passes forward, Keogh suddenly imagined himself as a combination of Beckenbaur and Berasi and Bacuna played the role of, well, Bacuna.

There were other culprits; neither Toffolo nor Pipa seemed comfortable, Hogg’s influence was limited and often wayward while O’Brien failed to drive forward effectively.

Keogh’s faux pas, an attempt to cleverly extricate himself from a poor situation entirely of his own dithering making, was as comical as it was hugely negligent. Blackburn failed to capitalise, letting the veteran off the hook. 

Minutes later, and with Pipa missing in action, Keogh barely reacted to a wide open right flank and Sam Gallagher strode forward, picked out Brereton, Toffolo slipped and Rovers were 2 up.

Armstrong should have put the game to bed when played in following another raid down Town’s exposed right but fell over the ball. The visitors were collapsing and oozing mistakes all over the pitch.

Incredibly, after 45 minutes of an execrable, shapeless and error strewn clown show, Town, or more accurately, Koroma, grasped a lifeline. Somehow, Eiting turned a rushed and typically poor ball forward by Hogg in to threat by feeding the wide man who twisted opponents in the box before delivering a dangerous cross. Nyambe beat O’Brien to the ball and turned it in to his own net.

Entirely undeserved, a late goal before half time was a gift for the hitherto pitiable visitors and, as they have found to their own cost this season (hello, Wycombe), provides momentum and hope for the second half.

A period of decent possession, entirely devoid of penetration, offered a glimmer of hope that, for once, a Corberán team could show the character to come from behind.

A glimmer which was extinguished at the feet of the truly woeful Sarr who squandered possession as he dithered, managed to concede a throw in and then entirely ignored the fact that  Brereton was on the move behind him in to yet another vast expanse of space. A quick ball inside to Armstrong finished the weakest revival since Cats, the movie.

The collapse over the next 7 minutes was both remarkable and entirely predictable as Town’s weakness and lack of character was ruthlessly exposed by a Rovers side barely believing their luck at facing an opponent who persisted in playing to the strengths of their opposition.

Yet another attempt to play out from the back ended in disaster for the fourth goal. Keogh’s under hit ball found Armstrong who had the simple task of squaring to Gallagher who beat Schofield far too easily. The young keeper’s afternoon, already a disaster, was capped by pushing the ball in to the top of his own net.

On the hour, demoralised and bereft of ideas or fight, Town conceded a fifth in a typically lazy and disorganised manner as Armstrong was presented with an easy chance to complete his hat trick.

And there, dear reader, the report on this shambles ends. Unable to stomach another half hour, sun and ale called.

Corberán’s position is now looking increasingly untenable. The persistence with a style of play clearly beyond the ability of his players, particularly in central defence, while still uncertain of survival, was bad enough. To attempt a high defensive line against Rovers’ counter attacking ability – the single reason for their good start to the season and the denial of which by any coach with eyes and football intelligence their demise – was negligent. 

Sacking the coach would barely raise a protest from a support now thoroughly disenchanted support, but begs the question who would be willing or able to work at a club which simply cannot reverse the dire fortunes of the past 3 years.

The Pyrrhic victory of survival now has little, if any, value. Hoping for at least three clubs to be more catastrophic than our own is a malignancy we hoped was banished in the brief, brilliant period of success. The fact that it is back with a vengeance, last season and this, is a damning indictment of the whole management and structure of the club.

The descent appears inevitable.

Barnsley’s barnstorming assault on the play offs, which suffered a pause at Coventry at the weekend, was back on track with an emphatic victory over a Huddersfield Town side which failed to resist the Tykes’ relentlessness. Though only a single goal separated the sides at the end, there were stark differences in application, organisation and tactical nous. 

Town’s own victory at Forest coupled with the failings of rivals leaves just enough breathing space to avoid the drop barring remarkable transformation in form by 2 of those below them. This may have influenced the decision to rest both full backs, Pipa and Toffolo, which fatally weakened the home side facing an ultra aggressive opponent well equipped to exploit any fragilities. 

With Campbell unavailable through injury and Vallejo still suffering the affects of concussion, Corberán adopted a 3-5-2 formation with Sanogo paired with the returning Koroma, making a very welcome return to action. Eiting also returned on the bench and a very different line up is to be expected at Ewood Park which was clearly seen as a better prospect for points than this Yorkshire derby.

A fairly even first half of low quality but high endeavour resulted in few opportunities for either side. Barnsley contained Town’s attempted attacks with some comfort and, up to injury time, mustered a couple of weak efforts easily saved by Schofield.

However, as the extended time began, Mowatt wasted an excellent chance following good work down the left which opened Town up for the first time.

For Town, a bright start by Sanogo, who used his physical presence well, brought Rowe and Koroma in to play but his influence faded after the first 15 minutes and the home side’s already sporadic threat disappeared.

If the first half stalemate had raised hopes that Town could contain Barnsley’s intensity and will to win, allowing them to collect a valuable if completely uninspiring point, they were quickly disabused in a second half dominated by the visitors.

The Tykes’ demands of their opponents are severe. Concentration, physical resistance and matching their drive add up to a formidable conundrum and while Town’s efforts to meet those demands held up in the first half, it didn’t take a great deal of imagination to foresee them cracking under the strain in the second. Which they duly did.

The match was played almost entirely on Barnsley’s terms; their threats, their physicality and their intensity. Town never looked like turning the tables as they clung on to the hope of a point and there was an inevitability about the breakthrough which owed as much to disorganised defending as the undoubtedly excellent improvisation by Barnsley’s American forward.

Dike has been a revelation since his arrival in South Yorkshire. While Town scrambled to locate out of contract strikers and ended up with a non scoring one and a non playing one, Barnsley recruited a young talent to immediately fit in to their style of play.

The goal arrived shortly after Town made a complete mess of a breakaway as the ball was lost cheaply with Koroma unmarked and ready to pounce. Barnsley’s counter saw Morris attack the left side of the box and attract several defensive Town players toward him for some reason known only to themselves. The disorganisation this created left a big hole in the box and the deflected delivery bypassed a poor attempt to intercept by Bacuna and bounced awkwardly for Dikes, who bicycle kicked the ball past Schofield. 

Inexplicably, Duane Holmes wandered away from the post where the ball entered. 

It was little more than Barnsley deserved as they had subjected Town to torrid pressure as they strived for the win to cement their play off spot. The belief and determination of the visitors threatened to overwhelm their timid hosts who could barely get out of their own half and had yet to register a shot on target.

Having softened up the Terriers in a forgettable first half, Barnsley’s turning of the screw illustrated and explained their success, which has seen them rise in direct contrast to Town’s fall since the Boxing Day meeting at Oakwell when both were on the same points total.

One up and turning the screw, the visitors let Town off the hook a couple of times as they searched for a second before Sarr made an excellent goal line clearance for the umpteenth time this season only for the ball to be headed back on to the bar.

Creaking like an outhouse door, the appearance of Eiting for the disappointing Holmes introduced desperately needed class to Town’s midfield and his cameo, which included a couple of good balls forward, provided a modicum of solace if not much hope for this game.

Bacuna was replaced by Aarons at the same time and it was the substitute who set up O’Brien for Town’s only worthwhile attempt of the evening which flew tamely in to the midriff of Barnsley’s under employed keeper.

The offensive output throughout was pathetic and a Barnsley second always seemed significantly more likely than an equaliser.

The return of Koroma and Eiting provided a shaft of light in a depressingly familiar evening when defeat always seemed inevitable and acceptance of it suspected.
For Barnsley, surely the story of the Championship season, exciting times lay ahead and it will be fun to watch them take their unique, if not entirely loveable, style to the other play off contenders. Swansea, in particular, will be hoping to avoid them but none of them will relish the challenge. Good luck to them.

After the past few seasons and the calendar year of 2021, Town owe a debt to supporters as this interminable season finally comes to an end. They can start by finally putting relegation fears to bed at Blackburn. Perhaps the commercial team can provide details of who we can turn to for the rest of the debt collection next season?

Perhaps the reasonable showing in the second half against an excellent Bournemouth side who were, admittedly, playing well within themselves, injected some belief in to a squad reeling from a torrid week as they picked up 3 vital points at the City Ground.

More likely, the surprise and hugely welcome return of Toffolo finally allowed Corberán the luxury of two established and accomplished full backs. For all the ills of 2021, and they are legion, searching for a solution to Toffolo’s absence has severely hampered the struggle against the drop. 

That one injury could have such deep ramifications, with disruption unbalancing selection after selection, is a major problem the club must resolve in the Summer but, for now, the return of such a pivotal player for the last 4 games is a massive boost.

Not that it appeared so in a torrid opening 20 minutes for the Terriers who repeatedly handed opportunities to Forest with sloppy errors. Keogh, Holmes, Hogg and Toffolo himself misplaced passes, got caught in possession or failed to clear, only for the hosts to be as profligate as their opponents were negligent.

Ludicrously pedestrian possession along the back line simply pinned the visitors in their own half and Forest just had to wait for the errors, which duly arrived. Criticism of the back 4 should be tempered by noting the lack of movement in front of them. Even Hogg seemed reluctant to show for the ball in the spaces which would allow the opportunity to open up the game and the fear and trepidation was palpable.

Somehow, Town survived their torrid period with Forest’s openings ending in wayward shots, a decent Schofield save and general scrambling around to thwart the rampant hosts.

After the game, Corberán credited the switching of Holmes and Rowe as the turning point and Town did gain a foothold from around the 20 minute mark, and a likely looking defeat was postponed. Holmes, who was having an awful spell, seemed more comfortable on the left with the support of Toffolo and O’Brien, and improved to a level of adequacy, bar his set piece taking.

The team as a whole became competent and put together a few reasonable passing moves but not enough threat, though Holmes could have laid a ball to match Bacuna’s intelligent run rather than fire a weak shot towards Samba who saved easily.

Perhaps it was unsurprising that the breakthrough came through error, but it was ironic that Forest, who had spurned so many opportunities to capitalise on Town’s blunders, should be the ones to gift a goal. James Garner’s maverick ball behind his central defenders was seized upon by Rowe whose calm, excellent finish was a fitting example of his improvement this season. 

A half time lead was welcome if not entirely deserved over the 45 minutes, but it was a gift not to be the subject of a mouth examination.

Overall, Town earned their victory in a good, if not flawless, second half, by throttling Forest’s increasingly plodding attempts to get back on terms. The easy flow which accompanied their dominant spell at the beginning rarely featured and Town were able to disrupt and frustrate them for long spells.

On the hour, an attempted pass forward hit Toffolo and fell to Holmes who moved the ball forward to Ward. A replacement for Campbell, who had succumbed to a shoulder injury late in the first half, Ward finally made a telling contribution by setting Bacuna free and running at the home back line. There was still a lot for the mercurial midfielder to do, alone, as he took the ball nicely in his stride and advanced with menace before unleashing a shot from 20 yards with such power that Samba’s arms went up after the ball was past him.

Frustrating as he is, Bacuna is always capable of delivering quality strikes. The coach who harnesses his skills to discipline and intelligence will have a highly valuable asset on their hands. It remains to be seen if this will be possible, but the quality he possesses is beyond doubt.

Protecting the lead proved to be relatively straightforward and only a couple of self inflicted errors threatened it. 

Pipa, who was booked for that most infuriating and avoidable offence of kicking the ball away after being penalised, was lucky not to receive a second when he pulled the shirt of the tricky Mighten who had troubled the Spaniard on quite a few occasions. The referee’s leniency was arguably over generous, though he had witnessed Knockaert slap Toffolo a couple of times in a first half tussle so he may just have been in a good mood.

Late on, Schofield, otherwise secure, misjudged a high ball which he fumbled and dropped. Keogh covered the error well, allowing the young keeper to gather before a Forest player woke up to the opportunity.

For a team who had suffered a very poor week including a thrashing, a highly fortunate point against a relegation rival and a football lesson from Bournemouth, this was a good, valuable response. Their win was deserved – if anything, Town looked more likely to increase their lead with Keogh missing a very good chance and there were other opportunities.

Escaping relegation is not a cause for celebration (when it happens) but the end of a pitiful season, blighted by injury crises, cannot come soon enough. The inevitable rebuilding to come needs to be professional, comprehensive and shrewd. That is the opportunity for the Chairman and his team to begin rewriting their reputation and deliver on their progressive promises.

Safety, meanwhile, is close.

It is more likely than not that Huddersfield Town will scrape to survival from relegation as games run out for the teams below them and the point secured in a hugely fortunate draw with Rotherham should prove crucial to achieving that miserly, inadequate and unacceptable objective.

The thoroughly undeserved addition to Town’s measly total serves only to apply the thinnest of paper over the gaping holes in the strategies of a club in deep malaise and there will be no celebration afforded to retaining a status they barely deserve. That 3 clubs, and possibly another one or two, will prove worse performers is a massive indictment of them.

Escaping demotion, which should be accompanied by sighs of guilty relief and nothing approaching celebration, will be utterly futile if nothing is done to ensure that next season isn’t another desperate struggle. It is impossible to detect even the faintest sign that we will not all be here again and rather more indicating that an even grimmer outcome is more likely. And we haven’t survived yet.

Lowly, desperate Rotherham came to town to commence a sequence of 4 games in 8 days which may well condemn them and proceeded to dominate their hosts for three quarters of a crude encounter. 

The Millers will be rueing the woodwork, a referee who denied them a quite convincing penalty appeal and their own remarkable ineptitude in front of goal. They should take heart, however, that they won’t lack for effort and organisation for the monumental challenges of their tightly packed schedule. 

Perhaps the only slice of fortune for them was facing a team as confused and lacking in personality as Town. The failure to take advantage, which would have dragged Town deep in to the mire while providing themselves with a good platform for their week, is likely to be seminal for them.

For Town, the ineptitude of the first half at Carrow Road was equalled, and possibly exceeded, in the second half of this dreadful display. Lacking character, application and even the most basic of skills, Town were not helped by Corberán’s insistence on shoehorning players in to his selection, particularly on the left and what appeared to be a hybrid of his own preferred style of play and the rudimentary approach adopted in the recent past.

A clearly less than fit Pipa was deployed at left wing back, Holmes at right wing back while the two other full back or wing back alternatives were sat on the bench, presumably not trusted by a coach preferring imbalance. It isn’t easy to make a case for Jordan Brown, more so for Rowe, but Brown would have facilitated a true back four and the greater potential for midfield control which was absent for all but a brief spell in the first half.

Well organised and aggressive, Rotherham easily coped with the few moments of potential danger Town conjured, with only a decent Keogh effort causing the visitors the slightest concern. The defender, one of only two to come out with credit from a rancid afternoon, was thwarted by Johansson’s chest and a hasty clearance.

Keogh himself prevented Rotherham from taking the lead with a last ditch block to foil Crooks’ close range shot after Town had been carved open on Rotherham’s left far too easily.

Town’s minimal threat came exclusively from the right with occasionally decent link ups between Holmes and Bacuna falling short on delivery into the box. For all his presence as a line leader, and he works hard enough, Sanogo simply doesn’t look capable of scoring. He shows an occasional nice touch and can bring others in to play, but his main asset is nuisance value which wouldn’t look too out of place in the bottom divisions but it is simply not enough at Championship level. Ishmael Miller 2.0.

The Millers finished the half on the front foot and pinned Town in their own territory without creating much beyond slight concern. In fact, an attempted O’Brien headed back pass was the root of most consternation but Schofield baled him out with a decisive intervention.

As disappointing as the first half had been, and the reaction to the disaster in midweek was barely discernible, the abject response in the second was worryingly depressing.

Shapeless, error prone and paralysed by fear, the Terriers all but handed the game to the visitors who, for all their fight and resilience, were unable to collect the gifts handed to them.

Bar Keogh and Schofield, the former held things together as well as he could and the latter saved the day with an excellent save and some decent handling, the team was an almighty shambles seemingly at the mercy of their limited but massively superior opponents.

Within minutes, Town were spared going behind by a linesman’s flag and the stench of defeat became overwhelming from that moment. 

Possession was fleeting and misused, Sanogo and Campbell became superfluous to events and Rotherham dictated virtually every aspect of the play.

Subdued and out worked, the hosts spent swathes of the second half desperately repelling their better organised, more determined opponents who won each and every individual battle across the spectrum. Even in possession, hesitancy and misjudgement poisoned any attempt to reverse the tide. The opportunities to break on the odd occasion Rotherham over committed floundered on indecision and dreadful execution.

Early in the half, Town managed to screw up a 3 on 1 opportunity with baffling incompetence as neither Holmes nor Pipa seemed to want to make the decisive move. A decent run by Thomas, on for Pipa, failed to deliver a dangerous ball in to the box and a brief ascendancy ended.

On the hour, the increasingly woeful Terriers were off the hook again as Schofield was nearly caught out as Wing curled an excellent free kick effort on to the bar. In total control by then, Rotherham piled on the pressure and were desperately unlucky to find referee Moss in a forgiving mood as Sarr bundled in to Wood following more induced confusion in the box.

Spluttering attempts to gain some sort of foothold in the game invariably ended with poor control, passing or judgement as the visitors assumed control and a good hit by Wing following a half clearance was very well saved by Schofield as Town were relived once more.

Scott High, on for Holmes and Bacuna with Mbenza, made a good run from his own half but could only force a corner for lack of support, just ahead of the defining moment of the match which arrived amidst the dreary final minutes.

Sarr was beaten by a long ball and allowed Smith in to the box. His ball across wrong footed Edmonds-Green after bypassing Keogh only for Wiles to miss an open goal when it was far easier to score. It didn’t require wiliness of any kind and didn’t get it.

It would be churlish not to acknowledge the absence of good fortune since the turn of the year with a rolling, persistent injury crisis severely hampering Corberán, but the outrageous good fortune provided by this game, which is only enhanced by the vital point it gained over a fellow struggler, is huge compensation.

If omens are your thing, and grasping at straws is what this club tends to leave us with, the last time we demonstrably threw a game against superior opposition at Bournemouth, Town followed up with a miserable draw against a relegation rival followed by a home win over a contender.

The parallels are, to say the least, imperfect. Coventry didn’t deserve to beat us and Watford’s latest manager was coming to the end of a typically short tenure, but it is something to tenuously cling on to.

Longer term, a win and a draw will see Town survive but there is precious little optimism that next season will not simply be a repetition of the malaise which remains from the waste of legacy which continues to rankle an increasingly apathetic support.

An evening of desperate ignominy in Norfolk saw Huddersfield Town trounced by a relentlessly excellent Norwich who clearly didn’t receive the memo to go easy on a club who had decided that their priorities lay elsewhere.

Deliberately enfeebling the team for a second time this season, Corberán compounded this sin by managing to organise the ragbag of has beens, never wills and never should have beens in to a shape which surrendered swathes of space in the middle. Carlos’ opposite number sat quietly and contentedly through the ensuing massacre.

The quality of the men in yellow cannot be disputed. They played with a verve and conviction born of talent and familiarity who resisted the temptation to showboat as they pushed at the open door and filled their boots.

It was not their responsibility that the opposition not only fielded an unbalanced mess who appeared to have barely met each other before, they had a coach who, contrary to evidence and experience, emasculated his best player from Saturday’s commendable draw by playing him at left wingback. A position at which he has failed whenever the idiocy has been perpetrated.

With Holmes, who had an appallingly inept first half, failing to carry out even the rudimentary duties of a central midfielder, Carlos’ folly was exponentially increased. Directly responsible for the second goal, continuously guilty of losing possession and lacking positional awareness or the ability to track runners, the American’s disastrous performance was only slightly below many of his equally culpable team mates.

The entirely anonymous Ward made few errors but only by dent of having virtually no involvement whatsoever. An already cataclysmically bad signing, Ward showed less than nothing defending from the front, won nothing by air or land and made you yearn for Campbell’s professionally honest endeavour.

If the result wasn’t entirely in doubt before the ink dried on the lamentable team sheet, the late addition of  Joel “Lucky” Pereira following Schofield’s sudden and possibly diplomatic illness plunged Town’s prospects even further. 11 goals conceded in 2 games is not what you want on a CV.

Norwich’s opener came after just 8 minutes and just 30 seconds after Keogh made an excellent block to prevent a certain goal. The ball squirted out to Cantwell who skipped around Stearman and Duhaney with far too much ease before laying it in to the path of Pukki who caught Sarr flat footed from behind.

The listless defending so early in the game was an alarming harbinger of what was to come. The Canaries scented blood, the Terriers trembled and succumbed, though it took the hosts a little time to seal their victory with a second. 

A sublime ball from Cantwell to the offside Pukki nearly opened up the increasingly fragile Town defence, just before Buendia set the Finn on his way behind Stearman and Keogh, and in to the area to finish.

Holmes, and it is difficult to convey just how poor he performed, had managed to give the ball away cheaply just inside the Norwich half which allowed Buendia the opportunity to play an inch perfect pass in to space behind the central defenders.

Within 5 minutes, Buendia was allowed acres of space to move forward and easily defeat Sarr’s half hearted, half turned attempt at a block with an excellent shot which beat Pereira and went in off the post.

At this point, even the mild resistance of the Yorkshiremen had crumbled in the face of overwhelming superiority and a 4th goal soon arrived with the impressive Cantwell and Buendia combining for the lovely haired Canary to hit the top corner beyond the hapless Pereira.

With no discernible press up top, barely a tackle being attempted and a complete absence of cohesion, Town, already dead and buried, looked ripe for a huge defeat.

Other than some poorly executed corners, Norwich looked flawless as they ripped in to their wretched opponents. Buendia, a top level player in all but status and which will soon be resolved, hit the bar with an excellent free kick, though the relief for the visitors was short lived.

One time Town target Dowell touched a glorious dink over the visiting defence to the irrepressible Buendia who could have made it a good day for himself with another goal but unselfishly fed the ball back to Dowell for Norwich’s nap hand.

A torrid first half ended without further damage and the traumatised and bewildered visitors could seek the sanctuary of the dressing room to hide their humiliation and embarrassment. Surpassing even the Bournemouth debacle, the only thing to hope for was that they would scramble to recover whatever passes for pride these days at Huddersfield Town.

Scott High was thrown on to replace the woeful Stearman at the break, though any one of the toxic central defensive trio could have been hooked. Presumably, Stearman drew the long straw.

Some sense of normalcy descended in the opening stages of the second half as Norwich settled comfortably in full certainty of their victory and another stride to inevitable promotion.

The introduction of Thomas, for Hogg, and Rowe for Holmes allowed O’Brien to move in to midfield and Town actually enjoyed a very brief period of ascendancy, with Thomas showing more ambition and positivity in a few minutes than Mbenza and Ward had shown put together.

Just before the hour, Thomas finally brought Krul in to the game, forcing a decent save at his near post.

Ineptitude soon raised it’s ugly head, however, when Skipp surged in to Town’s half with no challenge until Mbenza decided it was a good idea to make one as the Spurs loanee entered the area. It was a little soft, but difficult to complain about when any sort of attempted tackle was likely to upend the opponent who was in full flow.

Pukki drove in the penalty for his hat trick.

Sensing defeat was on the cards, Corberán withdrew O’Brien and Sarr and, to emphasise the sheer horror of the whole evening, Bacuna was handed the captain’s armband. 

Any semblance of resistance collapsed again at this point and had Norwich capitalised, a historic defeat of Maine Road proportions and beyond was on the cards. As it was, only one further goal was added and the biggest defeat since November 1987 was suffered.

Humiliated, and with integrity considerably diminished, Town could only reflect on their opponents’ achievements following their relegation last season. While Norwich planned for demotion, the Terriers’ Premier League legacy is in tatters. If Rotherham are defeated on Saturday, the management and hierarchy may believe that the sacrifices made at Carrow Road will be deemed acceptable by the club’s supporters. They will be wrong.

Fielding a deliberately uncompetitive team in the hope that this will help towards a game against lowly Rotherham, who themselves were beaten comprehensively by bottom club Wycombe last time out, is both desperate and hugely disappointing. Even being in the position of scrabbling towards survival remains unacceptable.

Corberán’s repetition of his Bournemouth strategy, his incomprehensible deployment of O’Brien at left wing back and an ill advised reversion back to the tippy tappy nonsense he persisted with throughout the winless late winter months were hugely annoying and regrettably indicative of a refusal or inability to learn.
Having set out his stall, Rotherham must be vanquished. Minimum.

Town edged closer to safety with a hard working performance, accompanied by some good fortune at significant moments, which thwarted a talented but rather pedestrian Brentford side whose automatic promotion hopes were dented.

A comfortable first 20 minutes would have been very different had Duhaney’s dallying on the ball been punished by Canos, who nicked possession, rather than halted by a referee who saw offence where there appeared none.

An early clash of heads between Vallejo and Norgaard didn’t seem to affect the Spaniard too much at first, despite long treatment following the incident, and he was instrumental in the opening goal. Brentford, strangely sluggish and particularly when playing out from the back, were punished when Vallejo robbed, ironically, Norgaard with the ball running free to O’Brien who wrong footed the Bees’ scrabbling keeper for a surprise lead.

Brentford were unable to respond as Town hassled them in possession with Sanogo and Campbell working hard up front to disrupt their flow and Vallejo and Hogg anchoring a midfield determined to restrict attempts to play through the lines.

The game suffered as a spectacle but the monotony was broken briefly by an excellent run and cross by Holmes down the right, but it was too high for O’Brien who had burst in to the area.

Vallejo had to leave the field half way through the first period and with him went Town’s control and dominance. Unbalanced, the Terriers’ dogged performance dipped and the visitors’ naturally superior ability came to the fore and an equaliser looked extremely likely before the break.

A combination of poor finishing, strange officiating and some decent last ditch defending thwarted them. 
Almost immediately after Vallejo’s replacement by Bacuna, a lovely dummy in midfield by Toney released Canos who fed Janelt in to the area. A slightly poor first touch allowed Sarr to get back and, in combination with Schofield, they thwarted the German.

Encouraged, the visitors proceeded to dominate the rest of the half without achieving their usual quality, particularly in front of goal. They should have been given the opportunity to equalise when Naby Sarr used his arm to get a high ball back to Schofield with the menace of Toney far too close to comfort. The assistant on the right was unconvinced despite being well placed.

Further incursions ended with desperately poor attempts and despite their increasing superiority, Schofield was untroubled and the defence largely unruffled. Nevertheless, it was a relief for Town when the half time whistle blew.

The Bees’ intent for the second half was clear for all to see as 8 players were strung across the halfway line for the kick off and their strong start was quickly rewarded.

Town were as convinced that a throw in should have gone their way as they were unprofessional enough to allow a quick execution thoroughly expose their defence. A dangerous cross towards the onrushing Jansson hit his upper arm and was excellently cleared by Sarr from the line, only for the second ball in to fall very kindly for Sorensen who squeezed the ball in.

Despite several elements of good fortune surrounding the goal, it was well deserved and there was a genuine fear that the home side could be overwhelmed as the visitors surged with confidence. Those fears were heightened just a minute after the leveller when Toney got free for once and smashed a great effort past Schofield but on to the upright.

Strangely, Brentford failed to maintain their momentum and, largely through the energy of O’Brien, bang back in form, Town took back some control. Unfortunately, the free kicks and corners which flowed from their more aggressive approach were invariably wasted. Bacuna hit a promisingly positioned free kick over and failed to clear the first man on a couple of others.

It was also Town’s turn to feel aggrieved at a penalty decision. Inevitably, it was O’Brien bursting past Brentford’s right back which led to an apparent clip but the referee decided it was jointly attributable clumsiness, though a similar challenge outside the area would likely have been given.

The best chance for the hosts fell to Duhaney who capitalised on good work from the industrious Sanogo, but his clever duping of the Brentford defender in his way forced the ball on to his weaker left foot and he couldn’t generate power nor direction to get it past Raya.

The final 15 minutes belonged to the Bees, whose need for 3 points was rather more pressing. A point from a fixture as difficult as this was sufficient for the Terriers and they were admirably dogged in their protection of it.
Schofield made a decent save down to his right to foil Fosu and one or two balls in to the box caused mild palpitations, but the guile associated with Brentford was largely absent and Toney was excellently marshalled bar the effort just after the equaliser.

While the point was most welcome and the dogged performance showed character, there was little to enjoy besides O’Brien’s return to full form. However, it is difficult to imagine the Town of a month ago gaining a return from such a challenging fixture; Corberán’s decision to abandon his principles has probably saved the club from much deeper trouble, even if that trouble is not entirely eliminated.

The unbeaten run, diluted somewhat by the fact it contains only one win, will be under severe threat on Tuesday evening in Norwich ahead of a meeting with Rotherham which could be the one which realistically, if not mathematically, guarantees Championship football next season. Carlos should not apply a Bournemouth style gamble to concentrate on the winnable weekend fixture, he should take the positives from this draw and continue to build on the spirit now clearly visible in the team.

Survival however, if and when it arrives, must be the catalyst for a brighter future. Dogged late season avoidance of disaster needs to be banished. It is difficult to see how many of yesterday’s team can achieve this despite their commendable resilience and the result, but for now it is on them to finish the job at hand.

As a 9 year old boy, my first season watching Huddersfield Town was 1969/70. What a season to start with, though the fact that I never saw them lose (Blackburn was a school night and the only home game I missed) rather heightened expectations for the future.

50 years on, I can still recite the usual starting 11 in that wonderful team, aided by the fact that the club only used 15 players in the whole season.

Amongst Town legends like Cherry, Nicholson, McGill, Poole and all the rest, Frank Worthington stood out even further.

The epitome of cool, Frank’s playing style allied flair and skill with the work rate demanded by the late, great Ian Greaves. To a young boy, the glamour attaching to this consummate footballer was dazzling and getting his autograph after every home game became a ritual; he would scrawl across two pages of my little book with a flourish that seemed to last as long as the match itself.

21 times I waited at the old player’s entrance at Leeds Road to get close to these unfathomably glamorous young men and Frank stopped every time. Off the field, you could only marvel at the lifestyle you imagined he had. Even years before celebrity culture, Frank effortlessly exuded star quality but was always approachable and very good to the kids lining up for a brief moment of proximity.

Ineffably glamorous with a luscious mane, Frank stood out wherever he played and thrived in a Town side which combined flair, hardness and endless energy as they swatted their rivals aside to the 2nd Division championship.

I was too young to appreciate the finer points of Frank as a player; rather, it was instinctively obvious that you were seeing something special. As the goal scorer and front man, he demanded attention even though surrounded by many other memorable talents. Cherry’s cultured defending, Nicholson’s experienced leadership, Lawton’s mercurial inside forward play, McGill’s enforcement and all the others’ qualities, framed Frank’s consummate performances.

For it was Frank who added bags of personality to a side rarely, if ever, matched in the decades since. 

I hated it when he turned out for many, many other teams following his inevitable departure from a club which simply couldn’t or wouldn’t match his ambition. The tributes from all of his clubs have flowed today, testament to a long career short on medals but long on fantastic entertainment.

I will always associate Frank Worthington with the very start of my obsession with Huddersfield Town and football. 

RIP Frank.

Like two drunks brawling at chucking out time, and to the amusement and embarrassment of the onlooking public, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town’s undignified contest ended in a draw with few punches landed and little evidence that redemption for either was any closer.

The point earned by the visitors almost certainly put themselves out of reach of their hosts, who look increasingly doomed, and survival a little closer. One result aside, with Birmingham achieving an immediate new manager bounce, the midweek fixtures have been kind and Saturday’s fixtures look very tough for the majority of those below Town, who will rest up now for over 2 weeks.

Hopefully, the enforced lay off can be used to get more players fit but, just as importantly, for some reflection on how they are going to make progress next season. It is accepted that the loss of key players throughout a long winter has forced Corberán to abandon his high level principles, but the style of football and the identity for which they yearn is as far away as ever.

As ever, a promising opening spell which saw some decent approach play let down by poor decision making faded as intensity fell away and mistakes proliferated. A vital first goal never really looked like arriving, though Holmes spurned a good opportunity set up by O’Brien, should have laid Bacuna in on another attack but delayed and Campbell opted to try and win a penalty rather than take on a first time shot with a relatively high chance of success. 

The penalty shout was legitimate if a little optimistic, but may have influenced the referee waving away a much clearer shout when Rhodes was felled by Keogh later; a penalty which would have doubled Wednesday’s lead and, very likely, secured the points. Perhaps referees just have days when they don’t want to award penalties?

The denied appeal marked the end of Town’s promising opening and stagnation set in. Despite being regularly gifted possession by the Owls, the pronounced lack of movement, subsequent indecision and slow play cemented the visitors in to a pretty woeful performance.

Somewhat against the run of play, which should not be taken as an endorsement of Town’s display at the time and more an indictment of a game plunging to scruffy depths, Wednesday took the lead. Town gave up possession, Rhodes spotted an opportunity to lift the ball behind the back 3, with Pipa stranded up field, and Windass easily outpaced the wrong footed Sarr before beating Schofield at his near post.

The combination of 2 ex-Town men was galling, and another, Kachunga, almost won the game late on with a clever reverse ball which freed Paterson only for Schofield to make a good save to preserve the point. Two pieces of quality entirely out of keeping with the drab affair they momentarily enlivened.

Going behind did little to inject any urgency in to the visitors as individuals persistently failed to spark. Holmes’ energy was invariably undermined by poor execution, Bacuna was continually caught in possession and the less said of Duhaney the better. Unusually, Hogg failed to exert any real influence and perhaps Campbell’s prolonged sulk over the penalty was the reason he contributed next to nothing in a horrible first half.

Bacuna improved after the break, but only by dent of his complete anonymity preventing him making more errors which had exposed his lackadaisical approach to a game which demanded concentration and application.

A change of shape at half time saw Mbenza replace Edmonds-Green, though it was difficult to understand why Corberán persisted with Pipa on the left with the Spaniard struggling to have any influence on the game. It was crying out for Rowe to replace Duhaney and switch Pipa over to the right. An even stronger call would have been to bring on Sanogo to offer an actual threat up front.

On the hour, and after 15 minutes of ineffable dirge from both sides, the big Frenchman was finally introduced. It would be ridiculous to suggest that the Terriers’ game improved to any great extent with his introduction, but Wednesday were being asked different questions with his presence and enthusiasm.

The equaliser came, perhaps, because Town were more confident putting the ball in to the box with a tangible target available.

Mbenza curled a delivery from quite deep in to a good area and found Sarr. His effort on the stretch was well saved but hit Paterson, under pressure from Campbell, and ricocheted apologetically in to the net.

An own goal, then, has almost certainly condemned Wednesday to League 1. Ironically, their current straightened circumstances can possibly be traced back to 2017 and another own goal conceded to the same team. Town have since taken a handful of memories away before reverting to pretty much the same state, while Wednesday stare in to the black hole beneath them. 

Sadly apt that this instantly forgettable game was played out to a near empty stadium – apologies if you hear any bad language echoing around – rather than a cauldron.

A brief appearance of entertainment intruded towards the end as the dozy combatants strived for a winner, with a deflected O’Brien effort coming close to winning a thoroughly undeserved 3 points, while Schofield’s save proved crucial for the visitors.

Town now need a handful of points for survival followed by an urgent need for transformation, while Wednesday’s future looks as uncertain and bleak as ever.

Town took a huge stride towards safety by finally winning away from home for the first time since October, with a solid, though not flawless, performance against a QPR side who were uncannily reminiscent of their opponents for much of the proceedings.

With Hogg back in the side protecting the back 3, largely negating the threat of Rangers’ creative midfield and setting the tempo of Town’s game, the Terriers’ chances of victory, or at least the avoidance of defeat, were raised.

Other than one moment in the first half when he was caught too far forward and bypassed, it was a perfect day for the captain whose leadership is always sorely missed.

Following a familiar pattern, Town started brightly and threatened in the early stages. An O’Brien burst ended in a decent effort, though Dieng in the Rangers’ goal made a meal of a straightforward save, and Mbenza shot wide from distance. Naby Sarr could also have done better with an excellent Mbenza cross as the visitors dominated.

The contest evened up after 10 minutes as both sides strived to exert authority with little success. Town had a further opportunity near the half hour when an unmarked Keogh headed just wide from a corner, only for the miss to serve as a prelude for the hosts’ best spell, which should have seen them take the lead.

Seizing control of possession, with Rangers capitalising on an error in midfield by Rowe and opening up Town’s left side, the sporadically dangerous Chair played in Kane for a chance he should have buried. Instead, Schofield was able to make a decent if straightforward save and, crucially, clear the ball with his foot before Kane could atone for his weak effort.

The miss was pivotal. QPR continued to dominate but with muted threat while Town, even during their least comfortable spell, created a decent chance when Keogh, who was excellent throughout, surged from the halfway line to just outside the area and fed Bacuna to his left. The mercurial midfielder didn’t quite control his shot after a good first touch and fired over.

The visitors, however, were the more relieved for the half time whistle.

An entirely deserved victory was secured in a second half which was almost entirely in their control. Despite the hosts having the lion’s share of possession, Town’s defensive discipline, from front to back, rarely wavered, and when they had the ball, their threat was more potent.

The early introduction of Holmes and Duhaney, for Mbenza and Rowe, changed the dynamic and stiffened the team’s defensive resilience and, in the case of Holmes, added a little unpredictability in attack.

Neither were involved in the winning goal, which came shortly after their introduction, however. 

The excellent Naby Sarr pushed a lovely pass in to space for O’Brien who drew players towards him before laying the ball out to Pipa, raiding down the left. The Spaniard teased the opponents in front of him before laying a great ball with the outside of his foot in to the path of Bacuna who smashed the ball past a stationary Dieng.

With the lead, Town took control of the game and could have won more comfortably. Ceding possession intelligently, they allowed QPR to paint pretty pictures in the middle third and smothered the rare occasions they threatened to threaten.

Other than a miscalculation by Sarr of a hasty clearance by the hosts as a Town attack broke down – the odious Charlie Austin shanked an attempted cross with the recovering Sarr in pursuit – and a comedy moment when Duhaney managed to concede a corner by firing an attempted clearance on to himself, Town controlled the contest after the goal.

It is worth mentioning that Austin was ineffective throughout, until subbed, but again managed to kick out at a prone Huddersfield Town player (Bacuna), using the cover of the ball being stuck under his body after being fouled. Coward.

Town’s transition play, often involving Holmes, O’Brien and Pipa was as impressive as their defending and they deserved a greater margin of victory.

Shortly after taking the lead, Bacuna fired a free kick just wide, Holmes had a good effort kept out rather awkwardly by Dieng and Pipa curled an effort just over the bar. 

Perhaps the best chance fell to substitute Sanogo who threw his body in front of a near post ball from O’Brien, but the ball bumbled wide. 

An impressive second half, built on discipline, control and creative offensive play secured a hugely welcome and important 3 points to finally drag the Terriers over the 40 point mark and in sight of safety, which should be quite a few below 50.

A long, tough winter nears it’s end and the possibility of sustained momentum could provide a better than expected finale to the season.

Carlos Corberán may have come of age, counter intuitively, with an ugly goalless draw against an in form but rather tired looking Cardiff City side who brought their brand of powerful, effective and physical football to the John Smith’s Stadium and left with a barely deserved point.

Throughout the season, and even with the services of important players still missing in action, a persistent impression has been that the occasionally attractive style he clearly wants to impose was some way beyond the squad he has. The demands of insistent possession alongside the energy required to accomplish superiority have, all too often, weighed down on a team not equipped to maintain it.

The philosophy is laudable but flawed by its practitioners lacking the muscle memory to sustain it for more than brief periods. Sometimes, in those heady days before the turn of the year, those periods were enough to carry the team home but, in the main, a collection of players were playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order for too long periods.

As they strived to adapt, there was an overwhelming sense that they never really earned the right to play with beautiful fluency and the glaring weaknesses could be and were exploited in the unforgiving Championship. The loss of key individuals to a string of injuries upended the progress to mid table comfort which allowed experimentation, but didn’t bring the necessary adjustments to the ideals and an alarming plunge in to trouble has ensued.

Faced with a schedule packed with muscle and established nous, Town have been slow to adapt their own circumstances to reality but the terrible spectacle midweek against Birmingham signalled long overdue change as the Terriers finally adopted a strategy to minimise rather than invite risk. But for a freakish equaliser, the newly found pragmatism should have yielded an undeserved win, and against opponents far more powerful and adept, a single point was earned when 3 were deserved.

The recent elevation of Mick McCarthy to Shankly, Ferguson and Pep levels of managerial genius on the back of an admittedly extended new boss bounce with a squad preternaturally suited to him, coupled with the glaringly obvious mismatch of known strengths and weaknesses, was enough to condemn Town to defeat before a ball was kicked.

The likeable Yorkshireman, last seen in this division leading Ipswich to season after season of such stultifying banality that he was sacked in favour of more entertainment only for his successor to land them immediately in to League One, was celebrating his 1,000th game as a manager. 

Stage set.

Painful as it must have been for the transparently idealistic Corberán, all pretence of cleaving to his principles was dispelled by a glance at the team sheet with 2 up front and 3 centre halves. All that needed to be added was resilience, risk aversion and calm competence.

An attritional first half with limited opportunities for either side was more notable for Town’s durability in the face of Cardiff’s predictable aerial assaults from free kicks, corners and throw ins. The first of these, with Schofield allowing an unusually high lofted ball to reach the far post before he recovered well to block an attempt from the knock down appeared portentous but things got better.

The Bluebirds’ direct approach and second ball strategy seemed a little blunted, and Keogh and Sarr should take credit for meeting the challenge, though a good effort from Vaulks required a good save by Schofield and Flint hit the bar from a position incorrectly ruled offside.

For Town, most of the threat came down the right with Bacuna and Rowe linking well without being able to deliver good enough quality in to the box. Debutant Sanango wasn’t given enough opportunity to shine and was rather anonymous through no real fault of his own.

Bacuna also nearly threaded an excellent ball through to Campbell but a slight touch from Morrison saved the day for the visitors. He also fired in a reasonable effort from a Mbenza range free kick which was well saved by Phillips.

As the half came to a close, Flint tripped Sarr near the touchline and an incensed Bacuna raised his hand to the giant central defender. Perhaps the comedy value of seeing Bacuna square up to the aptly named Flint took the tension out of the situation and, remarkably, neither was booked. On another day, Town’s enigmatic midfielder could have seen red.

Overall though, Town competed well and minimised the errors which have plagued their season, though Edmonds-Green, the least comfortable of the back 3, got away with dallying in possession and was rescued by the rapidly retreating Sarr.

A far better second half largely belonged to the hosts whose defensive discipline was maintained, on the whole, and they had now earned the right to be a little more expansive if still wary of an in form opposition.

Sanogo had much more influence as team mates began to probe more effectively. This was particularly true of O’Brien whose surges began to worry, justifiably, the Cardiff back line.

The partnership between Campbell and Sanogo began to take some sort of shape. Though the couple of occasions the debutant won his battles and fed his partner narrowly failed to create chances, it was encouraging to see early signs of understanding, and with one of them resulting in a booking for Morrison’s hauling back of Campbell, a chink in their armour was revealed.

Town’s first chance of the half fell to Keogh from a Bacuna delivered free kick. The returning defender escaped attention in the box but the ball was slightly behind him, affecting his header’s direction and power.

With Cardiff largely subdued, Town seized the opportunity to play and an excellent O’Brien burst in to the area saw a blocked Rowe shot lead to him being brought down while hunting the loose ball.

Sadly, poor execution by the surprise taker, Sanogo, who fired badly wide of the target meant that Town wasted their easiest opportunity to record an unexpected win. A case could be made for Sanogo to be designated penalty taker to give an immediate confidence boost for a striker who hasn’t played competitively for a long time. Which is also the case against him.

As demoralising as the miss was, that it didn’t lead to mental collapse was encouraging. Town continued to boss the contest and two further, very presentable, chances were created.

First, Campbell nicked the ball from a hesitant opponent and freed O’Brien to measure an excellent pass behind Cardiff’s right side in to the path of Pipa. The Spaniard tried to work the ball on to his favoured right foot which caused a momentary loss of momentum and the split second was fully exploited by Phillips who made a good save from a closer range than he should have been allowed.

An even better chance fell to Campbell in the box following Sarr winning another aerial dual. Snatching at the effort when he had more time than he appreciated, and perhaps, like the rest of us, assuming he was offside, Campbell spooned the ball over the bar with an overly acrobatic effort.

Despite the frustration of dropping 2 more points in a week which should have harvested 6, this was a gritty and resolute performance where standards were largely maintained against an uncompromising opponent which has far too often not been the case against the more physical sides.

Relegation worries are far from over, indeed they may increase with other results, but adhering to basic principles rather than leaping straight in to the fancy stuff is a major and welcome shift by Corberán.

With 8 days until the next game at Loftus Road, there is time for the indispensable Hogg to return, gives time to work on the Campbell/Sanogo partnership and aid Stearman’s return to the fold.

Above all, Town finally appeared to understand the gravity of their situation and adopt the qualities required to meet the uneasy challenges which await. Consistency is now essential and a reversal of their horrifically poor away form their immediate next objective.

As the returning Richard Stearman lay prostrate following an elbow to his chin just 5 minutes in to a vital game for both sides, the usual early minutes dispensation rules meant Harlee Dean stayed on the pitch and, thankfully, Town were spared the ignominy of failing to beat 10 men.

They failed to beat a full complement too, but at least they had the consolation of the reprieved Dean presenting Campbell with the opening goal for a lead which, of course, they proceeded to surrender.

It was an advantage the Terriers did not deserve.

Indeed, after a contest pregnant with palpable tension, comically poor passing and lacking quality in all areas it could be argued that neither side deserved the point each took to marginally improve their survival chances.

Birmingham, fresh from a confidence boosting victory at the weekend, carried a little more flair in the first half than the hosts though it rarely translated in to the final third and scoring opportunities and most of the fabulously inept executions of passing came from their feet.

Unrelentingly dire, the first half past with little of note to report. Birmingham threw a few crosses in which caused virtually no concern while Town’s laboured ventures forward scarcely troubled the visitors until an incorrectly awarded free kick was blazed over a wall positioned about 2 yards closer than it should have been by Mbenza.

Both sides looked every inch the relegation candidates they have become. Few risks were taken and both appeared paralysed by doubt. With fluency absent, Town relied on Campbell’s willingness to work Birmingham’s back line while City, unsurprisingly, looked for Jutkiewicz long and often.

Improvement came there none after the break. Mbenza disappeared, Pipa’s worryingly poor form continued and O’Brien gave away possession at will. Vallejo was unable to spark any reaction from deep as the game drifted towards a stultifying stalemate.

Just after the hour, however, a goal arrived out of the blue. Dean’s fluffed attempted clearance of a nothing ball in to the box fell nicely to Town’s lone striker who hit it very sweetly from just outside the area. The quality of the strike was entirely out of keeping with the dirge which preceded it.

The visitors’ equaliser came along immediately and it’s ugliness was far more fitting.

A corner from the right beat Campbell’s near post cover, dropped and died in front of Roberts who gleefully converted. Though later inquest may point fingers, there was a freakishness about the goal which summed up Town’s recent fortune. Not that they earned any luck in this fixture.

For much of the rest of the game, Birmingham looked more likely to grab a winner as Town became nervy. They weren’t helped by Corberán’s strange decision to replace Vallejo with Scott High. 

The Spaniard had produced little of influence but does exude calm on the ball while the youngster looked lost and his inexperience rather shone out. To his credit, he made a good tackle late on to stop a dangerous Birmingham foray.

Towards the end of the seemingly interminable struggle, Town got on top but a series of balls in to the box from corners, a free kick and open play were easily dealt with despite the presence of Sanogo who couldn’t get in to the game in his 15 minutes in place of Campbell.

The best opportunity was provided by Bacuna, probably the best of a bad Town bunch on the night, who burst in to the area but was unable to hit a colleague with his lay back.

It was Birmingham, however, who came closest to grabbing a winner as Sarr inadvertently nodded on a long throw in to the path of Hogan who flicked over.

The final flurries of action could not disguise the worrying lack of quality, cohesion or purpose and the final whistle came as a blessing with both sides relieved at least not to have lost. For Town, pressure continues to weigh down the team and management and there were few signs of any upturn in fortunes on the horizon.

With a rampant Cardiff due next, Town’s plight remains precarious and their future worryingly reliant on others’ failings. 

The nagging feeling that the excellent score line and result against Swansea last weekend was more a freakish outlier than a turn in fortunes was confirmed just a few days later at Derby and hammered home at Deepdale as Town’s survival hopes increasingly rely on others’ ineptitude.

While defeat in Preston, and indeed, at Derby or Middlesbrough, is hardly surprising given results over decades, this doesn’t make these 3 reversals any more forgivable or the concern any less alarming. This is not to give credence to the idiotic idea that certain grounds are jinxed and affect generations of players.

The midweek display at Pride Park held no redeeming features and despite a fair amount of first half misfortune, neither did this latest away defeat.

Right up until the Lilywhites’ opener, at the midway point of the first half, Town had dominated play, created two decent openings forcing good saves and were denied 2 penalties by a referee who baffled and confounded the visitors all afternoon.

The first opportunity for the Terriers arrived after a bright opening (again) with Mbenza forcing a decent, if routine, save from the keeper from range. 

An uneventful period featuring good spells of Town possession, particularly down the left where Pipa, O’Brien and Holmes offered good combinations but little penetration was followed by the defining 5 minutes of the game.

First, Campbell was played through behind Preston’s defence and appeared to be bundled to the floor as he got in front of his marker. While the collision could have been interpreted as a simple coming together, Campbell was through and had zero incentive to fall and later in the half, Edmonds-Green was booked for making a similar challenge just outside the box.

If the benefit of the doubt could be given to the defender in that incident, the next penalty shout was much louder and more convincing. O’Brien raced in to the area to chase down a short back pass to the keeper only for the defender who made the errant pass to take two steps in to his path and completely wipe him out. 

This isn’t to say that Town, who have missed both penalties awarded to them this season, would have converted it or gone on to gain anything from the fixture, but taking the lead at that point, against a team who had yet to win at home in 2021, would have altered the whole outlook.

In open play, an excellent ball through by Sarr found Holmes who cleverly lifted the ball over the despairing legs of 2 defenders to another O’Brien surge only for Iversen to cut out any angles and block the attempt.

This proved to be the high watermark of yet another dismal away defeat as the promising opening disintegrated like bones in an acid bath. Movement stagnated, passing perceptibly slowed and errors began to accumulate.

Seasoned followers of the Terriers know that the promise of a bright start rarely translates in to points and Preston, largely passive in the opening stages, pounced.

Latching on to a mistake in the middle of the park, Evans played in Sinclair behind Sarr and though Schofield made a good point blank save the ball fell to Potts who struck a powerful shot goal wards which Sarr tried to keep out only for it to roll agonisingly in under his foot. To be fair to the big defender, he was in the right position again but could not add to the several last ditch saves he has made this season.

The hosts barely deserved their lead, and should have been behind but for a negligent referee, but the lift of a goal eased their own home demons considerably and they proceeded to run out comfortable winners by the end.

A poor final 15 minutes of the first half for the visitors, along with Edmonds-Green’s booking for a foul on the hosts stand out player in the first half, Gordon, prompted a change at half time which very probably doomed Town to their fate.

Though Rowe, who came on for Edmonds-Green, was far from responsible for the characterless mundanity which followed, and indeed was considerably brighter than most, the switch of Pipa to the right after a reasonably effective stint on the left seemed an over reaction.

The Spaniard had a dreadful second half but was far from alone as all semblance of togetherness and cohesion evaporated in a display as dispiriting as many of the others in this dreadful year.

Posing little threat, it was no surprise when yet another individual error exposed Town’s back line. Mbenza inexplicably tried to push the ball in to space behind a Preston player but, presumably, had not seen another Lilywhite waiting to collect. Within seconds, Preston had gone two up as Potts, who had struck the bar with a good effort shortly beforehand, set up Evans for a routine finish in the box.

Defeat was inevitable from that point, though Sarr should have done better when trying to divert an O’Brien shot following a corner when all alone in the box.

By this point, Holmes had been replaced by Phillips as Town changed shape from whatever they were in before to a new one which proved as ineffective. Again, the substitute tried hard and there is some promise but it is difficult to know how Phillips will develop as part of a team which inexplicably ceases functioning on a whim. Ditto for Scott High, on for Mbenza.

Further changes saw the first outing of Sanogo in place of Campbell and Stearman on for Keogh. The debutant looked reasonably energetic but it would be ludicrous to judge him in this abysmal context. 

Multiple substitutions failed to affect anything approaching change as Town failed miserably to rediscover any tempo and struggled to even hint at carrying threat. A final blow never seemed far away and it duly arrived.

As a Town corner broke down, Preston launched a devastating counter attack with 10 minutes to go. Barkhuizen was released down the left, pursued by Phillips, who laid a perfect ball for Sinclair to smash home in some style. In common with the second goal, the hosts showed how to attack with pace and purpose.

The comprehensive defeat leaves the club under great pressure. The coach is sitting on an appalling record in 2021 and one which very few Championship bosses would survive, the game against Birmingham is now elevated possibly beyond the mentality of these players and the unrest at the Chairman’s decisions is growing very loud.

It is difficult to see beyond a crushing single goal defeat on Tuesday night against a team who will employ the complex tactic of allowing Town futile possession, sitting back and waiting for the inevitable error. 

A coach searching for answers for a team bursting with frailty in March as disaster looms simply isn’t good enough. The injury excuse, once genuine when added to the disruption it initially wrought, is now gossamer thin. Genuinely committed teams would respond to the adversity rather than be crushed by it and enough time has elapsed for solutions to have been adopted and applied yet the exact same issues arise in virtually every game.

Another defining week in store.


Postscript;

My Derby report went in the bin. A lot of research was expended on Billy Joel’s “We didn’t start the fire” in an attempt to make a point about Town’s decades of failure at Middlesbrough, Derby and Preston. Writing it was tortuous, but not as tortuous as reading it would have been so I spared you all!

Town finally secured a win in 2021 with a remarkable 7 minute period just after half time which entirely confounded the form of both teams going in to the game.

A fairly even first half, during which Town mixed encouraging forward play with their usual failings when deep in possession, ended with a Swansea equaliser so heavy with foreboding that defeat seemed inevitable.

Blessed with talent, which has carried them towards the top of the table since their only home reversal all those long months ago, and a consistently parsimonious defence, the Welshmen would surely follow in the footsteps of Wycombe Wanderers and trample all over their hosts’ fragility?

Instead, a bright start to the second half, not unlike the previous week but with end product, delivered three, high quality, goals to the eye rubbing disbelief of the audience.

While incompetence has underpinned a disastrous 2021, there have been periods in some games which suggested that the inadequacies were not immutable and that the squad, all be it depleted, could elevate itself back to mid table stagnation given a few breaks.

Any such happy talk seemed ridiculous, however, as Hourihane lifted a free kick over a wall which was less barrier and more an aid to the ex-Barnsley man’s trajectory, and past a hopelessly out of position Schofield for an equaliser on the stroke of half time.

The leveller was the culmination of the only brief period of the game in which Swansea looked remotely superior to their struggling opponents and owed as much to Town’s predilection for hesitancy and error playing out from the back than their own ability.

Though the award of the free kick was dubious at best, the Terriers had only themselves to blame for the lack of care preceding it and all the good work of a half in which they took the lead, threatened regularly and subdued the Swans for long periods was wasted.

Shrugging off a nervous opening few minutes, Town played with a purpose and energy which may have taken the visitors by surprise judging by the absence of guile in a team flying high and the number of lofted balls they resorted to, and deservedly took the lead midway through the half. 

Rowe, continuing the encouraging form from the second half in midweek, either over hit his cross following good work down the left or picked out Pipa in lots of space beyond Swansea’s defence, which allowed the Spaniard to advance to the byline before picking out Campbell in the area, whose slightly scuffed shot went in off the post for a deserved lead.

Campbell had already had the ball in the net earlier but the linesman interpreted that O’Brien, who set up the striker, was offside when coming back on to the pitch despite the last touch being from a visiting defender. Or it had gone out of play.

Minutes after the opener, Bacuna found half a yard of space after bamboozling Hourihane and struck an excellent effort from distance against the post with Woodman comprehensively beaten.

Establishing control and unfortunate not to be further ahead, Town’s unexpected but welcome levels of comfort began to evaporate as half time neared and they were grateful for a goal line clearance by Sarr, a save from Ayew by Schofield and two efforts from range being slightly off target.

Swansea’s brief but hugely threatening period of dominance began with Keogh dallying in the absence of options in front of him as he carried the ball forward and spread alarmingly through the team as persistent failings threatened to undo all of their previous good work. We had been here before and, sure enough, the pressure eventually told with Hourihane’s free kick.

Remarkably, within 10 minutes of the restart, Town put the game to bed, completed a double over one of the best sides in the division and dismantled the meanest defence of that division to record a confidence boosting win against any expectation.

O’Brien, producing his best performance of the season by some distance, restored the lead following excellent work by Bacuna who played a great ball in to Campbell who, in turn setup the midfielder for a strike which took a slight but very helpful deflection on its way past Woodman. He deserved the fortune having driven forward to begin the move in the first place.

Bacuna was involved again as Town turned the screw with a third goal minutes later as his chipped ball forward to Campbell was knocked down for Rowe to feed Holmes in to the area to finish well.

Not satisfied with a two goal advantage, Holmes then produced the goal of the season to date and one unlikely to be bettered. Taking the ball off Rowe and moving right to left, the diminutive Anglo-American took advantage of a nice bobble off the pitch to find the top corner from distance.

The devastating spell, as welcome as it was astonishing, sealed the first 3 points of the year even if beleaguered and weary supporters could still be forgiven for harbouring doubt.

The Terriers’ ability to hold on to their large lead was not to be tested, however, as a freak and horrible injury befell Morris as the Seattle Sounder loanee stumbled awkwardly while attempting to trap the ball. The seriousness of the injury was immediately and instinctively understood by Pipa, who knocked the ball out of play before urgently beckoning help.

Unfortunately for Swansea, they had already used up all their substitutes with Cooper rather obviously conceding defeat on the hour and their trip home to South Wales was further depressed by a cruel injury.

As often happens, the incident sucked the air of competition from the game with the last half hour rarely developing beyond a stroll. Swansea’s resignation, coupled with the deflation of the injury, and Town taking advantage of the rare opportunity to provide rest to some key players by using all 5 permitted changes reduced the contest to a pragmatic exercise of damage control for both parties.

Only a fool would declare Town’s problems over following an unusual if exhilarating victory. The closing minutes of the first half demonstrated how easily they can crumble under pressure to which they make a significant contribution and the score line was somewhat more convincing than the balance of play in the first hour warranted.

However, the vanquishing of as good a side as Swansea should not be under estimated.

Other than more concerns over Schofield, each and every player contributed to a fine victory, with Holmes and O’Brien finding excellent form, Bacuna channelling his talent in a more disciplined manner, Rowe constantly threatening a previously excellent defence and Vallejo providing calm and cultured possession, there were many positives to add to the relief.

Now for Derby, as much a graveyard for Town teams as Middlesbrough, and a different proposition to the poor team which barely turned up to the John Smith’s stadium early in the season. To restore our place in the boring middle of the Championship, the Terriers need to consolidate this unexpected victory with a couple or more points by the end of February.

Interpreted generously, 35 minutes of competent , occasionally penetrative play bookended a seriously poor mid section to constitute the type of sandwich it is unnecessary to elucidate and exposed Huddersfield Town’s failings as they continue to plunge inexorably towards the bottom of a distinctly average division.

A very bright opening saw Town move the ball quickly and purposefully against a lethargic Middlesbrough side suffering their own injury and form problems. 

Typically incisive in the early stage of a match in which the Terriers desperately needed a reaction to Saturday’s disastrous and hugely damaging defeat, it is far from uncommon for Corberán’s charges to set the tempo with great promise, but seasoned observers know that the superiority is almost inevitably illusory.

Rewarded for their enterprise in an encouraging 10 minutes by another excellent free kick conversion by Mbenza following a foul on Pipa, followed by a break minutes later when Mbenza failed to find the unmarked Holmes in the box, the visitors didn’t appear to have been crushed by the weekend’s events. Until Middlesbrough woke up.

With the simple application of greater intensity, the home side, possibly fearful of wily old Warnock’s wrath come the break, broke the visitors down with disconcerting, though hardly surprising, ease.

The shape of the side disintegrated, control was entirely abandoned and a horror show ensued for a full half hour culminating in a deserved half time lead for Boro which deserved to be greater than just one goal.

Pinned in their own half, the folly of drafting O’Brien as a temporary left back and starting the perpetually ineffective Pritchard in his midfield place was ruthlessly exploited by the hosts. Town weren’t helped by a literal lack of sure footedness as several in yellow slipped over at crucial moments, including in the lead up to the equaliser, which had been coming.

Panicky defending kept Boro at bay for 15 minutes, though the obligatory comedy moment arrived soon enough with Sarr and Schofield creating havoc for themselves and allowing Watmore to poke the ball through the keeper’s legs in to the open penalty area. Fortunately, Mbenza was on hand to clear. Unfortunately, the Belgian pulled his groin making the clearance and left the pitch a few minutes later to join the teeming throng of injured.

Middlesbrough equalised on the half hour with a good quality strike by Watmore who should never have been allowed to get in a position to shoot. O’Brien, temporarily delayed in to position by the aforementioned slip, waved an apologetic right leg as an excuse for a challenge as Watmore cut inside, bypassed Sarr with consummate ease and fired past Schofield. Sarr, in fact, had been beaten easily twice in the space of seconds.

The defensive disarray and inability to keep possession encouraged the hosts to swarm all over the Terriers and force a series of corners and dangerous open play situations. They thought they had taken the lead from a free kick on the right when Schofield’s inexplicable rush from his line allowed Hall to head home from, to the relief of the young keeper, an offside position.

With all confidence squeezed out of them by the relentlessness of Boro, the sanctity of half time while still level was just about the only hope for the battered visitors; an objective they could not achieve.

Yet another cheap loss of possession on the left allowed a cross in to the area and Fisher arrived to meet it just before O’Brien whose tardy challenge felled the attacker to concede a clear and unequivocal penalty. 

Benevolent as ever, Schofield’s lame attempt to save Fletcher’s rather insipid penalty allowed the ex-Barnsley man to end his goal drought which stretched back to September (though 4 months out with injury didn’t help).

Another late goal changed the game’s dynamic, even if that dynamic was flowing entirely in one direction in any case, and it was almost impossible to imagine a Town recovery in the second half.

Just before the break, a rare Town foray in to opposition territory brought a free kick in Mbenza range. In his absence, Bacuna drew a routine save from Bettenelli.

To his credit, Corberán made the necessary, and obvious, changes at half time. O’Brien was relieved of his full back duties in favour of Rowe who at least had the credentials of having played in the position more than twice, all be it on the other side of the pitch, and Pritchard’s typically feeble contribution was terminated to get O’Brien back to where he is comfortable.

Middlesbrough’s need to press forward was less urgent than in the first half and while they dominated the opening of the second half, there wasn’t quite the intensity which had crumbled Town before the break. Nevertheless, the visitors remained on the back foot and Sarr proved to be more adept at clearing danger coming in to the box than tackling out wide.

With 20 minutes to go, and with Phillips replacing the anonymous and disappointing Holmes, Town finally began to assert some control over the game and began to look capable of an equaliser. A fast break saw the visitors with a four on one advantage which they managed to mess up through a poor attempted pass by Pipa, but the situation seemed to give Town more belief.

A raid by the lively Rowe saw his cross spooning up off a defender and Phillips, who had shown a lot of purpose since coming on, flicked his header from short range only for Bettellini to touch away.

An excellent chance for Campbell following some good work by Bacuna was lashed wildly over the bar when more composure was needed.

Town were provided with a numerical advantage with 10 minutes to go when McNair brought down Bacuna on the edge of the box and was, perhaps harshly, sent off for his rash challenge. Sarr took the Mbenza territory free kick but put it over the bar.

Pushing Boro backwards in desperate search of a point, the best chance fell to the lively Phillips who took a pass from Campbell, made space and hit the inside of the post with the keeper beaten. 

Despite maintaining the pressure in the dying minutes, Town couldn’t fashion another chance of equal danger and another defeat left them still winless in 2021 and facing a strong Swansea side at the weekend.

A desperately poor half hour in the first half cost them dearly, as did the team selection. Playing O’Brien at left back was a poor decision exacerbated by handing Pritchard a start. It is becoming clear that Schofield needs a break and is adding to an increasingly spooked defence, and while Phillips and Rowe may also succumb to the same type of breakdown through inexperience, they surely earned a start in the next game.

Though not on the same scale as the Wycombe debacle, the seemingly endless throwing away of advantage persists. An inability to maintain performance levels over 90 minutes plagues a team crying out for calming presence and leadership. Hogg cannot deliver this on his own.

With a tough February schedule ahead, it now seems certain that Town’s situation will deteriorate and reliance on the failings of others the only preventative strategy. Mbenza’s injury adds another worry to Corberán’s pile. The revelation that he has been playing on the edge of breakdown for the past few weeks goes a long way to explain his subdued performances and shines a harsh light on the management of players’ fitness.

The agony persists.

Momentous games arrive from time to time. Some are celebrated and some are so utterly ignominious that they not only live long in memory but are held up for future generations as defining moments in the club’s history.

Whether this appallingly abject defeat to a far superior Wycombe side will resonate down the years, as it should, depends on the reaction to the disgrace which should be cleaving to the consciences of all involved, from boardroom to coaching staff to players.

The most optimistic of us, who could rationalise a disastrous January by pointing to a catalogue of injuries which disrupted an idealistic coach’s plan to transform a club from functional relegation battlers in to contenders, have been made to look utterly foolish by a performance which plumbed subterranean depths.

In summary, a bright opening half hour brought a 2 goal lead and missed opportunities to bury the visitors, only for the tables to be turned like the plot of a terrible B movie, beginning with an injury time concession which felt ominous and proved to be much, much worse.

Two stretches of the first half saw Town’s energy and intensity drop alarmingly; a feature throughout a season where even the good wins have been accompanied by perilous and inexplicable periods when the opposition is allowed to profit from mini self implosions.

The first of these followed the opening goal, which was well crafted by Vallejo and Campbell to set up a simple headed finish by Bacuna, as Town’s control and prominence simply disappeared. When on the ball, the Terriers were reasonably effective and comfortable; without it they looked nervous and fragile. 

Sensing vulnerability, Wycombe began to expose the usual frailties. Much was made of the different styles of the two teams before the game, citing Town’s high pass completion against the visitors’ necessarily rudimentary approach given their circumstances, but the statistics belie the Terriers’ discomfort without the ball and susceptibility to physicality and pressure.

Losing shape, errors were forced by the visitors and Town were grateful to Sarr’s interceptions on more than one occasion, including two clearances off the line as Wycombe, with little to lose, reacted to going behind with commendable spirit.

With half time approaching, Town doubled their lead through Mbenza who struck a decent shot across Allsop, who was beaten a little too easily and had a great opportunity to finish off the League’s whipping boys only for Bacuna to make a mess of a simple ball in to the box for the unmarked Holmes.

Off the hook, Wycombe staged a late assault on Town’s faltering rearguard and got their reward in injury time when the impressive Mehmeti strolled past Vallejo and Bacuna to strike a good shot past Schofield. The goal followed a scare just a minute earlier when Knight hit the bar and the goal was just reward for the visitors’ endeavour.

It was also the defining moment of the game. Instead of being down by 3, the Buckinghamshire stragglers had given themselves hope and a huge lift at a crucial time, simultaneously casting fear, uncertainty and doubt in to their hosts.

What followed in the second half was entirely unacceptable. Unprofessional, lacking inspiration of any kind and disastrously sloppy in and out of possession, Town were completely dominated, on their own patch by demonstrably the poorest side in the division.

Not that Wycombe looked anything like the worst Championship side in recent memory. That sobriquet belonged to their opponents who, after a reasonably promising opening 10 minutes of the second half, proceeded to collapse in to a profoundly disturbing and ramshackle paltriness.

Bullied all over the pitch, entirely incapable of winning a second ball, rarely completing a pass, hesitant and in some cases hiding, lacking spirit, bereft of cohesion, defensively inept, offensively impotent, thoroughly unprofessional; even this litany of sins barely conveys one of the worst displays witnessed in many a year. The many failures in the Premier League at least had the consolation of being committed against opposition of quality.

This is not to diminish Wycombe’s efforts, which entirely debilitated the hosts and may well have condemned them to inevitable further deterioration. Their domination was as complete as it was astonishing and laid bare the uncomfortable fact that for all the flair Town can show from time to time, as they did in the first half, it counts for nothing if half the team aren’t prepared to sully their talent with the fundamentals of the game. 

This was no smash and grab; if anything, the visitors should have won by a bigger margin. A Schofield save from point blank range, a remarkable miss from close in scrambled away from the line, a good chance put wide following an ill advised Schofield rush from his line and a McLeary effort which just cleared the bar, illustrated Wycombe’s superiority. Allsop, at the other end, was entirely untroubled.

The inevitable crack of Town’s puny resistance came when Keogh decided to run alongside Ikpeazu, who browbeat the home defence, rather than execute a tackle. Handing over responsibility to Hogg, Town’s captain bundled him to the floor to concede a penalty converted by Jacobson.

The thoroughly deserved winner arrived with 5 minutes to go. A free kick glanced off the head of substitute Scott High and fell to the feet of Knight. Easily evading feeble attempts to block, he took one touch before beating Schofield and condemning Town to humiliation.

So, now what? The first game of the shortest month was supposed to deliver a confidence boosting 3 points in advance of the considerably harder challenges ahead. Instead, Town have reached a watershed. The glimmer of hope represented by picking up 2 points at the end of a losing streak has been extinguished and without the, admittedly, minor redemption on offer against Wycombe, all excuses have now expired.

Corberán, whose nascent head coaching career is now firmly on the line, has to deliver a team on Tuesday which can rectify the damage inflicted on a dark day for the club. It is more likely that he cannot, as the psychological damage looks far too severe and his inexperience too exposed but he should be allowed the opportunity. It is his choice whether to stick to his principles or introduce, somehow, a level of pragmatism to a squad seemingly incapable of performing to the standards he clearly desires but pursues against increasingly flimsy evidence of likelihood.

The fine line between principle, including training methods which may be contributing to seemingly endless injury problems, and obstinance is now being severely tested. Can Corberán innovate to affect change? The season long ineffectiveness of in game adaptability suggests not but perhaps necessity will prove the mother of invention.

He isn’t helped by an increasingly poisonous and hostile opposition to the Chairman, CEO and head of recruitment. The only blessing is that he and his players are spared the wrath of the support. By the time we get back in to stadiums, the haemorrhaging of that support may be severe and all of the damage inflicted.

Patience has snapped with a club which insisted upon searching for a new identity without paying enough attention to it’s personality. Rather than becoming the Brentford of the North, built on shrewd investment and fuelled by the development of raw talent, which needs supporters to understand the plan, they are left baffled by it and unconvinced that it even exists.
All we can do is now watch the rest of the season unfurl, or unravel, through our fingers. Over to you, Carlos.

Scraping a fortunate draw, which could have turned in to a thoroughly undeserved victory, Town extended their unbeaten run to two. More pertinently, their winless streak in 2021 goes on and anything other than an end to their joyless New Year against collapsing Wycombe will trigger significantly increased levels of opprobrium amongst a support fast losing faith.

In dreadful conditions against aggressive, relentless opponents, a point at Kenilworth Road would ordinarily be taken as a marginal gain, but in the context of what appeared, from the outside, as an inept final day in the transfer market and no evidence that failings at both end of the pitch are close to being addressed, Town’s equaliser, welcome as it was, provided minimal comfort.

The promise of a bright, if typically less than incisive, opening was punctured by yet another Naby Sarr transgression which gifted Luton possession and left the visitors naked and exposed. The Hatters gleefully accepted the gift, as so many have done before them.

It would be far too kind to call this a glitch, given the propensity of Town’s defenders in general and Naby in particular for undermining the efforts in front of them, and, indeed, Sarr played a similarly risky ball in to the middle later in the half which directly led to an O’Brien booking. For balance, he also played a couple of decent balls in to the middle during the half, but a success rate of 50/50 rather suggests that the risk and reward ratio simply isn’t favouring the Frenchman.

As ever with this team, they excelled when allowed to be in their comfort zone, particularly down the left. Regrettably, that zone doesn’t include the business ends of the pitch rendering their strengths approaching, appropriately, pointless. Ignis fatuus.

All of the effort expended to get in to threatening positions flounder through poor execution, bad decision making and not enough commitment to get in the box. The last of these is particularly disappointing as it was a feature earlier in the season and rightly acknowledged as a massive improvement.

That all the unfulfilled promise came down the left, featuring 8 unsuccessful balls in to the box, was not surprising with Mbenza’s inexorable descent to pre Corberán form and, worryingly, attitude. Listlessly uninterested, he contributed little and was rightly substituted at half time.

A scrappy first half on an uneven surface which certainly didn’t help the tippy tappy stylings of the visitors, saw precious few opportunities for either side but the hosts should have wrapped the game up shortly before the break. Pipa rather over sold himself when chasing a clearance from a corner and was easily bypassed by Mpanzu whose cross was headed against the post from close range by Potts. 

Town’s two, off target, attempts on goal summed up a pretty dreadful first half showing. O’Brien found good space just outside the box but fired hopelessly wide while a very good run by Bacuna should have ended with a lay off to the much better placed O’Brien but, instead, he used his normal decision making processes and rolled a weak effort wide.

To their credit, Town were a better, if far from perfect, proposition in the second half and the introduction of Aarons was key. Operating on the right, perhaps the miserable performance of Mbenza has inadvertently pointed the way towards a more effective formation and the right flank can begin to relieve the left of the burden they have increasingly carried during this dismal run.

Despite one or two scares, including a wild effort by Mpanzu after being freed in to a position he really should have scored from, the visitors largely matched Luton’s energy with errors reduced if not eradicated. Hogg’s return added some very necessary steel and defensive know how and if Holmes can shake off the rustiness which saw him lose possession too easily at times, he should prove an asset.

The first sign of improvement was a good effort by Pipa which fizzed just wide from distance after good work from Holmes.

Though the game reverted to an attritional battle for long periods, Town dug in and defended their box with greater discipline and frustrated the Hatters with well timed blocks. They were a little fortunate when the influential Mpanzu decided not to go down in the area when clearly knocked in preference to stumbling in to a poor effort from a difficult angle.

At the other end, Luton were to be grateful for Bacuna’s curious decision making. Set free in to the area by Aarons, he fired a hopelessly ambitious shot in to the side netting when others were far better placed. Like Sarr, it was just a repeat of a previous lack of judgement and doing the same things over and over with the same result is difficult to forgive.

To his credit, Sarr was able to atone for his error with the equaliser. Pritchard, on for Pipa, bought a foul just outside the box with a dramatic fall from an innocuous challenge, which Bacuna delivered rather well in to the area. A dummy by Toffolo ensured Sluga had to make a save (his first) but he could only parry the ball in to Sarr’s path. Town’s third highest scorer wasn’t going to miss from a couple of yards.

The equaliser forced the game in to a period of mild entertainment, fuelled by frenzy rather than dazzling play and Town created the best chance to take all 3 points when Campbell was freed down the right on a break. His well directed ball in to the box was met by Holmes but the long throw specialist couldn’t quite control his effort to meet a cross which was knee height for him rather than on the floor.

With a precious point within their grasp, Town managed to create a sting in the tail when Toffolo miscontrolled when attempting to play out rather than taking the obvious option to launch the ball to safety. His attempted recovery saw him slip and clatter unceremoniously in to an opponent and the instant response of the referee was to assume dangerous play and show the red card. Replays show that the left back was unfortunate but as he was the author of his own misfortune, sympathy is a little reduced. The referee, who had a generally poor game, was right to dismiss but mitigation may result in an appeal.

The resulting free kick was the last action of the game and very nearly completely ruined an already very average afternoon, when a decent header inside the area struck a post and the stalemate was preserved.

Frustrating and unsatisfying as it was, the point away from home at a tough venue is welcome. The value of it will be increased by a home win next Saturday, but the performance didn’t enhance hopes, even against the worst side in the division; they can show resilience, a quality Town struggle to deal with.

Finding ways to unlock Wycombe’s defence must be the priority during this week, even though they have shipped 10 in their last two games. Presumably, those teams have effective strikers.

Had this point accompanied a couple of wins from January, it would have been seen as a dogged one. The multiple failures in January, however, meant it was the minimum required to begin to soothe nerves and it barely achieves that. A dozy deadline day, lack of meaningful communications and the bizarre introduction of West Vale Squash Club in to an over heating debate overwhelm any small positives it represents.

Staring deeply in to the mouth of a gift horse, Huddersfield Town’s losing streak ended with a limp draw as they failed to capitalise on Stoke City’s reduced numbers as old failures undermined their efforts once more.

Veterans of many Town performances against 10 men will not have been surprised at the frustrating inability to make their extra man count and no doubt relieved that the visitors were unable to counter attack and grab a winner once comfortable with their absorption of increasingly predictable pressure.

It had all started so well. Continuing on from their second half dominance of Bristol City, the Terriers swamped Stoke in a compelling opening 15 minutes with the men from the Potteries barely making it in to Town’s half.

The superiority brought a welcome early goal with a good Toffolo cross eventually landing at the feet of Mbenza who set up Pipa to strike. A very helpful deflection left Gunn stranded and beaten.

Town’s dominance continued with the left flank combinations of Toffolo, O’Brien and Aarons causing significant problems for the visitors and the team in general fluently exploiting Stoke’s static opening.

An excellent Mbenza corner found the towering figure of Sarr who should have made more of the opportunity but the best chance of Town’s brightest period of the game fell to Campbell who contrived to plant a header wide from a fantastic Toffolo cross.

The miss heralded a decline which was rarely arrested. 

The Potters finally began to find some energy to close down the spaces in which Town had flourished and the easy possession which they enjoyed dried up. Pushing further up the pitch, the visitors evened up the contest to an extent, and it was disturbing to see such a slight improvement have an immediate and detrimental impact.

Nevertheless, there was only mild pressure being applied to Keogh when he twice gave away possession in the space of a couple of minutes. Having got away with the first misdemeanour, the second became unforgivable and ultimately cost 2 points.

An attempted ball inside to Vallejo was even worse than his earlier misplaced pass to O’Brien and set up Stoke for a rare attack with Jack Clarke released towards the area. Even then, the ex-Leeds man should’ve been jockeyed and held up rather than being tripped up by Sarr’s impetuous challenge. Fletcher despatched the penalty for pretty much his only meaningful contribution of the day.

Stoke took encouragement for the gift and finished the half looking the team more likely to take maximum points until Norrington-Davies was dismissed in stoppage time for a reckless lunge on Bacuna. The Welsh youngster could have few complaints. The challenge was no doubt a genuine attempt to win the ball rather than deliberately malicious but the force of the tackle left the referee with little option to produce his red card with no hint of hesitation.

The depletion probably cost Stoke the chance of 3 points but, ironically, probably improved their opportunity for some reward given Town’s terrible record against sides who concede possession in favour of closing down space, and so it proved.

Laboured and lacking imagination for far too much of the second half, Town were, nevertheless, a little unfortunate on the two occasions they breached Stoke’s defensive walls and had a half decent shout for a penalty when Pipa appeared to be caught in the area only for the Spaniard’s overly wrought tumble to turn the decision against him.

As stodgy and inaccurate as much of the approach play was, Town only needed to nudge ahead to force the game in to the open to then take real advantage of an opposition forced to try and recover a game with ten men.

The threat Town were able to muster inevitably came down the left and their two big chances emanated from that flank. Toffolo, who is back to his 2020 form, set up O’Brien to hit a good strike from slightly behind him which may or may not have been finger tipped on to the bar by Gunn.

O’Brien then set up Bacuna in the area and following a nice piece of skill which opened up space for himself, his goal bound shot was cleared by McClean who positioned himself excellently to head away.

Had either of those gone in, the mood would be entirely different and, arguably, the restricted spaces Town find so difficult to negotiate would have opened up.

This is not to defend the rest of the half which was undoubtedly lacking in guile and threat. 

While Pipa looked back to somewhere near his best, he wasn’t particularly helped out by his lacklustre partner down the right, Mbenza. The Belgian simply didn’t contribute enough and his replacement, the returning Holmes, managed 2 more threatening balls in to the box (inevitably not read by our strikers) than he had achieved in a pretty dismal second half display.

Campbell also had a distinctly average afternoon after missing the early chance, culminating in a pathetic dive late on which was never fooling anybody. The veteran has his positives, not least a willingness to work selflessly for the system, but when that system gets bogged down and plants itself up its own firmament, his flaws are exposed more than most.

The introduction of Holmes sparked some life in to the increasingly desperate search for a winner and his neat and tidy cameo showed promise for the future. In stark contrast, the sight of Pritchard under the numbers board must have brought many a groan from the sofas of West Yorkshire and beyond. He didn’t, dear readers, make a difference.

Stoke’s threat was minimal, as expected, but a corner won from one of their rare appearances in Town’s half was threatening enough to suggest the unthinkable was possible. Their resilience earned them a point, however, and restricting Town to just two opportunities of note in 45 minutes was commendable.

It is of little consolation that Town finished a game with a reward for the first time in 2021 when a much needed win eluded them, but it is better than nothing.

The improved form of Toffolo and Pipa is encouraging, the introduction of Holmes promising and the reemergence of Corberán’s style, though not sustained long enough, positive but the shooting themselves in the foot refuses to stop.

The mild concern about collapsing in to relegation trouble wasn’t alleviated by taking one point from two games which should have delivered at least 4, and February needs to be a massive improvement on January to get the club back on the mediocrity trail.

A fourth successive league defeat leaves Town nervously contemplating a relegation battle should fortunes not change in the near future, but this latest reverse carried significant signs of hope that the club can get back to the mundane mid table position which looked pretty inevitable before Christmas.

Uninspiring as it is to yearn for mediocrity, a season with no drama remains enticing after the deep trauma of recent years, but the disruptions to a previously stable team capable of picking up enough points to keep comfortably out of danger have proven too fundamental to overcome.

Nerves and mood were not helped at all by a pathetic, featureless defeat to Millwall, and the absence of style, imagination and energy cast a pall of gloom which threatened to derail the Corberán project before it has had chance to build any sort of platform for the future.

Just 6 days later, and with just one change to last week’s mooching shambles (which probably helped), Town came away from Ashton Gate with no reward but, hopefully, a renewed sense of purpose.

Before the half hour, the visitors appeared doomed to their now traditional sound thrashing beside the Severn Estuary as the Robins struck twice inside 5 minutes, exposing Town’s static and square back line with two good pieces of skill. 

First, an Alfie Mawson through ball was cleverly dummied by Mariappa which set Diédhiou free to round Schofield and slot home. Town’s naivety contributed to the concession but should not detract from City’s invention.

A poor clearance by Sarr, over his head and with no control, allowed the hosts to strike a second time just a few minutes later as Palmer clipped a nice through ball inside Sarr for Diédhiou to grab his brace. 

Surgically dissected twice in the space of just a few minutes, Town’s reasonable start to the game which had seen them come closest to opening the scoring when an excellent O’Brien surge ended with a shot against the post, lay in ruins and an implosion seemed far more likely than what was to follow.

Much will be made of Town’s defensive frailty in those two moments, but this would be to unfairly overlook the invention of Bristol’s forward play and, indeed, before the double concession they should have made much more of an excellent ball by Palmer out to the right, but Marriappa fluffed the opportunity to create an easy chance for either of the forwards awaiting a simple ball in.

Rocked back on their heels and with confidence taking another battering, Town took a while to regain some equilibrium but the final hour belonged almost exclusively to the Terriers, only for them to be thwarted by a combination of ill fortune, some good goalkeeping and the familiar lack of clinical finishing.

Helped by Bristol’s decision to contain the visitors by settling back and hoping to profit from any over commitment, the home side rather lulled themselves in to passivity and can count themselves fortunate, to say the least, that their strategy eventually paid off. 

Perhaps informed by their rather short break since beating Millwall with some ease in the cup, the self extinguishing of any meaningful threat, after looking capable of punishing Town further, was a high stakes gamble, but the 3 points they gained were not deserved.

Just before the break, a Town corner was met by Vallejo, who thumped the ball in to the ground looping it towards goal only for Hunt to head it on to the bar and clear. It wasn’t to be the last encounter the Spaniard had with the woodwork, but along with some decent movement and interplay, which rather evaporated as they got nearer the goal, the visitors finished the half strongly while City’s ambition visibly waned.

Town’s second half display was the most promising for a long while. Their opponents’ decision to retreat makes it difficult to assess how much of this improvement was overwhelming superiority rather than taking advantage of circumstances, but it should still provide a platform for the near future and must be built upon.

For the first time in at least a month, Town’s left flank developed some potency. Toffolo was allowed to get further forward than of late, O’Brien finally found some form and Aarons produced easily his best display of his short time at the club.

The right wing was less effective, but Pipa was also more prominent behind a rather more mixed Mbenza performance. Marriappa, however, proved a more difficult opponent for them than the opposite side of the Robins’ defence.

The chances flowed.

A perfect cross by Toffolo should have been converted by Campbell; perhaps he was surprised at the quality of the ball in after such a long time feeding on scraps, but his attempt lacked the necessary calm of a Championship striker.

Mbenza slipped as he attempted one of his free kicks from a distance which looked optimistic, though Bentley in the Bristol goal was sufficiently worried by the attempt.

On the hour, more good play down the left saw the lively Aarons played in by O’Brien and after a mazy run, just on the right side of control, his ball in to the danger area was back heeled intelligently by Mbenza to present Bacuna with a chance he couldn’t, and didn’t, miss.

Vallejo then hit a superb effort from around the same distance as the Mbenza free kick, which caused the Robins’ custodian even more concern. Unfortunately, the quality of the strike wasn’t rewarded and crashed down off the bar and Bacuna, whose second half display was notably improved, was unable to profit from the aftermath.

Bacuna then hit another, equally excellent, long range shot which Bentley did well to turn over the bar, though the effort was very close to him.

The overriding feeling that the home goal was charmed was confirmed as another Bacuna effort hit Campbell and struck the post before diverting to safety. 

With a total of 26 shots, 6 on target, Town could not be accused of lacking creativity and the wafer thin margins worked against them on a night where an hour of total dominance simply wasn’t reflected in the final score.

The hosts’ threats were, and this is charitable, sporadic and either easily dealt with by the excellent Keogh or self inflicted in the case of yet another back pass moment which drew an “oh, God!” commentary on iFollow, as Schofield hesitated before winning, after a fashion, a dead ball.

The disappointment of yet another defeat on the road is, to an extent, alleviated by the promise of the performance though the opposition’s tactical choices allowed the game to be played to Town’s strengths. It is unlikely that Stoke will fall in to the same trap, but the confidence the team should take from a far more fluent and imposing display should not be under estimated.

Optimistically, it is encouraging that Corberán transformed pretty much the same group of players in less than a week and if and when injuries start to clear up and Holmes adds a new level of dynamism, hope may be resurrected.

However, the improvement must be continued at the weekend and the very different circumstances they face overcome. 

Winning is now an urgent requirement.

On a day when normalcy became popular again, Town’s return to a state of characterless, doddering ineptitude could not have been less welcome.

None of the style implemented by Corberán was on display and there wasn’t a single consolation to be found in probably the worst performance of the season against a disciplined, barely troubled Millwall side who are unlikely to gain 3 easier points on the road this campaign.

This was a game which needed to be won. There are plenty of excuses to reach out for but all of them should be dismissed and ignored. The injuries have been with the club for enough time to be mitigated, the London team took far greater advantage of the dreadful northern weather and bedding in new faces demands greater care of the ball than the slovenly, inattentive attitude which permeated a dreadful opening 10 minutes which led to an early concession.

Town were a little fortunate that the damage wasn’t even worse.

Though largely determined by player availability, Corberán’s pairing of Campbell and Ward fundamentally unbalanced a largely laughable attacking force and the complete absence of ideas in an unremittingly dreary second half spoke of a team drained of confidence and, perhaps, basic fitness. 

To his credit, Ward had the only shot on target in the 90 minutes, which drew a decent save. The chance was one of three conjured in the only period of the game Town escaped the Lions’ shackles. The first saw Toffolo and O’Brien linking well down the left leading to a push on the latter and the award of a penalty which should have been the game’s turning point, coming just 10 minutes after Millwall’s opener.

Campbell, however, fired the spot kick too high and let the visitors off the hook while simultaneously subduing the struggling hosts, though an O’Brien burst through the middle created a glorious chance for Bacuna which the purple haired midfielder struck wide.

On the half hour, Toffolo and O’Brien created more danger down the left which allowed the full back to square to Ward who did well to swivel and force a save from Bialkowski.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was that. 

Millwall, who scented blood early in the game, held on to the lead they took in the 4th minute when an excellent ball in by McNamara found the inexplicably unmarked Malone inside the area and the Town old boy swept home.

The goal was the culmination of the visitors taking advantage of the Terriers hesitant and horribly imprecise play from the kick off; sluggishness which lasted a full 10 minutes and was hugely encouraging to the previously out of form Bermondsey outfit.

At their liveliest, for the 15 minutes up to the half hour, Town failed to take advantage of their brief period of dominance and the last hour of the contest was an increasingly turgid trek to deserved defeat.

To describe the second half display as pedestrian would be to imbue it with far more energy than it held. Lacking ideas, movement and any sign of individual moments which may have caused even the mildest of surprise to the opponents, Town stagnated alarmingly.

The merciful substitution of Ward on the hour brought no discernible change in attitude or fortune with Mbenza proving just as ineffective. The returning winger had zero impact though his anonymity may have been the inevitable result of Town implementing not a single change to how they were playing. Which was sideways, backwards and far too deep. 

Throughout the evening, Town looked and played like a team completely overwhelmed by the problems which built up in the frantic schedule towards the end of 2020, and this includes the management team whose project has been upended.

The continuity which seemed to have delivered mid table stability has been usurped by chaos and mounting defeats, carrying none of the soothing consolations of earlier setbacks, and the threat of a debilitating spiral seems very real.

Sympathy for their plight is beginning to wane and will disappear if answers are not found. A home game against moderate opposition was the opportunity to reverse a decline which has hit hard and fast and the manner of the utter failure to grasp it was deeply worrying.

In particular, the Hogg shaped hole was inadequately filled by Vajello. The Spaniard, one of the few who came out with credit at Vicarage Road, could not provide the necessary energy or drive provided by the injured Teessider but was not helped by Bacuna or O’Brien for the most part and the collective failure of imagination throughout was depressing.

A Millwall second looked far more likely than a home equaliser and, indeed, they had a goal disallowed, rightly, following a corner. The offence against Schofield had been preceded by Pipa seemingly wrestling his opponent to the ground, unspotted by officials.

With the visitors mainly sitting deep to comfortably protect their lead, it is difficult to judge the performance of the newly arrived and already condemned Keogh, but he did little wrong. Apart from contributing to the decidedly uncertain start to the game, his central defensive partner Sarr was also largely blameless for the inactivity in front of him.

Many of the problems facing Corberán are not of his making. The inadequacies of the squad when shorn of certain individuals have been painfully exposed and applying band aids to gaping wounds deeply inadequate, but this is the hand he has been dealt and more effective solutions are needed.

The current points tally provides some breathing space but it is difficult to dispel the fear that a precipice is approaching. Campbell’s penalty miss may prove pivotal to Town’s fortunes this season and beyond; averting a deepening crisis must now be Corberán’s priority.

Having been gifted 3 points by Watford a few long weeks ago, Town’s generous reciprocity sealed a hugely predictable defeat in a game of largely uninterrupted banality with few positives for Corberán, who is facing the biggest challenges of his short tenure.

An already meagre squad shorn of experience and continuity faced a Hornets side notably strong at Vicarage Road with several players making rare starts and with the regulars, particularly Pipa and Toffolo, being asked to compensate accordingly, the possibility of a Bournemouth sized disaster loomed ominously.

Unlike the South coast debacle, most of Corberán’s choices were enforced, though perhaps one or two of the omissions had an eye on Millwall in midweek and, to their credit, a solid if uninspiring first half raised hopes of snatching a point against a side rather more frightening on paper than on grass.

The back 3 of Edmonds-Green, Vallejo and Critchlow knitted together well with the Spaniard catching the eye with calm distribution and essential availability while the two youngsters produced authoritative performances against the experience of Deeney and the growing talent of Pedro.

Restricting Watford to a couple of efforts well saved by Schofield, the defensive effort nevertheless emasculated the visitors’ threat. Bar a half decent opportunity which was wasted by Bacuna, Town’s reliance on the willing but rusty Aarons and Rowe rarely looked like troubling the home defence. 

The reluctance to commit was understandable as the alternative of leaving the central defence open to the pace  of the home side, as the potency of Pipa and Toffolo was deliberately restrained, would have been, to put it mildly, rash.
The defensive game plan, given the personnel available, was as forgivable as it was necessary, but the almost total neutering of attacking intent made for a difficult watch.

Things may have been different had an incident on the half hour been adjudicated differently. Troy Deeney’s assault on Bacuna, who had released Aarons some time before being clattered, was as worthy of a red card as his scything down of Quaner in the first Premier League season.

The failure to play advantage was more understandable given the severity and immediacy of the challenge, but not to follow this up with dismissal simply added insult to injury.

A half of football lacking excitement if not endeavour ended, deservedly, goalless and perhaps Watford’s pedestrian display encouraged Town to open up a little in the early stages of the second half as they attempted to impose themselves a little more (it was hard to imagine them being less progressive).

They began to look quite comfortable, even managing a shot by Bacuna following a neat move down the left involving Toffolo who had finally managed to get forward.

On more than one occasion, neat play at the back extricated Town from Watford’s press and the game suddenly held some promise for the visitors until the bright start came crashing down in bizarre circumstances. Perhaps over emboldened by their earlier calm, O’Brien played a simple ball back to Vallejo who, in turn, moved the ball on to his goalkeeper. Inexplicably, Schofield didn’t react and, in fact, took a step backwards which allowed Cleverley to pounce and open the scoring.

The young keeper’s scoresheet remains firmly positive despite the error, but the circumstances of the day demanded diligence if a positive outcome was to be achieved. As it was, defeat seemed inevitable as the second half plan imploded.

Within ten minutes, Watford sewed up the points as Pedro swept the ball out to Femenia who easily beat Pat Jones before finding Pedro on the back post to tap in. That the ball travelled that distance without intervention was disappointing, though the lack of challenge by Jones, who was barely minutes in to his League debut, made life too easy for the hosts.

Watford appeared largely content with a lead which seemed almost certain to be unassailable, while Town changed formation to involve Ward to join Campbell up front. The injury plagued substitute’s cameo was sadly, though not altogether unexpectedly, anaemic and featured a break down the left which he managed to run out of play. 

Scott High, however, had a promising 20 minutes including Town’s one shot on target of the afternoon, comfortably gathered by Bachmann, who rarely if ever had to go in to overdrive. Sadly, it wasn’t a case of him not seeing anything yet as his afternoon continued untroubled.

An expected defeat then with all the problems pervading the club laid out across the field despite a defensively commendable first half. As it stands, there are no January signings which will bring immediate relief; Aarons was energetically ineffective and clearly needs gradual introduction, Grant is injured before even making the bench and Thomas more likely to go out on loan.

Millwall, and the return of Mbenza, perhaps, offers a good opportunity to get back to winning ways which increasingly feels necessary despite the still comfortable gap to the relegation zone. A losing spiral is not exactly far from supporters’ memories.

Town’s 6 game undefeated home run was ended by a Reading side with too much quality for a mentally fatigued, again unchanged, first eleven with little backing them up as the structural deficiencies of an injury hit squad and lack of depth finally caught up.

This is a mid table outfit, even with its full complement, which is a considerable improvement from the relegation strugglers we assumed as the season got off to a poor start.

Far from being a disastrous defeat, the performance had some redeeming features but lacked the necessary intensity, fluency and attention to detail necessary when facing a play off contender recovering from an injury crisis which had spoked their wheels after a rip roaring start to the season.

An increasingly unconvincing lead established after 5 minutes with the first attack, as Mbenza produced an excellent cross for Campbell to power in, never looked like being built upon and the visitors controlled most of the opening half and would have gone in level but for another outstanding stop by Schofield.

Perhaps the very early lead mitigated against the Terriers. Far too passive in possession, the dynamism of previous home games was largely absent and the opportunity to capitalise on Reading’s shock at going behind was missed. The slow pace made for a dull first half, enlivened by the visitors in injury time as they sought a deserved equaliser.

Having survived one excellent delivery in to the box with Pipa slicing an attempted clearance in to Schofield’s hands, the next one from the excellent Swift reached its target and forced yet another close range stop from the young keeper and the lead was preserved. Precariously.

The Royals took a grip of the game from the start of the second half and looked much the more comfortable and confident side. Town’s control, which was reasonable for a period after the opening goal, had eroded markedly as the visitors’ quality established a dominance which always felt ominous for a squad creaking under the weight of its limitations, not least those sat on the bench which included 3 full backs; possibly our least worrisome positions.

The best chance, however, was created by a trademark O’Brien surge which almost found Mbenza in the six yard box. Perhaps a shot was the better choice for the midfielder but the let off for the visitors proved the turning point.

The equaliser, and the nature of it, came as little surprise as Joao took advantage of Edmonds-Green’s hesitancy in dealing with a ball behind him as the youngster hoped, with little apparent basis for optimism, that Schofield was going to deal with the threat. The keeper was equally convinced, and rightly, that this was a situation entirely the responsibility of the centre back, and the impressive Portuguese took full advantage of the naivety.

It was an error which smacked both of inexperience and hesitancy born of mental fatigue. Edmonds-Green has been, and will continue to be, one of the successes of the season, stepping in to a central defence crisis with a poise and elegance which outstripped the injured alternatives and is surely allowed lapses, particularly at the end of a gruelling schedule.

The leveller spurred the home side a little but only served to make them look even more vulnerable to the counter and a Pipa block was needed to thwart Joao before a strong claim for a handball in the area blocking a Hogg effort was waved away by a referee who had a poor game, though probably right to be unmoved by these appeals.

Less forgivably, the official played an inadvertent but vital part in the lead up to the winning goal, blocking Hogg’s path to an interception of a poor ball. This is not to take away from Joao’s excellent strike; a thunderous shot after making space with a lovely turn. Subsequent criticism of Town defenders’ inability to block the shot rather ignores the skill employed to open up the space with a subtle and decisive feint. If you are going to lose, be beaten by quality.

Town had chances to equalise as Reading failed to press home their advantage despite looking clearly the better of the two sides. Mbenza brought a very good save from Reading’s Brazilian keeper following a good lay off by Campbell and had an even better chance late on when the much improved Bacuna shredded Reading’s back line with an incisive ball. The Belgian tried to manoeuvre the ball on to his right foot rather than taking the chance more quickly with his left, however, and he was forced to stab at the chance and saw his effort go narrowly wide.

Always a threat on the break, the Berkshire outfit hit the bar late on and saw out a deserved victory for their overall superiority.

Corberán’s refusal to blame the defeat on fatigue was admirable though a little credulous. It is not just the mental and physical tiredness which afflicts a team with the same line up for 5 straight matches (and there is an argument that the continuity is beneficial), but also the ability to change things which is severely impacted. 

The paucity of resources, screaming out from the state of the substitutes’ bench, is now well beyond stating the bleeding obvious territory, but capable of at least some rectification before the next league game. When Reading replaced the always excellent Swift – against us, at least – with possibly the best prospect in the Championship, Olise, you could have forgiven Corberán a head in hands moment.

However, and despite being below par for much of the game, Town competed and even had chances to grab an undeserved point. They were a little unfortunate to be playing Reading as they return to strength, though having taken 3 points from a Watford side at probably it’s lowest ebb, these things tend to even out.

Progression from solid mid table will take more time, and the dial is unlikely to be moved this season. This final game of yet another brutal run was one too far, but the effort of the eleven stalwarts couldn’t be faulted and the future is still hopeful.

On screen, Pipa’s beautiful lobbed pass in to the area as the clock ticked towards the end of the regulation 90 looked like a hopeful and wasteful punt until the imposing figure of Naby Sarr appeared from the left, took a fantastic first touch and smashed home the winner in to the top corner.

As in 2019, on the very same date, Town ended this terrible year with a victory over the same opponents and by the same score line. It is to be hoped that the uplifting performance will not precede a year like the one now ending.

As so often, Town followed a disappointing display with a much improved performance against a decent Rovers side who rather failed to rise above the ordinary despite carrying intermittent threat and forcing an equaliser they barely deserved on the run of play having capitalised on the hosts’ failure to add a second from a variety of good moves.

If anything, the visitors shaded a relatively even first half and certainly had the best of the chances. Town were grateful for an excellent Toffolo block in the very first minute as Blackburn took control of the first half hour, culminating in two chances for Armstrong. The first saw Schofield make a genuinely world class save down to his left as Rovers’ marksman fired in a forceful shot from 5 yards, while his second opportunity was plonked in to the side netting from close in and completely unmarked.

Town moved the ball well at times but troubled Kaminski in the opposition goal only once when Bacuna, who was far more effective and disciplined in this game than in too many others, latched on to a deep cross at the far post forcing a good, if regulation, save.

Towards the end of a reasonably entertaining but far from flawless half, Toffolo should perhaps have done better when he was on the end of a flowing Town move rather than slicing his attempt wide. It was, however, a sign of things to come with the Terriers growing in to the game as the half progressed.
O’Brien, still struggling to regain the form he showed in the before times, gradually worked himself in to influencing the game from the left and produced a second half performance much more like his old self.

It was O’Brien who punctured Rovers’ constantly to create good openings in the final third, but hesitation and misplaced passes too often thwarted the home side. 

He was also unceremoniously chopped down by Lenihan early in the second half. The Blackburn  defender was either trying to create a diversion by claiming, with appropriate dramatics, that Campbell had stamped on him whilst prone or the Town striker had, indeed, extracted revenge for the assault. Either explanation could be true of an unedifying spectacle which was only exceeded when iFollow lingered far too long on a shot of Tony Mowbray excavating his lugs.

By now the far more progressive and dynamic of the two teams, Town took the lead from a superbly delivered Mbenza corner. Naby Sarr found space in the area and planted a header past a bemused Blackburn rearguard.

Taking advantage of the visitors’ lack of fluency, Town produced their best football following the goal, and just lacked composure to put the Lancastrians to bed. Most of the threat emanated from the O’Brien/Toffolo partnership down the left, a combination looking increasingly promising and necessary in the absence of Koroma.

Precision was lacking however and as a second goal eluded Town, Mowbray took a break from his aural grooming and made positive changes from the bench, a luxury not afforded to Corberán who, it should be said, repeatedly, has exceeded any expectations we could reasonably have given the injury list on top of a packed schedule.

The addition of Dack, Gallagher and, later, Downing increased Rovers’ potential potency though possibly at the expense of their previous defensive solidity, and Gallagher sounded a warning on the three quarter mark when converting from an offside position.

With less than 5 minutes to go, Rovers claimed an equaliser which vindicated Mowbray’s decisions. Relieved of what must have been enough wax for a candle, the under fire boss saw Gallagher react first to a cross parried by Schofield and it seemed that Town were to be sickened again by a late goal.

To their credit, Town reacted well and grabbed the 3 points with Sarr’s unlikely but excellent strike. Blackburn were unable to take advantage of the generous time added by a below average referee, and a winning end to the year was secured, reigniting thoughts of a play off challenge which is still likely to be beyond the current squad and, should it arise, would surely be far too soon.

For now, the growing gap to the bottom 3 should remain the focus. A mid 40s point tally is not very far away and a continued run of excellent home form, along with an upturn away should see Town safe by late February and maybe sooner. 

Good January recruitment would hasten the survival date – the quality and experience on the bench in recent times is untenable, though being forced to pick the same starters game after game may not be the handicap commonly assumed in these days of rotation.

Another good Championship side vanquished at home and any remaining doubts about Town’s competitiveness in this ever challenging league have surely disappeared.

Happy New Year everyone.

It is almost 25 years since Tom Cowan scored direct from a throw in at Oakwell, in a 3-1 defeat, so it was vaguely poignant that an ugly and messy Yorkshire derby should be settled as a direct result of another dubious long throw.

Not that Town should have any complaints at conceding just as the clock ticked over the 3 minutes added. The additional seconds resulted from the time taken for the visitors to utterly waste their own injury time free kick; rather than managing the dying moments to take a point they only deserved because neither side were worthy of maximum points, they lost possession, discipline and organisation.

Rarely allowed any sort of fluency, Town didn’t take advantage of a brief period of ascendancy in the first half which should have seen them take a 2 goal lead. A lively opening 5 minutes from Barnsley needed good interventions by Schofield to prevent the hosts taking the lead, but Town grew in to the game after that.

O’Brien, whose decent first half performance descended badly in the second, made trademark driving runs at the opposition and deserved better than Campbell’s efforts to convert one particularly dangerous ball in the box – as did Pipa, later – but another of his runs led to the corner from which Town took the lead.

A short corner routine nicely created room in the box for a cross which was met by Edmonds-Green for his first goal for the club, and a foundation was established.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t built upon in the only period of the game where Town looked remotely in control and capable of beating Barnsley’s insistent pressing. Hogg, outstanding again in a game which demanded his football memory kicked in, played a beautiful forward pass in to space for Campbell who really should have chipped over the advancing keeper rather than slide the ball wide.

Already guilty of not being sharp enough to capitalise on two excellent balls in to the box, the hard working but less than clinical forward could have established a 2 goal advantage which was unlikely to be overtaken.

The equaliser followed soon after as a Barnsley corner found a free man beyond the far post, with the header back across goal causing inordinate panic as Sarr, who reverted back to unreliability as easily as he dons the cloak of invincibility in other games, managed to aid the opposition by pushing Edmonds-Green in to Schofield and then failing to deal with the resultant mêlée. 

Back on terms, Barnsley dominated the visitors for the rest of the half and, with the exception of Hogg, Town’s midfield evaporated under pressure. The enigmatic Eiting, struggling again to influence a game clearly foreign to his experience, wilted away while O’Brien’s passing capability collapsed. Bacuna worked hard enough defensively but had little influence in the little forward movement Town were mustering.

Eiting did, however, produce one inspired back heel to Campbell which arguably should have resulted in a penalty for the Terriers just before the break.

As the weather deteriorated, the game followed suit. Town had Schofield to thank for a good save from an overhead kick and one or two more routine interceptions, but were unable to trouble the home keeper whatsoever in a pretty dreadful second half display punctuated by error and poor decision making.

Barnsley weren’t much better but looked slightly more capable of grabbing the winning goal the game simply did not deserve.

The home side, however, were able to call on a bench presumably capable of changing the momentum while Pritchard and Dhiakaby were, yet again, entrusted to make a difference from ours. They did not, and surely it is time for something other than this irredeemable pair even with a bench as thin as it is currently.

Losing a point which was only deserved in a negative sense is not the end of the world and hardly unusual for a squad which is punching a little in mid table, however bizarre and annoying the manner of defeat. It is another learning curve for Corberán in a season of rebuilding and it is to be hoped that January recruitment, particularly in forward areas, will be judicious and progressive.

Having heard and read the EFL media’s excitement with Barnsley, their unrelentingly ugly football came as a bit of a shock, but perhaps the circumstances of the day, not least the weather, dictated the style. Their energy could not be faulted, however, and subduing Town down the flanks for all but a 15 minute period in the first half earned them the 3 points.

Until the Terriers learn to cope with the physicality of the Championship, progress will be a long time coming. Solutions needed Carlos.

Long serving Watford coach Vladimir Ivic was relieved of his duties following defeat at Huddersfield Town, who produced a disciplined and mature performance to earn their 4th home victory in a row, and their third straight 2-0 victory built on early momentum and secured with accomplished game management.

The Hornets’ hierarchy’s patience and forbearance is marginally longer than a toddler’s, but it is difficult to sympathise with a coach of an expensive and talented squad who has delivered such meagre returns away from Vicarage Road. 

Blessed with athleticism, extensive Premier League experience and the finances to blow this division away, Ivic has inspired his charges to score just 4 goals on the road and though sporadically threatening in this encounter, they showed precious little personality and fully deserved their defeat.

In contrast, Town shrugged off the drab midweek display at Coventry with one of their best showings of the season. With 4 points in the bag in the space of a few days, perhaps Corberán’s decisions which resulted in a hammering at Bournemouth can be viewed in perspective, if not entirely forgiven by all.

The game followed the same pattern as the previous 2-0 home victories but against significantly superior opposition. Establishing a two goal cushion by around the half hour, defending it with intensity and threatening on the break against tiring, likely demoralised opposition is giving the lie to the supposed danger of leading by 2. If they could push on and actually grab that 3rd, however, that would be most welcome.

Town started on the front foot with Pipa carrying the ball forward with menace and linking well with Mbenza down the right. An early corner was forced along with a free kick in Mbenza range which the Belgian fired over the bar.

Another surge by Mbenza lead to the opener. Despite losing possession, he pressed on towards Foster who inexplicably tried to bypass Mbenza with a ball to a team mate only for the inevitable ricochet to fall for Campbell to convert from close range. Arguably the best keeper outside the top division, Foster’s aberration was difficult to comprehend but after suffering so many similar reverses this season, it was particularly sweet to finally be the recipient.

Watford responded to the setback and Town were grateful for Schofield’s excellent positioning to deny Garner at close range, while a Cleverley drive from just outside the area sailed just wide, though Schofield had it covered. It was the only decent effort from a puzzling series of attempts from distance by Watford players.

Schofield was similarly well positioned to block a glance off the head of the hugely disappointing Andre Gray and a 10 minute period of dominance from the visitors had been negotiated.

Just past the half hour mark, Campbell played in Mbenza with an excellent ball down the left and Watford were only saved by a late intervention as the rehabilitated winger shaped to shoot. The reprieve was instantly negated as Capoue inexplicably sliced the resultant corner in to his own net, under no pressure.

The lead was as welcome as it was flattering, putting the Terriers in a commanding position, but the visitors came again to try to grab one back before the break. Town were grateful for Schofield again as he cut out a dangerous low cross and the advantage was preserved.

Unsurprisingly, the Hornets set up camp in the home half on resumption. Despite being largely pegged back, Town soaked up pressure with a reasonable amount of comfort and the excellent Sarr, unflappable Edmonds-Green and industrious Hogg swamped the increasingly urgent probing with discipline and controlled aggression.

A rare foray upfield lead to a very good opportunity rather wasted by the off colour Eiting. Epitomising possibly his finest 90 minutes in a Town shirt, Frazier Campbell burst down the left, fed O’Brien who moved the ball on to the Dutchman. Rather than finding one of the 2 unmarked players to his right, Eiting hit a weak shot at Foster.

Content to sit back and soak up pressure, Town dealt with the visitors’ diminishing threat reasonably comfortably but were once more grateful to Schofield for a close range save blocking Gray’s touch on a Garner drive.
An enormously satisfying victory over a very good, if clearly dysfunctional, Watford was achieved with resilience, discipline and calm.

A good indicator of the high level of performance is the difficulty in pinning down the man of the match for the Terriers. With candidates from all over the pitch reflecting the collective excellence, it was a triumph of the whole unit from Schofield to Campbell.

Sarr put his Bournemouth nightmare behind him and outshone his more celebrated namesake while beside him, the poise and elegance of Edmonds-Green belied his inexperience; it will be fascinating and joyful to witness his development.

Pipa, despite a tendency to overplay on occasion, demonstrated his class once more while Toffolo, with no little help from an unusually disciplined Bacuna, stemmed much of the danger from Watford’s right flank.

Jonathan Hogg was Jonathon Hogg. Aggressive, pivotal, leading, cajoling and everywhere against his former club. O’Brien made further steps towards the player he was before his injury and rather compensated for Eiting’s subdued display.

Up front, Mbenza had an excellent first half and was directly involved in both goals. Surely, even the most unforgiving will accept that his transformation is complete?

Above all, however, was Campbell. Despite carrying a knock for a worryingly long time, his managed aggression, intelligence and harrying of the Hornets’ back line was an exemplar of centre forward play and topped off with a goal.

A wholly satisfying victory and the prospect of new recruits adding much needed depth to the squad in the New Year points to a bright future as we watch the Corberán project grow.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Nearly 50 years after their last league meeting, Town and Coventry produced a game which will live as long in the memory. Just kidding. Those of us who were at that last meeting and were wondering if our paths would ever cross again can console ourselves that we were unable to witness it in the flesh.

Played in a weird half light on a poor looking pitch hammered by 2 teams, twice a week and week in week out, both sides had promising spells in a reasonable first half but lost their way after the break with errors strewn across 45 minutes of numbing irrelevance.

A bright start by the Sky Blues, orchestrated by the busy Hamer, featuring a couple of long range shots which didn’t trouble Schofield soon faded and the visitors had the better of the first half.

O’Brien twice played in Mbenza for chances, the second of which should’ve seen Town in front and a potentially very different game ahead than the rather bloodless affair which unfolded. Mbenza, who had a good first half, also forced a very good save from Wilson after O’Brien’s first assist.

While Town rued Mbenza missing the target from a slightly wide angle – he could and maybe should’ve played in the unmarked Bacuna for a certain goal – Coventry broke quickly and menacingly following a Town corner only for Hamer to blaze over.

Those 3 incidents temporarily elevated an otherwise average contest. Town largely controlled the game but failure to translate their ascendancy in to a lead lay the foundations for a scruffy second half performance which was far more tired than was expected with the return of the senior players from their weekend rest.

Struggling to find any sort of fluency, the Terriers’ performance deteriorated badly after half time. The threat from the Mbenza/Pipa flank, prominent before the break, faded entirely, perhaps hampered by a booking for the Spaniard who had been very fortunate not to see a yellow in the opening 10 minutes, while Toffolo hardly threatened down the left all evening as the need to find a more focused and reliable replacement for Koroma became more and more apparent.

O’Brien’s running with the ball wasn’t matched by his passing which was often wasteful. He wasn’t alone in giving up cheap possession and with his midfield partner Eiting barely featuring in a position which seemed to be in some sort of no man’s land, the visitors relied heavily upon Hogg’s energy and accuracy but it wasn’t enough to break a resolute and disciplined Coventry.

Bacuna’s night ended after a blow of indeterminate force left him in a heap in the area. The contact was accidental but if his display up to that point hadn’t convinced Corberán to replace him from the thin resources on the bench, his mind was made up for him.

The home side caused little difficulty to Town’s defence in the second half, but Sarr and Toffolo, perhaps suffering a hangover from the trauma of Saturday, managed to give them a hand.

Sarr inelegantly got in and out of a horrible tangle after misjudging a routine ball forward while Toffolo, in possibly his least effective display in a Town shirt, lost the ball rather inexplicably to Dabo whose goal bound shot was somehow kept out by a combination of the post and a very cool Edmonds-Green. The youngster’s calmness throughout was exemplary and, along with Hogg, was the big positive of the night.

A decent Pritchard shot, following a rare involvement in proceedings from Eiting was well saved, though Wilson, whose save from Mbenza in the first half was first class, would have been mortified if it had beaten him.

Otherwise, these combatants amply demonstrated their lower mid table credentials with unsatisfactory displays and neither could be greatly encouraged by their endeavours, though Coventry’s solid defence in the second half squeezed all of the flair and instinct from Town’s forward play and an eight match unbeaten run in the Championship is not to be sneezed at. 

Town, for their part, are now half way to safety if 50 points is accepted as the mark to achieve. Thinking back to the start of the season and the resources at Corberán’s disposal, there is an argument to be made that he is somewhat ahead of expectations.

A stern looking test against Watford and a very tricky Boxing Day trip to Barnsley are up next and many players will have to improve markedly to push on.

Town’s puddle deep squad was cruelly exposed by a Bournemouth side destined for a quick return from whence they came as Carlos Corberán’s understandable pragmatism protected against the possibility of adding to the injuries incurred over the past few weeks.

Without Schindler, Stearman, Hogg and Koroma, the chances of reward on the south coast were already slim and the opportunity to rest Eiting, Campbell and Pipa irresistible though not universally applauded.

Having navigated to a solid mid table place with two wins over mediocre opposition and the harbour of the next transfer window on the horizon, Corberán’s press conference ahead of the game signalled a strategic approach in the face of harsh realities.

Most supporters understood the dilemmas he faced, with few expecting anything other than defeat, but having set expectations so low it was hugely disappointing that the team selected fell unacceptably below them.

It wasn’t inexperience or lack of playing time which prompted Jaden Brown to fall over in search of a non existent free kick which opened Town up after 7 minutes, nor could the mess Toffolo and Sarr made of dealing with a straightforward press be put down to unfamiliarity as Solanke accepted his second gift in the space of a few minutes.

With quality all over the pitch, Bournemouth’s final tally was the only statistic in doubt and when Brooks hit a delightful third before the break, a historic trouncing was more than possible.

In between the goals, Town’s play wasn’t horrendously bad and they at least forced some saves from Begovic though only one of them, turning away a deflected Bacuna effort, was more than routine. Even in possession, however, the impression was that the hosts were allowing it in the knowledge that they could strike at will when it was lost.

In the second half, a team which resembled one assembled to take on a lower league FA cup opponent was disrupted by a string of substitutions akin to a pre-season friendly. Bournemouth didn’t exactly go for the throat while turning the victory in to a nap hand, with Stanislas’s uninterrupted saunter past several tackle candidates easily as disappointing as the two early gifts.

In and amongst the rubble of a display reminiscent of Premier League routs, there was the occasional glimpse of promise, however hard you had to squint to see them. Rowe did pretty well at right back, Edmonds-Green stood up while the seniors to his left did not and Mbenza came on in place of the injured Ward and demonstrated more professionalism and endeavour than the man he replaced in just over 20 minutes.

Dhiakaby shows no signs whatsoever of even beginning the road to rehabilitation taken by Mbenza. Any sparks he does show are fleeting and ineffectual, his body language is permanently awful and mistakes – including giving away the ball just outside the area with one baffling attempted pass – should surely see him banished from the squad and replaced by someone with a smidgeon of promise.

Bacuna’s mixture of carelessness, petulance and high levels of skill when it takes his fancy does not an effective professional footballer make. At least he had some influence as Town tried to maintain some credibility from an awful afternoon, which is, by a distance, more than you can say for Pritchard; another one for whom the end of the road cannot come quick enough.

Worryingly, Hogg’s understudy Vallejo looked unconvincing and far from ready to enter the Championship fray. He deserves patience but provided no comfort that he will be an automatic answer to future absences.

It would be harsh to judge Diarra on the youngster’s first appearance in such circumstances but he looked a little way out of his depth. The quality of the opposition and the shambolic efforts of his team mates make even a cursory appraisal of his talent impossible and redundant, however.

With few established partnerships across the pitch, and the odd one or two which could be identified failing badly, it was a seriously hard stretch to imagine Town could leave Dean Court with anything other than heavy defeat. 

A decent move involving a one two between Mbenza and Toffolo was thwarted by a block and a pull back from the left back which created a shooting opportunity for Brown provided brief moments of hope for a consolation before Town were buried by their far superior hosts.

Although the match itself was one to quickly forget, the ramifications of team selection will reverberate. If we are to swallow the humiliation accompanying this defeat, evidence of the benefits of the strategy will need to be delivered if not on Wednesday then over the course of matches up to the cup game in January.
The problem with calculations such as these is the possibility that the punishment inflicted is more harmful than the future benefits assumed. It could be argued that Cardiff was also pragmatically abandoned with subsequent results consigning it to history very quickly, though the line up didn’t look anywhere near as deliberately weak.

Ironically, injuries to Hamer and the horribly ineffectual Ward rather emphasised Corberán’s fears. Taking off Hamer was likely precautionary but Ward’s already spluttering second career at Huddersfield is now facing another, possibly long, setback and Campbell’s opportunities for rest over for the same length of time restricted.

In January, it is to be hoped that business can be done which allows Corberán the luxury of never having to compromise competitiveness for the long term health of his players.

Finally, the 10th US President, John Tyler was born in 1790 and has a grandson still alive today (he had two until recently); that is the scale of timespan that Carlos should have in mind while waiting, like the rest of us, for Dhiakaby to be of any practical use to Huddersfield Town. Please, please, please stop picking him, even on the bench.

With well over 3 minutes on the clock, no Sheffield Wednesday outfield player had touched the ball. That is is a very long time in football. Possession reverted to Town seconds after the impertinence and a totally dominant half hour followed.

It was difficult to believe that a more dysfunctional, lackadaisical and puny outfit than QPR would grace the stadium this season and beyond, but Wednesday managed to dip under that low bar just a few days later with a performance which genuinely mocked the reputation of Tony Pulis.

“Hold my beer”, as the over worked social media phrase goes.

The time and space the men in appropriate grey afforded Town was impossible to predict before the game and Town attacked at will with great movement and pace down left and right.

Pipa, who oozed quality all evening, had the first effort following the prolonged spell of possession from the kick off while O’Brien finished a flowing move with a scuffed effort which flew wide. The energetic midfielder is still honing his game following his injury and it feels like it won’t be long before those refinements return him to the player he can and will be.

The Terriers’ haughty dominance looked certain to break the hapless visitors and more great work on the right by Pipa saw him drift inside and find Koroma via a dummy by Campbell. The prodigious youngster easily evaded what can only be described very loosely as his marker and side footed the opener with the casual confidence of a striker in fine form.

With no sign of resistance from the Owls, the hosts continued to pile forward and Mbenza was caught half a yard offside from an excellent through ball by Campbell as he rifled a shot past Wildsmith.

The rejuvenated and rehabilitated Belgian then took a marvellous touch in the area to avoid a committed defender but couldn’t match the set up with a finish and shot wide.

Still driving forward, and probably not believing their luck at playing against an extraordinarily passive opponent, Koroma was played in behind Palmer who, in the full and certain knowledge that he would lose the foot race, body checked him. Up stepped Mbenza to hit a perfect free kick over the wall and in to the top left corner. Wildsmith got a hand to it but it was token resistance to an inch perfect set piece execution.

If Town ever do get a penalty this season, Mbenza had left no doubt that he should be the taker.

Koroma, brimming with effervescent confidence danced along Wednesday’s back four after yet another pacy, incisive break with O’Brien rampaging through a yawning midfield space, and fired a shot just over.

An injury to Hogg and his hopefully precautionary withdrawal rather changed the dynamics of a game which could barely have been more comfortable for the home side, and his departure, or perhaps their growing embarrassment, spurred the South Yorkshireman in to some sort of life.

With Town unbalanced (the choice of Bacuna over Vallejo as Hogg’s replacement was a little curious) the visitors forced a couple of corners. A free header from Lees at the back stick forced Hamer in to his first meaningful action of the night, punching competently away from danger.

More danger was created following a surge by the previously anonymous Luongo, but Sarr, rather painfully, blocked Windass’ effort. It was the first, scant evidence of threat from the Owls and the disruption of Hogg’s departure was a little uncomfortable up to the break.

Bacuna suffered a nasty blow to the face in an accidental collision with Reach following a corner as half time approached and Town rather scruffily got to the dressing room with their goal intact, 2 up but perhaps in need of some regrouping. Wednesday’s reception in their dressing room was anybody’s guess but no doubt Pulis delivered some calm encouragement to his charges.

The second half began brightly for Town who regained some of the vibrancy of the first half hour and Pipa released Bacuna in to the area. Rather than taking on an obvious shooting opportunity, he checked back to successfully bamboozle Iorfa who ploughed in to him to concede Town’s first penalty of the season.

There was a small yet easily dismissible case for the person who drew the foul to take the penalty as Bacuna, Mbenza and Koroma, with good nature, grappled for the honour. The democratic process saw a guy scoring for fun and enjoying sky high confidence, a man who had just added another fantastic set piece goal to the one he popped in at Birmingham lose out to a guy who had suffered a painful head injury just 20 minutes previously.

There is a thin line between bravado and arrogance, which Bacuna managed to stride over with a terrible penalty which went well wide.

Rather than burying a lightweight opposition and crushing whatever affect a Pulis half time team talk may have had, Town were left to manage a game which should have been way beyond the seemingly relegation bound opponents.

Encouragingly, Town did just that, even after further disruption caused by a worrying injury to Koroma who stumbled awkwardly following a typically adventurous surge in to the box.

Mbenza, continuing his excellent form, delivered a great cross which invited but did not receive someone taking a chance to connect. With Toffolo concentrating on defensive duties, most of Town’s good work came down the right involving Pipa and Mbenza but it was too sporadic.

Wednesday saw more of the ball in the scrappy second half but other than a decent effort well saved by Hamer from Windass and the forcing of a few corners, Sarr and Edmonds-Green were rarely troubled. Both exuded calm, particularly the youngster, and with Toffolo staying further back to assist on the left and centrally, it was a comfortable passage to a straightforward and deserved win.

A second home win on the bounce was soured by the injuries to Hogg and Koroma which will further stretch already thin resources and creates unwelcome problems for Corberán with games against far better opposition than he has faced in the last few days.

Jayden Brown’s energetic appearance was useful but it is difficult to see him carrying anything like the threat of Koroma, while Vallejo’s first appearance was far too short to provide clues to his effectiveness as Hogg’s understudy should the team’s engine room fail to recover quickly.

A trip to high flying Bournemouth without Schindler, Stearman, Hogg and Koroma makes the challenge even more daunting, but at least the points collected to ensconce Town firmly in mid table means that defeat, if it happens, won’t be particularly damaging.

But get a penalty taker designated, Carlos!

Town’s Jekyll and Hyde season took another upturn as they swept aside a supine Queen’s Park Rangers to compensate for their own calamitous showing in South Wales on Tuesday.

Adding some welcome game management to spells of genuine flair and quality, the return of Pipa rebalanced the side both defensively and going forward and though there were the customary flat spots over the 90 minutes, mostly in the second half, they were fewer in number and never allowed Rangers back in to a game which was deservedly beyond them.

The two and a half minutes which QPR managed to dominate were cruelly interrupted by a Josh Koroma run from inside of his own half ending with a delicious, top corner seeking curler, with defenders resolutely refusing to close down space or offer a semblance of a tackle, being more distracted by Toffolo’s supporting run.

If there were any cobwebs still not blown away from the horrible display in Wales on Tuesday, Town’s top scorer created the foundation for a fabulous first half performance which should have seen the Terriers out of sight before Toffolo added a long deserved second 5 minutes before the break.

The left back had, effectively, begun the move by turning a slightly over hit ball from Hamer, who’s distribution was generally excellent, in to possession for O’Brien in space with a deft header. The midfielder surged forward, fed Koroma to once again terrorise the R’s beleaguered defence before sliding a perfectly weighted ball through to the left back to finish.

In between, Town produced sweeping moves which should have resulted in goals and an unassailable lead. 

Koroma and Toffolo, whose partnership flourished in the first half, combined just after the opener with the ex-Imp drawing a good save from Dieng, a devastatingly swift break saw O’Brien feed Koroma with an excellent ball but a superfluous touch thwarted the striker and other potent thrusts threatened the completely outplayed Londoners.

Calm descended over a team so chaotic just a few days ago. Distribution from the back carried no drama, any threat from the visitors was nullified with competency and passing and moving improved enormously as Town took and maintained control of a game in which they never seriously challenged.

QPR contain several talented individuals, no shortage of pace and experience but had a quite horrible day, particularly in a first half where they allowed no end of space for the hosts; the left side of Town’s attack were barely challenged and it wasn’t noticeably much better down the right, Hogg dominated the visitors in midfield with possibly his best display of the season and the minimal amount of threat they possessed was snuffed out with some ease.

The ineptitude of the opposition needs to be acknowledged but doesn’t subtract from the vibrancy of the Terriers who exploited their weaknesses all over the pitch, glided across the playing surface and threatened regularly. Perhaps not as ruthless as they should have been given their overwhelming superiority, the 2 goal lead established always looked unassailable.

QPR raised their levels of competence in a second half which Town managed with ease without matching the fluency and dynamism of the first. 

O’Brien’s effort following good play by Pipa brought a decent save from Ranger’s keeper who had previously kept out an effort straight at him from the returning Spaniard with an unorthodox punch, though Dieng was probably the only visiting player happy with his day’s work.

There were other decent moves but clear cut chances were foiled by the final ball and Town, in any case, became more pragmatic in the knowledge that the3 points always looked secure.

Sadly, the most notable incident of the second half was a serious looking injury to Schindler. Beaten for pace on the left for the first time, the German stretched awkwardly when completing a recovery tackle and was treated on the pitch for a worryingly long time. The impact on squad depth, already a concern, could be damaging with a now severe shortage of centre backs to call upon.

A well worked corner by the visitors could have provided a nervous final ten minutes but the strike hit Toffolo and skidded to safety. Other than a particularly woeful free kick hit straight at Hamer, the end was conspicuously comfortable for the Terriers as they restored their place smack bang in the middle of the table.

Ranging from good to excellent, all the players came out with great credit and no-one more so than Jonathan Hogg who dictated from a deep lying midfield role providing defensive excellence and setting the creative players in to motion. Josh Koroma continues to fill the Karlan Grant sized hole but with greater flair and intelligence. Grant simply isn’t being missed.

Sheffield Wednesday, despite their league position, will provide a stiffer test on Tuesday night; Pulisball, named as such by no-one ever, is unlikely to provide Town with the yawning chasms of space available in the first half on Saturday.

Lightweight Town produced an insipid performance in South Wales and Cardiff came away with 3 of the easiest points they will win this season.

Defensively fragile and offensively inoffensive, periods of lengthy, pretty possession which lacked any penetration and precious little invention, Town failed to worry a superbly disciplined Cardiff defence who allowed their opponents to fanny around in front of them for most of the night.

Showing five changes from the victory over Middlesbrough was perhaps something of an indication of Corberán’s confidence of victory in a city which has generally proved extremely tough over the years. Hamer’s return was expected and even had Bacuna’s hamstring hadn’t ruled him out, his negligent first half on Saturday deserved a benching. Campbell is bound to be rested during a brutal schedule.

It was, however, the reappearance of Schindler in place of the excellent Edmonds-Green and a season debut for Daly which provided the surprises. Neither proved particularly good changes, with Daly anonymous after 15 minutes and Schindler, despite a couple of good interventions in the second half, caught unawares for the opener which sealed Town’s fate relatively early.

The first 20 minutes were not too bad with Town getting some joy down the left with Toffolo and Daly combining well at times though the final ball was lacking and both disappeared somewhat as the whole team lost that half yard which, coupled with speedy passing and movement, can occasionally make them very watchable.

Untroubled at the back, Cardiff gradually imposed themselves on the game, locked Town in to increasingly futile passing and began pressing the ball hard. With a huge aerial threat in their armoury, the Bluebirds had Town’s defence on high alert from corners, free kicks and long throw ins. It wasn’t massively pleasing on the eye but far more effective than Town’s yawn inducing backwards and sideways slow march to nowhere.

The only attack of any credibility or note saw a good combination between Duhaney and Koroma free Town’s leading scorer to the byline only for Ward to tamely flick the ball in to Smithies’ arms from close in. On his return to South Wales, Ward was largely disappointing and wholly ineffectual.

That chance, the only genuine threat Town created in a first half which deteriorated fast for the visitors, preceded Cardiff’s opener when Duhaney was far too weak on the right and failed to prevent a near post cross which saw Moore easily beat the slumbering Schindler to the ball and an easy slot in for the lead.

The only consolation for the visitors was that Cardiff didn’t add to their lead in the rest of the half as Town’s composure wobbled badly and even the futile possession game broke down.

Mbenza replaced Daly at half time, a move as obvious as it was necessary, and Town started reasonably brightly but still without teeth. Koroma came in to the game a little more but was unable to find much space to create danger and the home side nonchalantly soaked up the puny punches thrown at them, knowing that their time would come.

Without ever really suggesting they would equalise, at just one goal down there was always a chance that something would work for the Terriers, and O’Brien’s probing and Eiting’s quality could conceivably have unlocked the door, but Naby Sarr, who had already had a pretty poor night, soon squashed that fading chimera.

Put in to a modicum of trouble by an ill-advised ball from Hamer while clearly in imminent trouble from a press, the Frenchman’s palpable panic induced him to try a turn only to tread on the ball allowing Junior Hoilett to square to Moore for his second gift of the evening.

Multiple substitutions failed to inspire a reaction from Town who were already skulking to defeat when Cardiff topped a very good few days for them with a third. At least this one had a genuine touch of quality about it as Ojo fed Glatzel in the box with a nicely judged ball. Edmonds-Green was caught on the wrong side of the substitute who smashed the ball past Hamer.

A consolation goal in the last 10 minutes was far less likely than Cardiff recording a consecutive 4-0 home win but, thankfully, further punishment was avoided and Corberán is left with some hard thinking to do about Saturday’s line up.

Hopefully, Pipa will return and perhaps the substitution of Hogg may signal our first view of Vallejo, but very few attained basic, acceptable levels on a night to forget.

It felt like a defeat redolent of a lower mid table side; not consistently good enough to beat an opposition who were simply superior in intensity, discipline and a clinical game plan. Even Toffolo, superb this season, was way below his best and the team simply didn’t function well enough either at the back or in the final third to knock Cardiff off their stride.

Frustratingly inconsistent, often during the game, Town will suffer setbacks like this until Corberán can truly make his mark in at least two transfer windows. The awkwardness which accompanies playing out from the back at times, coupled with some ridiculous lack of judgement (both on show here) will either improve with familiarity or, much more likely, players who can naturally and consistently execute the practice will emerge or be brought in.

A very poor night for all concerned.

A wet, dark and murky John Smith’s Stadium was illuminated by a thoroughly entertaining contest which ebbed and flowed before Town secured a deserved, if not entirely convincing, victory which went a long way towards banishing the memory of Tuesday’s turgid encounter in Buckinghamshire.

The hangover from the Wycombe stalemate was evident in a first half which began reasonably well for the home side but deteriorated alarmingly after the early skirmishes had seen a speculative effort by Campbell sail over the bar from distance, a Koroma effort blocked and a decent chance for Bacuna from a corner.

Middlesbrough soon shook off Town’s mild attempt to dominate and took a firm grip on the game, stretching the hosts all over the pitch and capitalising on the apparent disconnect between defence and midfield and subsequent disarray.

Town’s season long issue with sustaining intensity and precision, unsurprising as it is in a period of rebuilding and reinvention, offers opposition teams quite wide windows of opportunity to exploit often alarming vulnerabilities and Boro appeared ominously capable of overwhelming their error prone opponents.

Poor decision making, particularly by Bacuna at right back, excellent transition and the pace of the visitors opened up the home defence on several occasions in a game looking increasingly like a mismatch, but Boro’s profligacy in their period of domination was to haunt them in the end.

The most remarkable miss arrived just after 10 minutes with Assombolonga somehow contriving to fire over the bar from less than 2 yards following a move which carved Town apart down their right.

The reprieve didn’t last long. A high ball cannoned off Campbell under pressure and fell to Tavernier to set up Marvin Johnson to fire past Schofield, and a very long, difficult afternoon looked likely.

Unable to establish any rhythm, Town were fortunate not to concede again in a torrid 20 minutes when it seemed that only last gasp interventions by Stearman stood between them and a heavy defeat, and when the last of those rendered the veteran unable to carry on, that outcome seemed even more likely.

However, it turned in to a pivot as Boro’s threat evaporated and substitute Edmonds-Green slotted in to the role effortlessly and proved calm in possession and managed defensive space with noticeably more composure than the man he replaced. 

Last gasp interventions tend to be the forte of defenders not particularly proficient in other areas of their job. Though this is a little harsh on Stearman, who was perhaps the main reason Town’s chances of success were not already dead and buried, Edmonds-Green’s partnership with Sarr appeared more natural from the moment he came on, and his choices on the ball superior.

Finally, Town came in to the game. No chances of note were being created, but possession became more considered and progressive and at least forced the visitors on to the back foot and out of the comfort they had enjoyed for far too long.

Mbenza, carrying on from his notable performance at Wycombe, began to see more of the ball and Eiting and O’Brien were seeing more space in a previously uncontested midfield (though Hogg had manfully battled through the difficult opening 25).

It was, however, something of a surprise when Boro’s famously parsimonious rear guard was breached, particularly as the visitors had regained an element of control and forced a couple of corners as they tried to reestablish their grip on the game.

After a Toffolo shot was blocked, Hogg won a challenge and fed Koroma who worked some space in the box before feeding Eiting who swept in the equaliser past a poorly positioned keeper who will feel that having got a hand on the ball, he should have done better. The slick conditions, and the curl Eiting achieved with a perfect connection, played their part as the Dutchman replicated his goal at Stoke last Saturday and bagged his third in 4 games.

To go in at the break even in a game where they looked a long way from equals would have been a major plus for the Terriers, but it was to get better.

O’Brien robbed Saville on the halfway line with an exceptional challenge and broke forward at pace before laying the ball off to Campbell to his right, ignoring his other option of Mbenza to his left. Initially, the decision looked to be the wrong one as Campbell cut inside instead of shooting first time, but somehow the striker bundled the ball over Bettenelli with a scuffed shot which hit his other foot and squeezed in.

The lead was undeserved, to say the least, but both goals were so similar to previous ones – Campbell’s being reminiscent of O’Brien’s surge at Millwall – that it is comforting to believe that the methods being adopted are sticking.

After the break, Town dominated their dispirited opponents in much the same way that they had been put under the cosh earlier.

Mbenza and Koroma provided constant threat down the flanks, Hogg, Eiting and O’Brien finally clicked in the middle and though chances were few, the intent and control successfully subdued Middlesbrough whose threat diminished markedly.

Just as Town’s lead had been established significantly against the run of play, Boro were thrown a lifeline when an excellent ball from Howson played in Assombolonga and Sarr was caught wrong side. The tussle appeared to confirm the referee’s assumption that Sarr had brought down the striker and a penalty inevitable. Without the aid of another angle, which clearly showed Assombolonga’s simulation, it is hard to criticise the ref’s naked eye decision though the considerable gall of Warnock claiming another one in the dying stages of the game is less forgivable.

Assombolonga stepped up and achieved from 12 yards what he couldn’t from 2, and a creditable, if frustrating draw seemed the likely outcome.

Almost immediately, however, Town grabbed the win they deserved as Toffolo lifted a perfectly executed long ball to the impressive Koroma, who burst in to the area, utilised an excellent run by Eiting to his left by ignoring it, shifted to his right and curled a beauty in to the far corner for the winner.

It was due reward for a fine second half performance by the heir to Grant’s throne. One mazy run from the edge of his own box to being upended by Howson just outside the other area was eye catching and the perfect example of his increasing maturity. Wither Karlan, indeed?

Like most Town games this season, the win was far from perfect and the metamorphosis from dull to an exciting and effective style of play is still in progress and vulnerable to set backs but a recovery which neutered a normally highly effective Warnock side is not to be underestimated.

In the longer term, the emergence of Edmonds-Green may have a profound effect. Despite a rather worrying episode of cramp, which may indicate that he is not quite ready for the demands placed on players in this strange and ridiculous season, he must be more suited to Corberán’s style than the old stagers he has been compelled to use so far.

Justifiable fears of a lack of fire power in the team following the departure of the leading scorer are now, surely, laid to rest. Not only are Town scoring regularly – remember that yesterday banished thoughts of Wycombe – the goals are coming from different players, often exquisitely constructed. Nobody would turn their noses up at an out and out striker in January, but the collective is doing the job right now.

This victory, imperfect as it was, represented a big step forward. Collecting points in this transition period to keep away from the pressures at the bottom while developing as a squad is essential and to do so against a highly competitive team such as Middlesbrough, who are likely to recover from this setback and mount a play off challenge, is highly commendable.

It’s a point.

After the entertainment and thrills and spills of Stoke on Saturday, Town went toe to toe with a battling, awkward and rudimentary Wycombe side who play to their strengths and bridge the money gap with an ugly style for which they should never apologise.

Town rarely got to grips with the energetic, physical approach of the home side and simply failed to take any sort of control of a game which would have been derided in the nether regions of League 2.

It is difficult to imagine what Corberán learned on a night of unremitting drudgery other than it is high past time that Dhiakaby was put out of his misery, and ours. The languid French youngster barely put a foot right, looked entirely out of place in a contest only defined by rugged effort and has so little to offer that even the smallest glimpse of competence can be dismissed on the basis that the bar is so low for him it would defeat even his skinny frame.

In contrast, Mbenza should now be separated from his, previously reasonable, association with Dhiakaby as the embodiment of Town’s disastrous summer 2018 transfer market dealings.

Easily the most threatening and progressive of Town’s misfiring, confused and ineffective display, the Belgian is proving to be well suited to Corberán’s vision and was just about the only player to come out of this mess with some credit and the portmanteau Dhiabenza (and variants) so beloved of the fan base should now be retired.

Schofield’s performance between the sticks, bar one ill advised foray which nearly ended in disaster, was competent if not particularly busy, but the positives end here.

Nothing the hosts did was unpredictable. Long balls in the general direction of Akinfenwa and hoping to profit from the chaos the iconic and likeable striker creates pretty much covers the game plan. In and amongst this single strategy is hard work, disruption and denying space to the opposition; Town aren’t the first and won’t be the last to succumb to a system which jolts teams out of their fancy Dan complacency.

It is, however, impossible for Wycombe to sustain the plan over 90 minutes and the key is to take advantage when space appears and Town simply failed to execute their own style when opportunity knocked.

Possession was slow, often retrograde, and movement stilted. Neither O’Brien nor Eiting were able to spark creativity in to the middle which could have exploited space when it appeared; the latter was particularly disappointing and never got over the huge culture shock which this game must have represented.

An exceptionally poor first half, where only Mbenza looked like providing a breakthrough with good deliveries in to the box, was notable only for resilient, if frantic, defending and the departure of Schindler who came out much the worse for an aerial lunge above Akinfenwa resulting in a heavy fall.

For a short time in the second half, Town threatened to gain the ascendancy with more meaningful possession, Mbenza the main protagonist again, but were soon undone by some strategic injury breaks. Being thwarted by a cunning plan worthy of Baldrick really isn’t a reasonable excuse, however.

Although a visit to Wycombe is an outlier in a long season, and gaining a point is a better achievement than The Chairboys’ horrendous start to the season suggests, there are grounds for concern arising from the contest.

Persisting with Dhiakaby as the natural wide replacement despite all the evidence laid before our eyes time and time again defies rationality. 

Town continue to struggle against teams who refuse to accommodate the way they want to play and largely fail to find alternative solutions. The evolution may overcome this tendency, either through general improvement or recruitment, but for now, increasing their ability to impose our own style on games should be a priority. 

Overall, this game should be consigned to the dustbin of history (just a day later it is a struggle to recall anything of note)- never were iFollow’s interminable replays and lingering cut always from play more welcome.

“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past”
– Thomas Jefferson

Stoke City and Huddersfield Town buried whatever memory lingered of their last meeting in the Potteries with a contest brimming with goals, excitement and commitment.

The visitors, excruciatingly frustrating and exuberantly fluent in equal proportion, were undone by sloppy, avoidable errors in a first half which should have seen the hosts out of sight despite conceding 2 very well worked goals.

Hampered by the withdrawal of the isolating Hamer and weakened by the loss of Pipa, Town faced a tough challenge at the gambling company sponsored home of the Potters, and met it with verve and no little panache. Some of the time. In possession but not out of it. Going forward but not when pressed.

Carlos Corberán is not about to advocate launching the ball in to row Z or fire long balls to a non existent big man up top. He surely knows the limitations of the players he has available for his style, which pretty exclusively occupy defensive positions but sticking to his beliefs and philosophy of his methodology is his only choice. Rightfully and righteously.

Some of the time, as disastrously on display in a torrid first half at the back, his plans will come unstuck and those limitations laid shockingly bare but, just as often, players will exceed their own limits and points will be gathered to continue to build the foundations of success.

None of this optimistic outlook excuses the, frankly, shambolic and careless mistakes which saw Stoke, a side with genuine play off ambitions, quickly fight back from the blow of conceding first.

A largely forgettable first 20 minutes, ironically featuring a lot of comfortable Town possession amongst the back 4, was interrupted by genuine quality when Toffolo wriggled free of attention and picked out Eiting at the edge of the box. Sweeping a perfectly timed strike past Stoke’s rookie keeper, who was meant to provide the visitors with advantage until the late drafting of our own, Eiting was rewarded for a bright start to the game which had begun to make Town tick.

The errors which were to blight the visitors’ day began almost immediately. Playing out from the back requires composure and judgement, confidence and a rapid transition to safe possession; the absence of any of these qualities encourages and facilitates far more effective pressing. 

Stearman, who has generally adapted well to the Corberán style but prone to error when attempting passes beyond the mundane and a predilection for playing team mates in to trouble, had instigated the descent with a gift to Nick Powell who hit a shot directly at Periera prior to Eiting’s opener. 

Having escaped that aberration, grabbing the lead and playing with confidence in possession, Town looked well set, but they then succumbed to an equaliser eerily reminiscent of the goal conceded against Luton with Stearman beaten in the air at the back post and the ball dropping in to undefended space for Campbell to smash home off Sarr. 

Clucas’s delivery had been excellent but the situation, just as it was 2 weeks ago, was eminently defendable. Falling for the same routine is a worry.
At least the equaliser could be attributed to Stoke’s qualities rather than the ineptitude which was to follow.

Hogg, who had a first half to forget, was caught in possession after failing to take an admittedly sharp pass from Eiting, and the ball was quickly switched to Campbell in space. Town’s tormentor from the home game in January drove the ball powerfully at Town’s stand in custodian who had failed to close his legs and Stoke took a lead they didn’t particularly deserve but took full advantage of Town’s wobbles.

Periera partially atoned for his error by blocking a shot from Campbell after the lively striker had been put through by a superb Fletcher back heel, though there was more than a hint of fortune that the ball didn’t sneak under him.

Despite their travails at the back, Town continued to look impressive in possession with Eiting and Mbenza, in particular, looking capable of hurting the hosts and these two combined to craft an equaliser which should have earned half time parity. Turning effortlessly in the middle of the park leaving a bemused opponent behind him and space in front of him, Eiting glided forward and pushed a sumptuous pass in to Mbenza’s stride who instinctively finished.

Having displayed all the positive aspects of Corberán’s impact alongside the flaws which plague the project in an incident packed first half, Town were exposed again as injury time began.

While Periera’s final error, giving the ball away under pressure, led to Stoke retaking the lead, it was the culmination of an unfolding disaster between Stearman and Duhaney putting each other in increasingly difficult positions.
Stoke, already encouraged by the uncertainty which had crept in to their opposition, strangled the space available and profited accordingly, with Stearman capping his involvement in the mess by putting through his own net.

It seems inconceivable that Corberán would have chosen purity over pragmatism in the situation the goalkeeper found himself, particularly as any hope of a good ending to the sequence which had unfurled had entirely disappeared.

The speed, accuracy and appropriateness of building from the back improved markedly in the second half, though Stoke’s pressing reduced as the context of the game changed.

Buoyed by their late retaking of the lead before the break, the Potters began the second half confidently and their dominance saw them stretch their lead. While questions should be asked, yet again, of Town’s defending – Eiting was too easily beaten to a header on the edge of the box and the closing down was weak as the ball broke to Clucas, this shouldn’t diminish the quality of the mazy run which put him in to a shooting position. It was a shot, however, which a better keeper could have saved.

Within minutes, Town reduced Stoke’s lead as Sarr met an excellent Mbenza delivery from a free kick for his first Town goal and the dynamics of the contest shifted again.

Stoke voluntarily gave up space and possession to sit deeper, and Town took full advantage. For most of the last half hour, the visitors probed and tested their resilient opponents with Bacuna adding flair to Eiting’s orchestration and O’Brien’s energy. Toffolo was excellent down the left and Mbenza continued his rehabilitation well before being, inexplicably, replaced by Diakhaby.

The blunders which lead to this defeat may over shadow much of the very good play, and perhaps should, but you have to believe that the flaws are fixable even in the pain of defeat. Ultimately, they will be overcome by changes in personnel more suited to Corberán’s wishes, but for now he has to find ways to gain points; nervously looking over their shoulders at the bottom 3 places will not suit this squad.

At least it is far from boring.

The Terriers finally limped over the line before a much needed 2 week break with a creditable, in parts, draw against a tough, disciplined Luton side who presented a stern, unremitting test which was not short on entertainment.

Fatigue, mental and physical, should not be under estimated and the ravages of a merciless schedule perhaps mitigates against the instinctive Corberán game plan a little more than Luton’s admirably robust style, though it should be said that the extra 24 hours recovery afforded to the hosts levelled things up.

14 points from 10 games, which would extrapolate to mid 60s over the season, is a respectable and arguably slightly above par return and a good foundation for a stabilising season as Town reverse the tailspin of the last couple of years.

It should be a comfort to both Towns that the game and eventual stalemate was the epitome of a mid table clash; a big improvement from last season’s travails and with the promise of better things to come.

Patience is a hard sell to Huddersfield fans. The rapid collapse following a rare period of remarkable success has required saintly forbearance, with a virtually complete absence of joy and few, if any, rays of hope. 

Corberán, however, deserves our patience. Watching his teams is an odd mixture of frustration and fascination; his ideas bring passages of genuinely exciting and incisive play but also clumsiness which betrays the fact that the squad is not fully capable, by a distance, of delivering the relentlessness which provides the tipping point to genuine domination of the opposition. 

It is a little like watching someone learning to ski. Acquiring bravery without recklessness, confidence but not bravado and leaning forward when your very instinct is to go backwards. Corberán will also need the right equipment; in certain instances, players are attempting to go down the slopes in jeans.

A case in point is the hapless Dhiakaby. At some point, he and us have to be put out of our misery because trying to wring some value out of one of the biggest errors of judgement in Huddersfield Town’s history may only cause more damage than they are trying to mitigate.

The young Frenchman failed to perform an elementary defensive duty which lead to Luton’s opener after a generally turgid opening 20 minutes. A soft free kick awarded against Sarr was well delivered to the far post where Bradley easily beat Stearman to plant the ball in to a dangerous area in the box. Dhiakaby failed to react and his designated man, Moncur, pounced to bury the chance.

It wasn’t just an error, rather, it was a dereliction of responsibility. His day didn’t get much better and ended when he lost the ball in the second half with Eiting in acres of space 10 yards away. Occasional, sometimes accidental, contributions to the cause simply aren’t enough.

Town improved after surrendering the lead and should have gone in to the break level with chances falling to Koroma and O’Brien but neither could apply the necessary technique when in good positions. Koroma’s attempt, set up by Eiting, was far too weak while O’Brien was foiled by a bobble as he surged in to the area, lifting his effort high over the bar.

Koroma was denied a goal by the offside flag when again played in by the increasingly influential Eiting. His effort was as unconvincing as his first but looped up off the keeper and in.

The avoidable goal against soured a reasonably competent first half performance against a resilient and sporadically dangerous opponent, but fluency evaded the home side too often and their threat was rather unconvincing.

As always, however, with Corberán’s influence, Town are capable of moments of liquid football and the second half equaliser provided yet another tantalising glimpse of what the future may bring.

Working the ball from back to front with instinctive pace and precision, Toffolo found himself in his familiar position beyond the back four and floated a cross on to the head of Eiting (tellingly, he was one of several targets with Town having 6 players in the box). The Ajax loanee had a lot to do to put enough pace on the ball to place it precisely beyond the keeper and executed it to perfection.

It was a just reward for a more dynamic display which began to reap chances. A wayward Dhiakaby effort which looped off a defender presented a far post headed chance for Koroma who was unfortunate to see his header deflect off his marker for a dead ball.

Koroma had a mixed afternoon. Perhaps fortunate not to pick up a second yellow card in the space of a few minutes in the first half, he followed up his weak effort described earlier with an ill advised attempt when better options were available to the side of him, leaving more than one colleague furious at his decision, yet played a small but critical role in the lead up to the goal with a nice feed to Toffolo. A well executed curling effort just past the post after the leveller was another decent contribution and his potential remains intriguing.

In and amongst the Terriers’ dominance, Luton caused some scares and were never out of the search for a winner. There seems to be a problem with hesitancy in the box when defending, which lost us the Bristol City and Preston games, and Luton could have similarly capitalised upon the weakness on one occasion but survived.

Though far from entirely satisfying, the potential remains. When they click with bravery, confidence and instinctive teamwork, Town look very, very good but they can be rather too easily prevented, largely by themselves, from displaying those qualities. These two weeks, and the addition of Ward and Vallejo, will help with the progress they need.

Witnessing the development, even through the badly directed and infuriating iFollow coverage, will be exciting and worthwhile if we can accept the inevitable ups and downs of the experiment.

(And remember, folks, it’s only a game. On this memorial weekend, let’s remember those whose sacrifice allows us the freedom to enjoy it).

This is what mid table looks like.

Competitive in games, prone to careless defeat but always capable of picking up points against most opponents.

Another frustrating defeat, which was basically settled from the bench with Bristol’s options transforming their previously underwhelming attack in to one which created panic along Town’s back line, and the inability of the hosts to convert their superiority in the first half in to a more comfortable lead.

A disjointed and tired second half contrasted with the more vibrant first but, even then, the team didn’t carry enough threat against a City side which dug in and only lost the lead from a single lapse which released Mbenza to put in a fantastic ball for Koroma, emerging (slowly) as something of a Grant replacement, to smash in to the roof of the net.

Dean Holden’s substitutions will have left him an extremely happy man on the journey back to the West Country. Semenyo was excellent and single handedly changed the whole dynamic of a game which had begun to trundle along as the home side ran out of ideas and their fluency deserted them. Old boy Jamie Paterson widened his manager’s smile with the winner from the bench as Town’s rearguard, so reliable at Millwall, melted away despite having enough numbers and more to snuff out danger. 

There was a hint of hand ball in the lead up to the equaliser but with calm having left the building, the visitors’ momentum had already been established as they took control of a game they had not looked like winning from the moment they missed a convertible chance from a corner, which followed Wells hitting the bar from an unchallenged position early on. Nahki rather disappeared from the contest thereafter.

As witnessed in previous games, Town’s intensity can drop alarmingly; likely a natural propensity born of adjusting to a style which is yet to be fully absorbed. It was one thing coping with Millwall’s crude and agricultural switch around but another thing altogether dealing with the injection of dynamism from the Robins’ bench.

A late flurry failed to deliver an equaliser as the team faltered while trying to change gear and sloppy passing, particularly but not solely, by O’Brien, reduced the Terriers’ potential threat, which had been too light in any case.

The first half saw a reasonable performance topped with a very good goal, but the second was a painful reminder that Corberán still has an enormous amount of work to do with a squad which can deliver, but let’s itself down in games with spells where the style collapses alarmingly.

Luton, a different proposition from last season, up next. A win would get Town back on track but we may be witnessing a team running on fumes towards the useful sanctuary of the international break.

With a symmetrical record over the first 9 games, achieved along an eminently predictable bumpy path as a new coach attempts to impose a new and very different style of play, Town are looking like the epitome of a mid table side. Hurrah!

The big fat zero in the goal difference column also feels rather comforting.

The question now is not whether to look up or down, but how far forward? With the prospect of a stable season played out in highly unusual circumstances, and one which promises entertainment rather than sterility, there should be the luxury of time available to both Corberán and the Town hierarchy to build the foundations for a bright future.

A dynamic, defensively superb and ultimately dominant win over in form Millwall provided a huge boost after the disappointment of the previous two games where Town were unable to overcome the ultra pragmatism of Preston and the dismal functionality of Birmingham City. They got what they deserved in the former but left St Andrews rueing the naïveté of admirably chasing a winner after seemingly securing a point.

It was a major and eye brow raising surprise to see Corberán naming Diakhaby in the team to meet the Lions considering his deeply inept display on Wednesday night, though perhaps it was felt he had conserved enough energy not to be rotated.

Less surprising was Bacuna’s relegation to the bench, from whence many believe he will contribute far more effectively, as Corberán searches for a midfield blend which can apply his philosophies with greater consistency.

A torrid first 10 minutes saw Town pinned back and facing a series of corners. A free kick delivered from deep could have seen not one but two penalties awarded against the visitors with Schindler grappling dangerously with Cooper and, less convincingly, the ball striking Toffolo’s arm in the mêlée. 

Once they settled, however, Town looked far more composed on the ball than Millwall and gradually imposed a control they regularly but too intermittently maintain in games.

The control started to bring threat, too. Koroma, lively throughout, had one decent effort routinely saved and then was unfortunate to see a goal bound effort brilliantly blocked after excellent build up play.

Town, and Koroma, were not to be denied for long, though. Starting with Hamer, who had another excellent outing, Town kept the ball for over a minute with every player involved in a 27 pass move which finally arrived at Diakhaby’s head on the edge of the box. Perhaps meant for Mbenza, the much maligned winger’s knock back fell for Koroma who didn’t strike it perfectly but well enough to tuck the ball in to the bottom corner.

The expected response from the home side eventually arrived for the final 10 minutes of the half, but other than a decent save from Hamer low down to his left just before half time, Millwall’s ascendancy never seemed particularly threatening. In between, Hogg and O’Brien, still rusty at times but getting there, controlled the middle third and Pritchard provided the spark which kept the Lions on the back foot.

A mostly solid first half ended on a sour note with an ankle injury to Pritchard, who had put in perhaps his best performance for Town for a long time and possibly ever. He was replaced by Bacuna at the break.

The return of Sarr from suspension proved to be significant. The ex-Charlton giant had a solid first half and nullified Millwall’s aerial threat while contributing to the possession which established control. He was to be even better in the second half.

For their part, the home side, under instruction from the isolated Rowett watching on iFollow, sent on Town’s old nemesis Matt Smith, so often a scourge of Terriers’ defenders since his days at Leeds.

A more direct route to goal was clearly signalled, perhaps recognising that their play maker Wallace had been pushed further and further back in the midfield battle, and Sarr and Schindler proved up to the task. Smith was not helped by a reluctance of his colleagues to anticipate any duels he did win, while service to him from the flanks was perfunctory at best. 

Town soaked up Millwall’s threat with some ease and, once on the ball, probed and tested the home defence and should have wrapped up the game far earlier than they did.

Diakhaby nearly capped a much improved performance with a shot which went just wide, Koroma couldn’t exert enough power to convert after excellent work on the right by Mbenza whose shot was well saved but picked up by Duhaney to feed Koroma’s attempt.

The visitors looked far the more likely to score, had the greater composure in possession and defence and, crucially, were maintaining their superiority for longer than in recent games.

Pipa, who had played every minute of every other fixture, replaced Diakhaby to join Toffolo on the left in a successful attempt to quell Romeo and prevent balls in to the box from the hosts’ right flank. Jazzie B’s son never really threatened to bring Millwall back to life, but his pace was occasionally troubling.

The Spaniard, released by Bacuna who had created space with some excellent skill, burst forward in the final minutes and hit a hard shot at Bialkowski in the Millwall goal. Parrying the ball upwards, the Pole was unable to clear the bar and while to the naked eye it didn’t appear to cross the line as it looked behind him, the referee’s watch buzzed to signal that it had. 

With the game all but over, a slightly over hit pass by Schindler saw Hogg stretch to propel it forward towards the half way line. Substitute Campbell nicked the ball just before it reached Cooper to set Bacuna driving towards Millwall’s depleted rear guard. With Koroma and O’Brien as company, Bacuna laid the ball to his right for the latter to slot past Bialkowski to put a gloss on a fine away performance.

Thoroughly deserved and featuring some fine individual displays, the 3 points dispelled the gloom of a week featuring 2 weeks and a video of some buildings on Leeds Road. With two tricky but winnable home games on the horizon, Town have the opportunity to cement their newly found mid table status before the next international break; time which Corberán will undoubtedly utilise to drive improvement in to a team with plenty of room to grow.

Preston North End’s impressive away form, which includes points gained at Norwich and Brentford, continued at the John Smith’s Stadium and ended an encouraging unbeaten few weeks for Town.

Robust, well organised and cynical, the visitors were everything they were expected to be and despite being outplayed for the first quarter of the game, their tried and tested methods eventually overcame the emerging Corberán style, which was too often exposed and particularly in the middle of the park where O’Brien’s rustiness and lack of game time combined with Bacuna’s carelessness rather handed the initiative to the Lancastrians.

Despite the defeat, which was fully deserved, and the rather obvious conclusion that the quality in the squad remains far too thin, if the lessons from the game are learned the trajectory continues to be positive and to be still in contention for a point with 10 men deep in to injury time was commendable.

The 24 hour advantage Town had over their opponents following the midweek round of matches looked decisive in an opening 10 minutes of total dominance, and the lead taken was just reward.

Mbenza won an aerial duel with 2 Preston players and as the ball fell kindly to O’Brien, the returning midfielder played in Campbell with an instinctive and perfectly weighted pass.

Holding off a challenge with good strength, the striker followed up his £5,000 donation to Stephen Chicken’s appeal with a strike past the otherwise impressive Rudd and Town appeared to be in a very good place.
Minutes later, Campbell should perhaps have doubled his tally when he connected with a Toffolo cross but his overly deft attempt to steer the ball in to the far corner let the visitors off the hook. It was a lifeline they were to take for most of the rest of the half as they imposed their physicality and began to dominate.

Town’s midfield diminished alarmingly with only Hogg holding things together as O’Brien’s long lay off began to show and Bacuna’s inability to add discipline to his undoubted talent came once again to the fore.

Preston’s best chance fell to Sinclair who took advantage of Stearman’s failure to heed the age old advice not to let the ball bounce, but the veteran fired wide when he should really have levelled the scores.

Sarr made an excellent block when the visitors looked certain to score and the home side we’re looking increasingly ragged in the face of the controlled aggression overwhelming attempts to inject flow in to their game.

A decent effort from the impressive Pipa was all that Town had to show as their performance deteriorated, but the visitors were grateful for an inexperienced referee’s failure to dismiss Potts for a high challenge on Campbell. Though subsequent replays cast some doubt on the level of punishment appropriate for the lunge, the naked eye, upon which the referee had to rely, more than suggested that dismissal was justified.

The referee compounded his error in the second half with unpunished challenges leading to both goals in Preston’s devastating start to the second half. However, it would be mealy mouthed to blame the visitors for his failings; unlike Hogg, who stopped with his hand in the air claiming offside rather than attempting to block a cross, they played to the whistle and got their rewards.

The equaliser was very well taken by Browne who took advantage of defensive hesitancy to curl a shot which gave Hamer no chance.

The keeper, despite a good performance, needs to take his share of the blame with Sarr for Browne’s second just a minute later. A far post cross didn’t look particularly threatening until they collided and rendered Hamer’s punch weak, falling very nicely for Browne who, nevertheless, had to adjust to finish.

The Lilywhites’ ascendancy of the first half translated in to a lead which they rarely looked like relinquishing and, indeed, continued to be the more dangerous, though the final stages saw something of a renaissance by the home side reduced to ten men when Sarr capped an uncertain afternoon grappling the impressive Riis Jakobsen to the ground with nothing behind him other than another Preston player.

By this point, Corberán had abandoned 3 at the back with Schindler withdrawn along with O’Brien for Diakhaby and Eiting. The changes added some urgency to the home side’s play but not enough threat.

Counter intuitively, Sarr’s dismissal heralded the best patch of play since the opening 15 minutes, though Preston were, by this time, comfortable with their lead, comfortable out of possession and dangerous on the break.

Bacuna came in to the game late and was incensed to be dragged back by Bauer when he had broken through Preston’s lines. The German was roundly congratulated for his cynicism; in fairness, Schindler was also booked for a similar transgression, though his team mates didn’t share the joy.

A late Pipa effort following an excellent move which finally carved open the visitors hit the outside of the post and those Championship fine margins reared their head yet again. The impressive Spaniard, who could be one of the finds of the season, had also brought a decent save out of Rudd earlier and the keeper finger tipped a Koroma effort round the post to deny the substitute a second in 2 games.

Preston could easily have added to their lead but for some last ditch defending and one or two decent saves by Hamer and the last action of an entertaining game saw Jakobsen hit the bar after bamboozling Town’s exhausted defenders.

This defeat could easily have happened in games we have drawn or won. Had Forest not been thwarted by that Hamer save, had Swansea not been so profligate, or Rotherham not succumb to something of a fluke, our position would be substantially worse. Which is to say, most Championship games are close, attritional affairs and being on the right side of moments essential.

Yesterday, Preston’s established style, professionalism and strength overcame a still developing Huddersfield Town and they deserved their 3 points. Time will tell if they can translate their status as perennial dark horses in to a promotion which would complete the list of former League winners experiencing the dubious delights of the Premier League.

For their part, Town showed that Corberán’s project has a long way to go but it will be far more interesting and entertaining than grinding out draws to keep our heads above the relegation waters. Frustrating as it is that the squad is too thin to meet all the demands of 3 games in a week, and oh! how we could do with a centre forward presence like Riis Jakobsen, a mid table finish is well within reach.

On to Brum. 

Following Town’s win in South Wales on Saturday, Paul Merson, survivor of Sky Soccer Saturday’s dinosaur purge several years ago (or, in old time, September) opined that the play offs could be on.

The last time Paul connected his brain to his mouth over Huddersfield Town, he ended up dressed as a muppet so he will forgive us our skepticism about drawing conclusions from a welcome yet streaky win.

Neither should we get carried away by another victory over a gloriously inept Derby County side whose inability to deliver a set piece must have had the isolating Rooney tearing his manufactured hair out. Mel Morris, creative accountant extraordinaire, can only look on in horror at all the money spent to restore Premier League football coming to this.

A scruffy game, though not without entertaining moments, will be remembered for a cracking team goal finished by Bacuna but encapsulating the sheer promise of Corberán and his football philosophies, as well as the undoubtedly exciting prospect of just how much improvement, with these players and additions, he can achieve.

Not that much of the first half provided salivation. 2 brief, interesting spells, culminating in a couple of decent Pipa efforts were overshadowed by a largely jaded display with some alarmingly sloppy passing which an even slightly better team than Derby would have punished.

As it was, Hamer had one routine save to make while the plethora of free kicks, which were awarded rather too easily at times, and corner kicks created little if any threat for the visitors.

The Rams, however, had much the better of the first half and largely controlled possession and territory. Their undoing was a total absence of completion in the final third; Town’s rare attacks looked significantly more threatening.

As they had on Saturday, Town improved in the second half and after taking the lead with a goal which started with Hamer and involved an excellent contribution from Campbell on the halfway line to link with Bacuna who fed the marauding Toffolo. The full back, excellent all night, laid the ball perfectly in to the path of Bacuna, who had sprinted hard to follow up his incisive ball.

Earlier, another Toffolo surge nearly set up Campbell and the hosts were looking a different proposition to the team seemingly puzzled by the opposition’s set up in the first.

The goal allowed Town to stifle Derby with relative ease, though not without a couple of scares. Duane Holmes added a little urgency, and something a little different, when he came on and had a good effort which was neatly turned around the post down low. This thwarted any thought of Holmes under the Hamer puns*.

Late on, a snap header by Clarke clipped the post to deny the visitors a flattering point while Town wasted some good opportunities to punish Derby on the break; O’Brien with a few games under his belt would not have let them off the hook with poor execution when a team mate was free.

It was a very good time to play Derby, particularly without Rooney who would have relished so many set piece opportunities, and, brief flurries aside, a none too convincing performance but back to back wins will give the squad great belief to take in to the tough schedule before the next break. 

They now have to consolidate with progress and results; there is a long, long way to go before we can even consider them anything other than a bottom half team with realistic relegation troubles, but the excitement will be them proving to us that this is a ridiculous assessment.

However, there is a spirit and resilience about the team combined with a decent amount of genuine talent which holds great promise.

* copyright @PopPopChris on Twitter who came up with this to produce the tweet of the night (possibly the season)

Sweeping aside the crushing disappointment of failing to secure David Nugent’s signature, with all the promise of goals which that held, or adding to the list of loans on Rolando Aarons’ CV, Town secured 3 points in South Wales against a very good, if under par, Swansea side with resilience, no small amount of bravery and a swathe of good fortune.

Biting satire aside, the fact that our left back opened the scoring and could quite easily have scored a hat trick should not be lost. Scoring goals is a team effort and rather relies upon players being in a position to do so. For all Grant’s achievements with Town, and scoring at the rate he did in teams seemingly constructed not to was admirable, it is surely better to increase the possibilities for multiple contributors rather than be heavily dependent on one.

As Corberán’s philosophies emerge, and they are appearing as quickly as Wagner’s did, there should be genuine excitement for the future. In the absence of anything resembling effective communication from a hierarchy grappling with admittedly huge external issues, let us turn our gaze upon the transformation a young coach is implementing on the pitch.

When Josh Koroma struck the winner, there were 7 Town players in and around the box. At the home of one of the best sides in the division. Let that, as the tiresome saying goes, sink in.

That winner seemed inconceivable after a torrid opening 20 minutes when the visitors looked sure to succumb to the Swans’ unrelenting pressure. Within a minute, Hamer was having to make a save, all be it routine, and the home side exerted stifling control of the game with an aggressive and highly effective press which pinned Town in to their own half with little, if any, respite.

Hamer’s performance, which included 2 excellent saves, was blighted by some quite awful distribution which not only gifted possession but also momentum as eager Welsh midfielders fielded his miserable punts facing forwards and in acres of space.

With 3 central defenders in a formation we should get used to when facing twin strikers, Sarr struggled to adapt and was caught out of position too often and nearly presented a goal with a careless touch intended for Hamer. He improved immeasurably once he settled and played his part in repelling the increasingly desperate opposition towards the end.

A succession of excellently delivered corners threatened to overwhelm the besieged visitors but the hosts were guilty of over aggression at too many of them while the returning Schindler seemed to relish the aerial challenges.

When Town finally escaped Swansea’s stranglehold, Koroma was freed to run at the home defence to force a corner. It may have been complacency born of their superiority which allowed Bacuna to stroll in to the area unchallenged following the short corner and hit a not particularly threatening shot, but Toffolo’s instinctive flick turned it in to a lead as undeserved as it was surprising.

Rueing their failure to convert possession and pressure in to goals, Swansea were never quite the same force though they were handed an equaliser by a baffling penalty decision just after the half hour. Hamer, who had already kept his side in the game with a one on one save from Lowe, came to meet Smith whose attempt to convert was already sailing over as they came together.

The harsh award gave Swansea a reward they fully deserved and Ayew stepped up, via a dubious run up and with encroachment clearly occurring behind him, and scored his inevitable goal against the Terriers.

Equally inevitable was Swansea’s resumption of control, though the threat they carried seemed to lack the potency of the opening 20 minutes; Sarr’s restored discipline of position and tighter defending contributed to soothing the nerves of onlookers of blue and white persuasion, and the sanctity of half time was reached without what would have proven to be fatal concession.

Whatever Corberán said during the break saw the visitors transform from a team seemingly reliant on the failure of their opponents to translate superiority in to goals to one which finally achieved cohesion.

Moving the ball more quickly and confidently between players finding space and time and with the conviction that they could trouble the Welshmen, Town produced their best 15 minutes of the season. Eiting’s promise began to shine, while the excellent Pipa and Toffolo added their support to the hard working Mbenza and Koroma and Swansea’s previous dominance evaporated.

Chances were created with an excellent effort by Mbenza agonisingly evading Toffolo – again, note that our highest placed forward was our left back – as it crashed off the far post. Toffolo then missed two very presentable chances.

Swansea responded eventually and Ayew should have buried a close range header following a superb free kick delivery. Town’s relief at surviving that chance was followed by a terrible ball from Koroma which set Lowe free. As the ex-Wigan man bore down on goal, Hamer positioned himself well to parry his powerful shot. The rebound was sliced well wide by the same player, who seemed affected by his collision with a post in the first half after a very lively start to the game.

Town’s emergence as a team to be reckoned with created a very entertaining second half as the procession of home superiority became a more equal contest, and following the scares, Koroma made up with for his error with an excellent strike following incisive build up play down the Terriers’ right.

Having missed a few chances in previous games, the confidence his goal will bring should not be under estimated. Picking up the ball at the left edge of the area, the youngster found space among the panicking defence and swept the ball past Woodman in to the far corner with a strike for which Grant would have been rightly hailed.

Inevitably, Town faced a frantic last quarter yet Swansea’s potency and thrust seemed marginally less threatening as the minutes ticked by.

Stearman, Schindler and Sarr held firm and largely subdued the increasingly desperate Swans until a succession of corners late on and some flapping by Hamer threatened to undo the hard work. Kasey Palmer, who came on and injected some energy in to the home side, missed a very presentable chance at the far post as injury time loomed which let his former colleagues off the hook and ready to celebrate a win which entailed a fair amount of luck but, equally, a lot of promise.

Few will leave South Wales with maximum points, particularly when important players return and they resolve their issues with converting superiority in to goals, but it is the excitement of potential which should be taken from the afternoon’s efforts.

The potential of expanding periods of excellence beyond the 15 minutes on show here, the development of Eiting’s excellence, creating more and more opportunities as an attacking unit which may engulf teams far inferior to Swansea and the possibilities of a coach who has taken an unpromising and diminished group and imposed an expansive system which is emerging game by game.

Despite the failure to recruit before the deadline, and the suspicion that bungling was a factor, it is difficult not to be excited at the prospect of watching Pipa and Toffolo terrorising Championship rivals, the emergence of a genuinely creative midfield and the possibility of Mbenza’s redemption.

It may be wise to keep our eyes on the grass and let the back room shenanigans take care of themselves. 

When the otherwise excellent MacDonald diverted a Pipa effort to gift Town a deserved but strangely unsatisfying point, the task of dissecting 96 minutes of football containing a reasonable amount of promise for the visitors yet embedded with many of the same problems became even more complicated.

Corberán’s overly enthusiastic post match assessment, which inexplicably included the epithet “fantastic”, perhaps reflected his pleasure at seeing the identity he wants to create take a few tentative steps forward in no small part due to the contributions of the new faces he has introduced. Or a linguistic misstep.

There was more than a little truth in the coach’s impression but rather glossed over some familiar issues, not least the inability to turn progressive possession in to goals. It should be recognised that Town were facing a tough opponent whose resilience was well known before the encounter and confirmed until the very last seconds of an interesting clash.

It was MacDonald who prevented Campbell opening the scoring in the 2nd minute with a last gasp block; had that chance been converted, the game would have panned out very differently. For all their physicality and excellent organisation, the Millers were rarely particularly threatening and the comfort of an early lead would have settled the visitors rather than frustrated them.

Quick out of the blocks, the Terriers established control early and moved the ball well at times but failed to create enough problems for the hosts’ resilient defence. One move which flowed from back to front ended with Campbell slipping on the greasy surface at the wrong moment and there was a perceptible gap in quality between the teams on the ball.

Halfway through the half, however, Town lost their grip. Not helped by a fussy referee, the game became fragmented, Town’s previous fluency disappeared and Rotherham exploited the shift with their most, and perhaps only, effective spell culminating in a quite excellent goal.

Sloppy passing and giving away too many niggly free kicks broke Town’s rhythm and when a cleared corner was not followed out quickly enough, Ben Wiles was left in far too much space. The midfielder unhesitatingly stroked an arrow straight, powerful and accurate shot past the helpless Hamer who may have asked a little more from Campbell who simply failed to close it down.

The Millers threatened to take further advantage of their opponents’ dip in performance with Hamer saving well from Ladapo following a swift break after breaking up a promising Town attack.

A second would have buried the visitors and the break came at a good time for them as Rotherham’s momentum after the goal had turned the match on its head.

In the context of the first half implosion and a normally fatal concession, the second half was moderately encouraging, if very frustrating.
The dominance of the ball and the progressiveness was badly let down by final passes and finishing, though the home side’s rearguard should be complimented for their excellent defending. 

Koroma was the main culprit for the profligacy. He failed to control a superb ball from Eiting, and missed an easy chance following more excellent build up down the left, where Toffolo roamed freely and menacingly throughout the half. To be fair to him, Town’s best effort of the half was his curling shot from outside the area which went just wide.

With virtually nothing to worry about at the back as the Millers sat deep and resolute, Hogg, Stearman and Sarrs, who had a quietly impressive debut, were able to stroll forwards at will to begin attacks. Though they had some success moving the hosts around to create space, Rotherham rather abandoned the flanks in favour of relying on their ability to stop crosses; a faith which appeared wholly justified until the injury time calamity.

While Eiting is clearly a high quality player who will prove influential as the season matures, Town’s best performer was the excellent Pipa. Accomplished in possession, always available and a threat down the right, it was fitting that the Spaniard forced the error which gained a point (not that his shot was going anywhere). 

On the left, Toffolo was menacing and delivered one particularly good cross on to substitute Dhiakaby’s head just a couple of minutes before the equaliser, but too many of his deliveries were easily cut out.

It was unfortunate for the home side to concede as they did, and must have been utterly galling for MacDonald who had done so much to thwart the visitors, but a share of the points, as Paul Warne acknowledged, was fair, even if Town had got out of jail not through their own abundance of threat, but as a result of an instinctive opposition error.

Overall, it had been a confusing afternoon. The shape and style of the team for the majority of it was pleasing on the eye at times and the new recruits look to be genuinely promising, but the lack of potency persists.

It is always dangerous to believe that missing players, and O’Brien in particular, may change the dynamic but a driving force alongside Eiting’s quality could be the key. With Grant unwelcome and sidelined by unfulfilled speculation, it seems unlikely that Town will conjure a 20 goal a season striker from somewhere.

Corberán’s conundrum remains the final third; supply is improving, though far from perfect, but conversion remains elusive.

It would also be remiss to overlook Rotherham’s excellent defending, organisation and resolve. Many teams will find them difficult to break down; as their 4 opponents to date already have.

Town haven’t lost in S66 for nearly thirty years, yet it is never an easy venue, even for the best Championship side we’ve ever had.

Hopefully, the international break will see more players becoming available to Corberán before a very difficult trip to South Wales. Sarr’s promising debut was helped by the lack of necessary defensive work; Swansea will be a much greater test.

Perusing Town’s opening fixtures was immediately accompanied by dread and a desperate search for some rational theory why we wouldn’t be stranded in the bottom 3 with Sheffield Wednesday whittling away their point deduction disadvantage.

A slightly unfortunate but wholly unconvincing defeat against Norwich was followed by an exceptionally poor, dispiriting defeat at Brentford’s new home destroying any lingering, preposterous hopes that a new coach and a new way of playing grafted on to the remnants of failed squads from miserable seasons past could defy reality.

And yet. 

Victory over a disappointing and often confused Forest garnered the 3 points which suddenly makes Town’s return from a daunting schedule, well, not too bad. 

Overall, the performance was encouraging, if uneven. The principal takeaway was the collective effort and energy which smothered Forest in the second half and led to multiple players appearing in the box – a phenomenon we have all but forgotten. This included 6 (six) when Frasier Campbell was left alone to strike a beautiful winner, which would have been far less likely had he been alone, as many of his predecessors have been.

All would have been different had Hogg’s reducer on Arter been spotted in the early minutes. Raking the ex-Cherry with a highly aggressive, probably heart felt, studs up challenge, Town’s veteran extracted revenge for the last meeting with the annoying nark. Hogg needs to ensure he doesn’t jeopardise the team’s chances in such a manner again, but many of us couldn’t help feeling a frisson of vengeful delight.

A progressive opening ten minutes saw Town pinning the visitors back without creating any chances and it was the visitors who shaded a scruffy first half and, but for two saves by Hamer, would’ve taken a lead in to the break. 

The first of these was outstanding. Ameobi drifted across Town’s back line, turned Crichlow and hit an excellent curling shot bound for the top corner. Arching his back, Hamer was equal to the effort and tipped the shot over the bar; perhaps he can use that moment to resuscitate his quite dreadful reputation amongst the support (which he acknowledged post match, to his credit)?

His second save was more routine but just as important as Mbe Soh was left alone at a corner to head towards goal. The poor set piece defending was more worrying than the actual effort, which was not powerful enough to beat Hamer but it was the last attempt Forest managed on goal as the tide turned.

A weak Koroma effort which was spilled by Samba nearly presented Frasier with a tap in but he couldn’t quite reach the ball before the keeper dragged it back and took a bang on the head for his efforts.

Town rather missed Hogg who went off injured after picking up a booking with his replacement, debutant Eiting, feeling his way in to the rough and tumble of English football and were the team more appreciative of the half time whistle.

The break allowed Town to regroup and a very acceptable second half performance subdued the visitors. At the back, Stearman and Crichlow became a much tighter unit and the youngster’s elegant display – ruffled just once by Grabban, who replaced the disappointing and ineffective Lyle Taylor – bodes well, even if Sarr’s arrival is likely to limit his chances in the immediate future.

Eiting settled in to his number 6 role and more than hinted at an ability to add some measured class to a midfield which has been sorely lacking quality to date. His impact promises to improve those around him with a far greater range of forward passing than the limited alternatives available to Corberán so far.

324 minutes in to the season came Town’s first goal and it was a tension relieving beauty. Mbenza, who showed some rehabilitating promise at times, found Toffolo, who was breaking in to the area at pace, with an excellently weighted pass and with plenty of home players in the box, the left back was able to pick out the unmarked Campbell, whose balletic volley flew past Samba.

It was reward for an energetic and, crucially, collective, start to the half which caught the visitors on their heels. Eager pressing, discipline and desire changed the dynamic from a relatively flat first half performance and Campbell’s busy front line work was rewarded with a highly attractive winner.

Forest had little in response. Grabban had a decent effort which just cleared the bar and, late on, he troubled Critchlow but couldn’t draw a penalty winning foul from either the youngster or Hamer which was a possibility.

Easily quelling the visitors’ increasingly desperate efforts to equalise, Town broke late on and should have put the game to bed as an Eitling ball released Koroma down the left. Eagerly pursued by 3 team mates in support, but only 2 Forest players, the winger fed substitute Diakhaby whose first touch was too heavy, allowing Samba to position himself well and block the shot. The danger wasn’t over, however and Pipa squared a disguised pass to Koroma who couldn’t quite get the ball past Samba, hitting his trailing leg and out for a corner.

Disappointing as the failure to convert 2 excellent opportunities was, the fact that Town were attacking in numbers so late in a game they had worked so hard to win was testament to their fitness and desire. The paucity of goals and the lack of a striker capable of approaching prolific remain problems, but if the style of play creates numbers in the box like this, there is hope.

If Sarr is the marauding centre half Corberán desires, if Eiting can provide calm quality to deliver better transition and the collective can provide a team greater than the sum of its, to date, limited parts, early season fears may dissipate.

Eiting, in particular, is an intriguing addition. Can he encourage more creativity in Pritchard (who worked hard but still regularly infuriated; his set piece deliveries being particularly woeful), more discipline from Bacuna and release the pace possessed by the squad?

Overall, the performance was far from perfect but the release of tension, the handful of positives and the possibilities provided by new blood shine some beams of light through the gloom.

Town began yet another new plan to fumigate the stench of now long term failure with a predictable and expected defeat against a Norwich side rather more modest than anticipated.

Whether the visitors, rightly installed in pre season as favourites, were largely functional rather than exhilarating through rustiness or lack of familiarity or were subdued by Town’s hard work and organisation was just one of a string of unanswered, possibly unanswerable, questions in a game that largely plodded.

Corberán’s ideas and philosophies were evident in a worthy yet unsatisfying performance and the patience of supporters, now stretched gossamer thin where it isn’t already snapped, is being called upon again while the Spaniard recruits players to fully instil his values.

Encouragingly, debutant Pipa slotted in immediately with an eye catching introduction to a dysfunctional unit and added quality on the right of defence which has long been a massive problem. Composed and technically proficient, the youngster looked comfortable from the start and combined well with his new team mates at the back and going forward.

This barely translated in to goal scoring opportunities, though one exchange with Bacuna should perhaps have done. 

With Grant at home, presumably trusting in the process which will release him from West Yorkshire, the funds which become available , hopefully, from his departure need to be invested in players able to fit just as effortlessly in to Corberán’s system. The fear is that the huge sums being offered by West Brom for an individual whose open play goals dried up along with his commitment after lockdown will evaporate if protracted negotiations end without movement.

With expectations extraordinarily low, people were expecting a battering; and their dark foreboding only heightened as the team was revealed even though the line up was arguably the strongest Corberán could name, give or take the odd wide man. That it didn’t transpire was barely a source of comfort but the effort and apparent collective spirit of a team perceived as hopelessly weak was mildly encouraging. Town continue to confuse and exasperate and with no effort being made to explain their plan, it is no wonder that the support is left befuddled.

A very early effort from far too far out by Diakhaby sailed way over the bar and, the Pipa/Bacuna interchange aside, constituted the greatest threat in a first half long on endeavour but short on real thrust. Norwich occasionally flattered to deceive but were mostly held in check and, to their credit, Town snuffed out a couple of dangerous looking breakaways with one in particular featuring some excellent defensive work by Diakhaby who tracked Pukki all the way back to nullify his presence.

A good first half from the universally maligned young Frenchman included a great tackle on the edge of Town’s box to thwart the Canaries and, overall, his touch was decent, he made himself available and played with responsibility. Now that the minimum bar has been set, let’s see if he can develop beyond the old joke about a dog walking on two legs.

At the back, Stearman was solid alongside Schindler while Toffolo shadowed man girl Cantwell to stifling effect. There were a few excellent cross field balls by the home side to release the lively Koroma but the midfield largely lacked creativity and failed to drive the team forward anywhere near enough. O’Brien should add that dimension when back from injury.

With Hamer having little to do as both sides struggled to penetrate, the best opportunity was hit straight at him by the otherwise impressive Hernandez while a free kick in a good position was woefully wasted by Pritchard, who disappointed yet again throughout. Late in the game, a darkly comic mix up between him and Bacuna wasted a corner opportunity; neither came out of the contest very well.

A stalemate became increasingly likely in a poor second half. Norwich were nearly gifted the opener when he failed to hold on to a less than challenging effort and was saved by Stearman clearing for a corner, while Koroma made space for himself with a decent piece of skill before firing wide. Little else occurred of note until late in the half when Stearman was clattered by Cantwell with his elbow.

The challenge was worthy of a red and left the veteran defender groggy. The referee, poor throughout and who had denied the visitors two good penalty shouts and missed a dangerous Hogg tackle which should also have seen red, waved a yellow to the Canary while Stearman received treatment off the pitch.

The Town coaching and medical staff will rue allowing him to return. Bacuna, lackadaisical for far too much of the game, played him in to a little trouble facing his own goal and a horribly under hit pass was seized upon by Pukki who evaded Schindler’s attempted block to feed Idah. Stearman had sprinted all the way back to try and prevent the goal but failed by a couple of feet.
It was cruel on the team and the distraught Stearman but when you are incapable of scoring, mistakes haunt you. 

An expected defeat produced few answers to the plethora of questions swirling around the club, yet there were some signs of hope. Unfortunately, few, if any, of these are going to be much use without a goal threat.

We can only wait and see what solutions to the deep and ingrained problems will be applied by the club in the next few weeks. Until then, this team doesn’t look capable of winning games even against the most mundane of opposition, simply because of a lack of goals and opportunities.

Despite the pedigree of yesterday’s opponents, and the reasonable effort against them, yet another relegation battle seems inevitable and the few positives that can be taken from the game seem a little irrelevant right now. It was probably a good time to play Norwich, who will not be as one dimensional as the season matures, and what would’ve been a useful point disappeared.

The evaporation of optimism arrived early in 2020 with a regulation League Cup defeat to lower division opposition preceding the start of the season rather than providing an alarming exclamation point to fears and worries on the second Tuesday under lights in front of the most committed faithful.

As often as commentators rue the lack of an audience as desperately sad, the depressing familiarity was best viewed through a laptop lacking the visceral battering inflicted in attendance.

Rochdale arrived with a relatively simple and ultimately effective plan carried out with diligence and admirable intensity made easier by facing an opponent with a vague style of play notion applied to a game seen as an additional, experimental, friendly. This is not to excuse the defeat but rather to damn the apparent shambles of a club now seemingly in permanent transition.

The difficulties being faced are complex and important with the necessity to adapt to financial realities both self imposed and mandated by circumstances external, but communication is desperately poor and creating that most dangerous of atmospheres; apathy.

It is absurd to suggest that the Lancastrians’ challenges are somehow lesser than Town’s; they hadn’t played a competitive fixture in 6 months, their playing staff has been trimmed and overhauled and they even had to forfeit home advantage to add to their disadvantage.

Leaving out 2 players about to depart from the club for an estimated £20M starkly illustrates the real gap between a Championship struggler and a League 1 struggler. That gap was easily bridged by Dale and the exposé of the Terriers’ systemic muddles was alarming yet so, so familiar.

A moderately entertaining first half saw Town mainly on the front foot but too often blunted by Rochdale’s disciplined and resilient defending. With just two clear cut chances created – Toffolo made a good run on to a corner delivery but couldn’t keep his header down and Bacuna skied a very presentable chance late in the half – the hosts were unable to capitalise on errors occasionally forced by a decent pressing game and looked vulnerable to the visitors’ breaks.

Hesitancy and confusion when balls were delivered in to the box culminated in a disallowed goal for Dale which may not have survived a VAR check and the lack of defensive assurance, particularly centrally with the inexperience of Critchlow and the rustiness (and possible decline) of Schindler hardly aiding the cause, gave Town an air of fragility they couldn’t shake off.

There were glimpses of Corberán’s assumed philosophy, particularly a rigorous press in the first half hour, but fluency was at a premium and never approached the levels achieved in the two friendlies, all be it these were against modest opposition. 

Unfamiliarity may have played a part, but with 7 days to go before the league season starts, supporters’ patience, already stretched thin by poor communication, impenetrable financial arrangements and the dread which can only accompany the real possibility that Hamer will be the last line of defence, has widely snapped.

A decent second half showing may have soothed the worry and discontent, but a dozy opening 5 minutes, with possession conceded without a whimper encouraged Dale forward. A free kick on the right was delivered in to an area which could easily be described as goalkeeper territory was forsaken by the hapless Hamer, Schindler lost his man far too easily and O’Connell powered in the winner.

The reaction was largely pathetic and the failure to remotely test Bazunu until Mbenza nearly caught him out with a good effort with one minute left was both a testament to the good organisation of the visitors and damning of a side showing all the flaws we have become accustomed to for over 2 years. 

Rochdale wasted several break aways as Town committed men forward, to little effect, but they remained composed and professional to see out a win rather more comfortable than a single goal suggests.

A late chance for Toffolo was headed clear and Town’s hopes of an undeserved penalty shootout out disappeared.

Perhaps the only positive to be taken from a rotten afternoon was the performance of Mbenza, who was given 20 minutes on the right. Direct and powerful, he only lacked the movement of colleagues to make a more meaningful impact. On the other side, his partner in waste, Dhiakaby, did nothing to suggest any sort of revival is in the offing.

Everything now rests on Town’s market activity, in and out. Bar O’Brien, the squad put out yesterday is fundamentally what we have to tackle an extremely tough looking opening month. The departures of Grant, Mounié, Hadergjonaj and Sobhi, possibly joined by Bacuna, should create the space to bring in strengthening options but little time for integration ahead of the opener.

The silence of the hierarchy may be defended on the grounds of sensitivity in an unusually difficult transfer market place, but the acceptance of the rumours and suspicions multiplying in the vacuum created seems an odd calculation to make when the support has grown weary and increasingly uninterested.

Happy new season, everyone!

Unnoticed and unloved amid compelling drama elsewhere, Town completed their miserable season with a heavy loss at the New Den with a second half collapse which barely aroused a whimper of ire amongst their exhausted, grudgingly relieved and unconvinced support.

With several players rested, a late dental emergency and an entirely unsuccessful injection of youth, the Terriers, after a reasonable first half, were swept away by the nearly men of South London as defensive errors buried any ambition to finish with a flourish.

The only solace to be taken from a deader than dead rubber was that there were few conclusions to be drawn about the future which can only become clearer once the sacking of the Cowleys is explained beyond the bullshit bingo about different visions.

A game of funereal insignificance neither demands nor deserves much attention.

Millwall started strongly, exploited early weaknesses down Town’s right and in central defence and eased in to an early lead with a well taken but virtually unopposed stroll through the visitors’ rearguard.

To their credit, Town overcame their obvious structural problems to take the game to Millwall for the last 30 minutes of the half and equalised with a well constructed goal by Grant following a good through ball by the otherwise hugely unimpressive Pritchard (if his last act as a Town player was to blast a far post corner high and long to nobody, it will be a fitting epitaph).

Unfortunately, and rather than building on the momentum of the equaliser, Town yet again succumbed to a set piece goal shortly after the break. Coleman, who had a particularly poor evening on probably his final appearance, failed to connect with a decent corner delivery by some distance and Stearman was easily beaten in the air at the back post.

Town’s attempts to recover for a second time were sunk when a Stearman slip, perhaps distracted by Chalobah, who was head and shoulders above any player in the coral, was seized upon and despatched. 

The Lions’ fourth goal was….Oh, God! What is the point? A game nobody cared about, ending a season everyone has hated with the architects of survival, however grim the methods, gone and with conspiracies, rumours and uncertainty swirling around a club in massive transition, what else is there to do but await events?

Thanks for reading this season. The next one can’t be any worse, can it? 

A momentous tussle with huge implications at both ends of the table ended with Huddersfield Town realistically, if not mathematically, safe from relegation and opened the door for a much admired club to take their place in the top flight for the first time in many years.

Brentford will have to hold their nerve in a difficult looking fixture at Stoke to take advantage of West Brom’s rather surprising defeat against the struggling Terriers but an amazing run of wins combined with the nervousness and inconsistency of the Black Country outfit since the restart, bodes well.

For Town fans, the ridiculously labyrinthine calculations, complicated by actual and pending points deductions, can be put away for another season and it is to be hoped that the scramble for safety and avoiding what would’ve been a debilitating and hugely damaging relegation can be utilised as a catalyst for change.

Tellingly, Danny Cowley spoke of the recruitment of players suitable for the Championship after the game; a tacit acceptance that the current squad is lacking in some pretty fundamental attributes. For all the criticism he has had in recent weeks, Cowley, his brother and his management team have achieved survival for a club in astonishing and frightening decline and from what appeared to be a hopeless position after 8 games. 

The artificiality of the conclusion to the season added to the challenges they faced. Meeting them hasn’t been entirely convincing at times and the lack of goals in far too many of the games has been a constant worry, but to win a tactical battle over the highly regarded Bilic is something to be celebrated. The regular hard knocks taken in a brutally difficult season after arriving to horrendous circumstances will surely hold the brothers in good stead for next season.

They will prepare for the next campaign with many problems swirling and some without obvious solutions. A squad packed out with loanees, young and old, a diaspora of expensive, unsuitable players still officially registered with the club and little chance of recouping the huge sums laid out for them and the likely departure of the leading scorer represent massive obstacles to success; they can take some comfort, however, in the fact that successful times for the club have usually arisen in adversity and never via the cheque book.

Celebrations of survival should be short and muted. An entirely forgettable season with few highlights needs to be consigned to history and a long, sober look at the future needs to be taken, with the hope that necessity will be the mother of invention.

Leaving out the goals of Grant and the invention of Smith-Rowe signalled an acceptance, unsurprisingly and realistically, that an evening of attrition was in store. King, Hogg and a slightly advanced O’Brien were to be the fulcrum of a team designed to sacrifice possession for solidity with Bacuna and Willock out wide to hopefully add some flair on the counter.

In the early skirmishes, Willock’s running at the visitors’ rearguard provided some hope for the Terriers. Bacuna’s more esoteric contribution was to buy a cheap free kick on the left which he whipped in towards the keeper. Awkwardly pitching just in front of Johnstone, the ball squirted off his shin directly to Willock who finished instinctively. 

The vital early lead was reward for a bright start which contrasted with the Baggies’ sluggishness and provided a platform for the strugglers against their technically superior opponent.

Mazy, if unproductive, runs by the Benfica loanee, late of the Hawthorns, were the defining feature of the first 15 minutes. While failing to produce chances, the intent introduced some doubt in the minds of the visiting team that the routine win many expected could prove a little more troublesome.

Eventually, the promotion chasing visitors gained control of the ball though much of their possession was unconvincing and lacked the edge needed to break down a solid Town defence. Unfortunately, this relatively comfortable state of affairs was not to last until the break and following a strong appeal for a penalty when Stearman clumsily bundled in to a well positioned Baggie, the linesman who failed to spot it also failed to raise his flag against 3 West Brom players at a free kick. Lössl could only parry the ball on to O’Shea’s head for the equaliser.

It was a disappointing end to a reasonably positive half for Town who would now have to regroup to gain the minimum reward of a point in their pursuit of survival.

On the whole, the threatened onslaught by Albion didn’t really materialise despite dominating possession and territory. With the excellent Stearman and Schindler in the centre, another fine right back performance from Chalobah and Toffolo back to his best, Town absorbed the visitors’ thrusts and only a fierce attempt by Pereira which was too close to Lössl provided heightened discomfort.

With 20 minutes to go, Town introduced threat with Grant and Smith-Rowe on to replace King and the spent Bacuna. It was a move which proved pivotal.
Despite the appearance of the loathed Charlie Austin, his assault on Lössl as a Saint will not be forgotten any time soon, the Baggies failed to add enough flair or penetration in their efforts to throw off the threat from the Bees, and they were about to be stung.

Picking up the ball just inside West Brom’s half, the effervescent O’Brien, back to his battling best, shrugged off an attempted foul, stayed on his feet and drove menacingly towards the visitors’ retreating defence. Having drawn them towards him, he then slipped a lovely ball to Smith-Rowe whose first touch set up an inch perfect finish with his left.

With just minutes left, the goal was a hammer blow for Bilic and his men and there was no little pleasure in Austin committing a clumsy foul on the halfway line to run down the clock to, for him, a teary defeat.

The tension, anger and frustration which had built over the course of a mixed post lockdown season transformed in to a collective sigh of relief for a club still reeling from the ravages of 2 horrible seasons. Even the unintended consequences of victory over the 2nd placed club could be ignored, given that Barnsley’s loss on Thursday had already made that consequence nigh on inevitable.

Now to the rebuilding.

Improved but utterly unconvincing, Town’s crawl to safety inched a little closer with a performance not lacking in effort but largely devoid of inspiration and entirely devoid of the currency desperately needed in a relegation battle.

A bright start predictably faded against a tame Wednesday side unable to replicate their excellent win in London on Saturday but who, nevertheless, created opportunities to pick up 3 points in a game of little quality.

Town have Lössl to thank for a point which, with other results mostly helping their cause, puts them in a slightly better position mathematically but with a nervous eye on St Andrews where Charlton face a Birmingham City side who, incredibly, managed to concede 3 goals to the Terriers in a result which looks less remarkable as the season bores on.

A very good save from Odubajo on the half hour was eclipsed by a quite outstanding one just before the break as Harris curled an excellent effort which was pushed around the post by the on loan Dane, reminiscent of his stop which won a game against Newcastle United in those early, heady Premier League days which are so very distant now.

For all their possession and efforts in an opening 15 minutes where they were dominant in possession and not unintelligent with it, Town mustered one genuine effort when Smith-Rowe, who had a good first half before fading alarmingly later, sent a decent chance wide. Still, the visitors showed more enterprise and positive intent than they had against Luton, though it was difficult to imagine how they could not.

Pinned back, the Owls’ couldn’t find any sort of rhythm in the first quarter but Town, parched by a long drought, rarely looked capable of scoring in their purple patch which, in any case, came to an end at the first water break.

Alarmingly wide spaces, notably on Town’s left flank, began to open up and the early grip they held on proceedings evaporated to the point that the half time whistle was a blessed relief. 

In the second quarter – the mandated refreshments during each half is turning us in to the NFL without the dancing girls and product placement – Town lost their concentration and very nearly their way. Stilted forays forward, undermined by hesitancy and an unwelcome return to the safety first style which blighted the Luton fiasco, diminished the already barely perceptible threat we now haul around the pitch like an elderly donkey, with the highlight being a Grant shot which went for a throw. 

With Lössl’s late, excellent save, parity was preserved and with a record of just one recovery from going a goal down in this putrid season (an affliction stretching way back to Wagner days) it may prove as important as his Stamford Bridge intervention though there is precious little evidence that salvation, should it come, will not pan out just as badly.

The game appeared to swing back in the visitors’ direction after the break for a short while and, finally, a chance was created for Grant in an area in which he has excelled during his brief Town career. Hogg was the unlikely source with an incisive ball forward which the leading scorer latched on to, beat a defender and instinctively struck a good effort just wide.

Shortly afterwards, Grant nearly turned provider with a cross which should have been a gift for Mounié but Lees managed to block the header and extend Town’s blight in front of goal.

Wednesday made two changes after the scares with Pelupessy and Da Cruz providing a more muscular approach to the home side’s faltering efforts. Both added energy and Town’s brief ascendence was subdued. Lössl was forced in to a smart save by Luongo and with Bannon threatening to influence the contest rather more than he had in the first half, nerves began to jangle.

Overall, however, neither set of players could truly exert sustained quality and attrition reasserted itself. Lees for Wednesday and Stearman for Town were the pick of the respective rear guard actions, but it was the visitors who spurned the best second half opportunity.

Toffolo, recovering some of the form which seemed to have deserted him post hiatus and perhaps adversely influenced by Grant’s woeful displays, burst down the left and played in a teasing and seemingly perfect ball in to the box, only for recently arrived substitute Campbell arriving a split second too soon or too late (it was difficult to distinguish) and blazing over. Only time will tell whether this miss or Lössl’s save(s) will be definitive.

Lössl was called in to action one last time before the end, inelegantly spilling a relatively tame effort before quite miraculously preventing Da Cruz converting the rebound for a goal which would have been disallowed for offside.

As ever, results elsewhere shone perspective light on a hard earned point. Luton conceded an equaliser which rather neutralised disappointment at the dropping of 2 points without alleviating the tension ahead of the final, difficult looking games. 

Hull’s shellacking at the hands of Wigan, who will surely and admirably accumulate the points necessary to negate their punishment, pushed their goal difference to an extent that it acts as an extra point.

With Barnsley having a tougher run in even than Town’s and requiring extraordinary performances to catch up, it feels like a Charlton defeat at Birmingham (admittedly a stretch on current form) could determine whether 48 points will be enough to survive.

The anguish will endure until the final day unless Town can somehow raise themselves and gain a result against high flying West Brom. Optimistically, and verging on Panglossian, the absence of expectation, which weighed so heavily against Luton and Wigan, may help.
Survival would not, and should not, be cause for celebration after a season which may yet turn from gravely disappointing and persistently worrying to disastrous, but it would be, at least, some sort of platform on which to build.

Huddersfield Town’s pursuit of back to back relegations received a timely boost on Friday evening with a gloriously inept and thoroughly deserved capitulation to the Championship’s bottom club, Luton.

Bereft of bravery, instinct or recognisable ambition, a persistently leaden first half display was followed by a calamitous nonsense of a second half which would be tragic if it were not so predictable.

Lacking personality, responsibility and even a trace of character the seemingly ironically named Terriers were comprehensively swept aside by the Hatters who topped their hosts all over the pitch with a disdain belying their own likely demotion. 

If and when the Bedfordshire club drops from the division, they will, at least, have a sound basis to rebuild on decent foundations which have maybe been a little too fragile for this hugely difficult division following a renaissance from their banishment from the Football League in 2009.

The appalling state of Town’s expensive malfunctioning squad, a parade of charlatans robotically going through the motions, holds no such promise as the ghosts of the mid 70s collapse echo through the decades.

Though impossible to prove and perhaps fanciful, the club seems incapable of functioning without the support of a crowd which has been monumentally patient, absurdly forgiving and hopelessly optimistic. 

Playing in an empty home stadium (away performances have been reasonably tolerable) has exposed the lack of collective spine the support, built up in better times, has inserted to keep heads, barely, above water. Beyond inevitable falling support, the most corrosive legacy of post 2018 squads is that those who remain will feel that they have been taken for chumps by the club. Useful idiots.

The pervasive stench of failure clogs the attempts at a revival which seems further away than ever. Though undoubtedly culpable along with the players, it is beginning to look like a task beyond the Cowleys, but eliciting coherent, professional efforts from this squad is like nailing a blancmange to a wall. 

Despite their insistence that they have belief and trust in the squad, the evidence before our eyes is that this is either disingenuous or simply naive. With the exception of Smith-Rowe and Chalobah, this was another defeat where players regularly abdicated personal responsibility; passing the buck is now a feature of a side in desperate trouble.

With courage notably absent, the necessary aggression in a relegation battle is fatally diminished. The strategy to avoid defeat appears to hinge more upon futile possession than domination of the opponent. Luton barely needed to break sweat to contain their timid hosts and could simply keep their shape and watch Town pass unthreateningly in front of them.

A team beaten by 5 at home by Town’s latest bore a draw victims Reading and who conceded a late, damaging equaliser to their closest relegation rival should have represented a psychologically damaged opponent, ripe for exploitation. Town played two holding midfielders.

One of those, the subdued O’Brien, had the only effort of any note in a thrill free first half, shooting tamely from range straight in to the arms of the visitors’ unperturbed keeper.

Unable to inject pace or incision, the home side’s predictable and timid forward play was blunted by the ineffectual Grant and Willock on the flanks. The former, whose post lockdown contributions have smacked of a player protecting his own future, was almost entirely inept. Slow, unaware and lacking commitment the leading scorer was easily blotted out of the game and despite the dangerous over reliance on his goals his removal from the team is surely imminent and necessary.

With neither defence unduly troubled in a first half of inexorable tedium, the opportunity to arse kick at half time should have been irresistible for the Cowleys and while it is impossible to know what was said, the demeanour of the team as they strolled out several minutes after their opponents who were waiting and prepared didn’t indicate that much would change.

In contrast, Nathan Jones must have relished the break. Any trepidation or fear of defeat which existed before the game had evaporated and all that need be added to his team was a little ambition and belief.

Within minutes, Town’s lethargy was exposed and punished. A crunching tackle on Chalobah who, to his credit, did not pull out of the encounter and played with at least some energy throughout, lead to a corner and the Hatters took their opportunity and converted their height, strength and aggression in to a lead they never looked like relinquishing.

With Lössl deciding not to come for a decent delivery, Schindler was bullied out of position allowing Bradley to head home from short distance.

With a whole half in which to recover, Town’s response could be described as insipid but this adjective hardly scrapes the surface of the ensuing debacle.

Lacking guile, speed of thought and any semblance of cohesion, Town could not shake themselves out of the shackles of the safety first approach adopted from the beginning and no amount of substitutions could alter the rigid blueprint.

Rather than making any difference, 2 of the substitutions proved culpable for the 2nd Luton goal. Bacuna, whose talent seems to be unleashed at the whim of Bacuna, slipped while trying to execute a cross field ball and the loss of possession put Town on the back foot. 

Schindler, who seems to be more affected by the lack of a home crowd than anyone, was easily outpaced by Collins whose fierce shot cannoned off the post and back in to danger. King, a straight swap for Hogg 5 minutes earlier, failed to react and Lee smashed home to seal a win which was already in the bag barring Damascene level conversion of the hosts’ form and attitude.

At no point did a turnaround look remotely possible as Luton performed the simple task of allowing their opponents to find different ways of presenting opportunities for their central defenders to easily clear from what we could laughably call danger.

The management have to take their fair share of responsibility for the costly debacle. Post match claims that the players were nervous is damning. Lavishly remunerated professional footballers shouldn’t need reassurance to play in an empty stadium in a game which could have virtually ensured survival. The formulaic, rigid game plan they were asked to carry out, and until the end given that the only change was to hit the ineffective Mounié, mitigated against flair, individuality and enterprise.

The defeat leaves us nervously eyeing the results of others, including in the court of financial imprudence which may doom Sheffield Wednesday, which is a wholly unsatisfactory state of affairs and doesn’t move the Club one iota forward.

“Typical Town” was the post match refrain. It would also be typical of them to go and win at Wednesday on Tuesday but a huge amount of soul searching is needed in the interim.

Reading FC will always be a part of Huddersfield Town’s history, as the vanquished play off finalist at the end of the remarkable 2016/17 season.

Their supporters, on the whole, took the defeat in good grace perhaps with a knowing smile as they looked kindly upon our excitement to be joining the Premier League circus they had recently experienced.

As the novelty of global media exposure turned in to annoying, patronising blather, not always delivered with respect, and finally to sneering derision at a club struggling to compete at the top level (self inflicted wounds aside, it was a massive step up requiring two consecutive miracles), the Royals’ fans’ stoical reaction became increasingly understandable.

5 years ago, and rather less memorably, The Madjeski Stadium saw Chris Powell’s thrill laden tenure come to an abrupt end following a creditable 2-2 draw, making way for the Wagner era which will eventually be remembered for its glory rather than the sad denouement still haunting the club long after his departure.

Powell was co-commentating with Paul Ogden for Radio Leeds and the iFollow service; a likeable and respected man whose apparent belief that Huddersfield Town had its limits was thoroughly demolished by his successor but who could be forgiven for thinking that, ultimately, he was just being realistic.

Town are now back in the same position Chris left us in, scrabbling around at the ugly end of a perennially difficult league hoping against hope that the incompetence of others, on and off the field, will provide the gap which will allow another season in a crazy division staring down the barrels of massive financial difficulties which could poison the very basis of the competition.

Still, the future will look after itself and, meanwhile, Town needed to build on the 4 points, garnered in contrasting style, from the past 2 games. The charmless point earned at home against Preston was, at least, a small step forward as others faltered; now for a tough looking fixture at Reading.

A much improved and far more convincing performance earned another point and another clean sheet. Spells of dominance which invariably fizzled out in front of goal should have resulted in a win, though the disappointment of failing to overcome a largely sterile Berkshire outfit unable to replicate their demolition of Luton was tempered, again, by favourable results elsewhere.

Comfortably quelling the early control of the home side which lacked any real threat, Town slowly began to worry their rather lethargic hosts with strong running, decent passing movements and the piercing thrusts of Smith-Rowe who looked of conspicuously higher class than anyone on the field.

Willock had a reasonably influential first half with incisive running but his crossing was invariably wayward. Promising build up play, particular in the first quarter before the drinks break and after an uneventful first 10 minutes, established a semblance of control for the visitors who looked hungrier than the hosts, but hesitancy and poor decision making thwarted the Terriers.

The otherwise excellent Smith-Rowe could have squared to Hogg after an excellent run on to a through ball by Stankovic but chose to shoot weakly at Barbosa who gathered easily.

Town’s offensive play was massively improved on the pallid fare served up against Preston but, frustratingly, entirely lacked the ruthlessness necessary to win games on the road. At least the play was leading to attempts on goal but, sadly, they were either wayward or weak and towards the end of the half, the visitors’ grip loosened.

2 midfield errors in quick succession created chances for the home side. Meite, whose goals had destroyed Luton but who didn’t carry the same threat in this game, failed to connect with a good ball over the top, while Lössl did well to close down Puscas who had got behind a defence exposed by another midfield error.

A relatively entertaining first half was perhaps enhanced by the comparison to Saturday’s attritional eyesore and Town’s serial failures when in threatening positions tainted the decent standard of general play they produced. 

An early chase by Smith-Rowe early in the second half forced the unusually quiet Swift in to an under hit back pass to his keeper which Grant, perhaps a little less committed to a challenge than he should have been, nearly reached ahead of Barbosa. Overall, the leading scorer had a poor night and his trademark cutting in from the left was easily dealt with by the home defence.

Halfway through the second half, Town’s principle threat, Smith-Rowe, was replaced by Pritchard. The Cowleys clearly feel that the prodigious talent is unable to safely complete 90 minutes at the moment, or his young legs are being saved for the massive Luton game on Friday, but he looked disgruntled to be replaced and not without cause.

His replacement can produce decent link up play but simply doesn’t trouble defenders enough and lacks thrust. One cross shot which deflected off a defender and forced a routine, if a little uncomfortable, save was the sum total of his threat and a signing which promised much continues to disappoint.

On both flanks, Toffolo and the excellent Chalobah, got forward with conviction but were unable to provide the spark for a goal, while at the back, Stankovic produced a display which was tinged with the regret that an under utilised talent will be departing at the end of the season. There are various reasons for him appearing so few times and for his departure, but there remains an overwhelming sense of waste.

Town were unable to reproduce the purple patch of the first half despite some lengthy spells of possession. The disruption of substitutions didn’t help and, in particular, the midfield base of Hogg and King while unspectacular, had provided the visitors with a good level of control from which to build attacks and subdue the hosts. It was always the plan to share the Hogg role with O’Brien, but it took the youngster quite a while to find the pace of the game. King took a knock late on with Chalobah’s fine full back display interrupted to shore up the midfield.

Losing Smith-Rowe automatically degraded thrust and creativity while Mounié’s aerial ability, admittedly not put to much use, was replaced by Kachunga’s hassling. Perhaps taking a small risk with Smith-Rowe was one worth taking; he looked far from spent.

The replacements were rational in the context of utilising the full resources of the squad in a brutal schedule and with a massive encounter just days away, but the final stages of the game drifted away from the Terriers and, alarmingly, Reading found a very late gear which threatened to ruin Town’s night.

Suddenly on the front foot, the hosts made life a little too uncomfortable and Lössl was forced in to action for the first time since his first half block. Routine as it was, it echoed Preston’s late flurry and suggests a vulnerability which needs addressing.

Late goals for Brentford and Barnsley produced more helpful results elsewhere which put a gloss on a mundane away point. They now need to complete the job on Friday to get to the 50 point mark which should secure Championship status.

A relentlessly dreary encounter with a Preston side in the last chance saloon for an unlikely play off place ended, thankfully, with a valuable point and a small step forward as Town’s rivals collapsed to heavy defeats.

Evidently fatigued in mind and body, Town met the physicality of their Lancastrian visitors but at the expense of creativity; one shot on target, which barely troubled the opposing keeper, was the damning statistic though it was one more than the Lilywhites managed despite being much the more threatening side.

The resolute defending which earned the point was nearly thrown away in the dying embers of an encounter whose passing nobody will either mourn or remember as 3 Preston attempts narrowly failed to provide a lifeline for their faint ambitions. A couple of efforts from substitute and veteran Scott Sinclair curled just wide while Maguire’s shank in to the side netting was a genuine let off for the hosts at the very end of injury time.

A point for both sides was generous reward for a spectacle of drab monotony. While Preston can point to a progressive first 20 minutes of domination which regularly troubled Town’s left flank, most of the deliveries in to the box were routinely cleared and the visitors were unable to make anything of a succession of corners and the odd free kick.

After the first water break, Town tightened up considerably, held a better shape and successfully doused Preston’s ambition. Sadly, it didn’t translate in to any improvement up front with O’Brien’s speculative and unremarkable effort straight at Rudd elevated to the major incident of the half.

Defensively, however, Town deserved some plaudits. After the sluggish performances against Wigan and Forest, Schindler and Stearman’s partnership has come under considerable scrutiny even though there isn’t much in the way of alternatives, but the last 2 games should restore some confidence in the duo who both had strong claims for man of the match. The German probably scrapes it with a wonderfully executed tackle in the second half which halted a Barkhuizen raid which may have turned ugly (everything else did!).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Town’s more combative players stood out in a hour and a half of attrition. Hogg and O’Brien worked tirelessly to halt Preston’s flow in the middle of the park, provided good cover in front of the central defenders and helped out the flanks when necessary. All at the expense of genuine offensive threat, however.

Even the introduction of Smith-Rowe, replacing the infuriatingly ineffective Pritchard failed to spark much forward momentum though he made one or two thrusting breaks which only lacked support. 

Mounié also entered the fray from the bench and his aerial ability provided more respite than Campbell’s attempts at harassing. Had there been more support around him, some of Mounié’s well intentioned headers in to space may have produced some semblance of danger but they all went to waste.

Quaner arrived on to the pitch to deliver his usual idiosyncrasies which were ever so slightly more effective than Kachunga’s falling over and failure to control the ball.

As minutes turned in to seemingly endless hours, the beautiful game continued to take a savage beating and Alex Neil’s introduction of Stockley added an extra layer of brutality the abomination richly deserved, but to little effect.

The scares in the closing stages at least provided an opportunity for emotional response from what must have been a vastly diminished audience, but couldn’t extinguish the loathsome fare served up in normal time.

Clutching their valuable point, however, Town can see the finish line and with a two result advantage over the presumptive bottom three with Wigan in it and strong goal difference advantage over Barnsley and Luton, the chances of survival are much improved since last Sunday.

Let’s move on. Quickly.

A desperately needed win on the road in this strangest of mini seasons coupled with the news that Wigan has been plunged right back in to relegation contention with a 12 point deduction boosts Town’s survival hopes but with still a lot more to do.

The inauspicious start to the ersatz conclusion of the season has lead to some deserved criticism of the club, though occasionally overblown amid plenty of straw men. 

Comprehensively outclassed by Wigan, whose superiority over the whole of the bottom half has been evident throughout 2020 and who are probably capable of overcoming a 12 point penalty and a defeat to Forest which owed a little to circumstance as well as flaws, Town needed to take the flak and prove themselves to an exasperated support.

In Birmingham, and in direct contrast to the first game back, the beleaguered Terriers found the perfect opponent. 

The Blues’ form and circumstances, with a manager running down the clock before returning to Spain and with seemingly little to play for, presented a good resuscitation opportunity for Town, and the manner of the victory provides a lift which shouldn’t necessarily be tempered by the quality or commitment of the opposition, but neither can the despair/joy pendulum swing too far, too soon.

Perhaps the most important redemptive feature of the game was the centre back pairing of Schindler and Stearman. Both of them were conspicuously poor in both of the previous reversals, appearing worryingly sluggish and bafflingly incompetent but put those performances behind them as they restricted Jutkiewicz, normally so effective against a team for whom he was distinctly ineffective, to one good opportunity early on which he headed well over. 

Hogan, another persistent tormentor of the Yorkshiremen, was equally unproductive. Much of Birmingham’s intent was illusory, which may explain the predictability of their two forwards but the shackling imposed by Town’s central defenders was an encouraging sign of restored form which should engender greater confidence for the challenges ahead.

A very good start from the visitors, similar to but more cohesive than the early stages of the Wigan and Forest games, built early pressure and following several excellent attacks, invariably pivoting around Smith-Rowe, who was back to his best, and a couple of off target attempts on goal, Town were awarded a penalty for a lunge in the area which halted Grant’s run following a Smith-Rowe/Toffolo link up down the left.

The decision was an easier one to give than the barge on Pritchard at Forest, which could have provided the platform for a better result, and emphasises the importance of taking the lead in most Championship games.

Grant’s penalty was not as comprehensively despatched as most of his others, but gave Town a vital reward for their early enterprise denied them at the City Ground.

Grant, Toffolo and Smith-Rowe combined superbly at times, and though the leading scorer rather faded as the game went on, the early marauding unsettled the home side and engendered a fear in the Blues’ defence which never left them.

Hogg and O’Brien, and the latter in particular, produced significantly improved performances to back up the forwards and the team which had looked so good when defeating Bristol City and Charlton finally re-emerged. 

The dominance of the first 20 minutes rather faded after the drinks break and City should have equalised when a good cross found Jutkiewicz unmarked only for his header to fly safely over the bar. This motivated the home side but, to Town’s credit, they repelled what would be an exaggeration to call an assault and saw the game through to half time with a precious lead.

Regrouped, the visitors reestablished superiority after the break and an early spell of pressure resulted in a corner and a second penalty award. The referee, who was excellent throughout, spotted a clear takedown of Schindler in the area and, remarkably, Town were awarded their 3rd spot kick in just under an hour of football.

There have been times when a penalty decision has been as likely as Lineker leaving Twitter for Parler, so it was regrettable that Grant, usually ultra reliable, was denied by Camp and unable to follow up on the rebound.

Instead, the ball went out to the left where Toffolo was fouled for a free kick which seemed shrouded in disappointment. Instead, the ex-Lincoln man, whose performance was much nearer his best, delivered a great ball in to the corridor of uncertainty and Campbell’s unstinting hard work was rewarded with a poacher’s goal expertly executed.

Coming so soon after the potentially damaging penalty miss demonstrated how games can turn on such incidents. Birmingham’s elation and any thoughts of turning the tide evaporated in less than 2 minutes and Town’s despair was similarly reversed.

Other than a far post header – Jutkiewicz, who else? – Birmingham’s threat was snuffed out by the well disciplined visitors with resilience and fortitude, and on the break, Town always looked the more likely to embellish their victory further.

The 3rd goal, turning a good victory in to a commanding one, highlighted the importance of Mounié as an option up front. While it seems unlikely he could have made much difference in the abject Wigan performance, his physical presence would’ve been welcome at Forest.

Toffolo was involved in all 3 goals after his assist for the first penalty, the excellent delivery for the second and, now, a free kick to the back post which Mounié headed down perfectly for Kachunga to convert from a foot or two. It was a simple but beautifully constructed goal which calmed the nerves of thousands watching on their televisions and laptops.

Town should have put their bedraggled and beaten hosts to the sword thereafter with the excellent O’Brien allowing Camp to smother after his own determination in the tackle had won the ball before running on to a piercing Kachunga pass.

Pritchard decided to take an extra touch when freed in the area and his options reduced dramatically in that split second. A first time shot would have troubled Camp to a far greater extent and Grant was similarly guilty of poor judgement earlier when he should have played a simple pass to Smith-Rowe rather than try to take on a defender before shooting ineffectively.

The chances illuminated Town’s superiority, however, and though future opponents are likely to be far more difficult to overcome than yesterday evening’s disappointing opponents, the confidence the Terriers can take from a thoroughly deserved and convincing victory could prove as priceless as Wigan’s travails (possibly to be followed, rather more deservingly, by Sheffield Wednesday?).

Preston are up next and their faltering play off aspirations will surely make them a completely different proposition on Saturday. Their muscular style will be a greater challenge than Birmingham’s and Town need to be better at staunching the supply of balls in to the box they allowed the West Midlands outfit.

The contagion of gloom has not been entirely banished by one good display but a win has relieved a lot of the pressure which has built since the restart. With jangled nerves less frayed, a win on Saturday, far from guaranteed against a strong side, may just turn the corner for an increasingly embattled club.

Depressing.

No one is supposed to know what goes on behind closed doors, yet thousands navigated the perils and pitfalls of the quite dreadful iFollow completely ignoring the clear warning of Mr Rich. We were all going to regret it.

In form prior to the imposition of a spring break, Wigan effortlessly revived a level of performance which overwhelmed an astonishingly poor home side.

The first ten minutes aside, the Terriers display was error strewn, tired and uninspired with barely one player producing levels above mediocre. Alarmingly, every single player considered central to the club’s relegation fight, from Schindler to Grant, appeared listless. It is rare to apply the epithet to O’Brien and Hogg but neither of them displayed the drive and aggression so crucial to the team.

Even more baffling was Toffolo’s contribution. By a distance his worst performance since joining, and possibly affected by Rowe-Smith’s total anonymity, a late effort on goal (Town’s first in the 84th minute) could not atone for what we can only hope was an aberration.

Simpson’s plodding lethargy on the right of the defence was arguably worse and the least said of Stearman, the better.

Brief flashes of skill from Bacuna invariably broke down, though he did produce a rare moment of excitement in the first half with an excellent free kick delivery which narrowly evaded Schindler and brought a decent save from Marshall in the Wigan goal.

In stark contrast, the visitors, once they shook off the cobwebs, dominated their hosts with a disciplined, physical and professional 90 minutes. Aggressively pressing their too hesitant opposition, they imposed a stranglehold on them which was rarely slackened allowing them to launch increasingly dangerous attacks which should have yielded more than the scruffy, preventable goal of the first half.

With 5 substitutions allowed, Paul Cook could risk players burning out with the intensity his team applied; a lesson the Cowleys may want to take on board given that their charges seemed content to amble, pass responsibility and provide insufficient support for players in possession.

Perhaps things would have panned out differently if Grant had been able to make more of a break by O’Brien from midfield in the first 15 minutes but the ball in to him was not the best and allowed a recovering defender to block. The ex-Charlton, and probably soon to be ex-Town, man also looked a little unfortunate to be called offside when released by Lössl’s quick distribution early on.

By half time, however, it was clear that a massive improvement was needed to unsettle the visitors. It didn’t materialise; instead, Rowe-Smith capped his dreadful performance with an attempted cross field ball which simply set Wigan on the road to their second, hope smothering, goal. The ball eventually reached Pilkington who, despite the attendance of 3 defenders, managed to squirm a shot away which deflected off O’Brien and past Lössl.

As they had done in the first half, but with even more comfort having doubled the lead, Wigan were largely content to allow Town to attempt pretty patterns in front of them (even under little pressure, misplaced passes were alarmingly regular) and attack with menace when the opportunities arose.

Pritchard’s introduction for Smith-Rowe failed to improve the hosts’ performance, though his industry provided a little contrast to preceding events. It seems unlikely, however, that we will ever get to see the talent of yesteryear and his days are surely numbered.

It didn’t help that without Mounié or Campbell there was no viable alternative up front but it is far too optimistic to believe either would have made much difference with the dysfunction all over the pitch. 

In the first half, Town at least put in one or two decent crosses; by the time a quite appalling second half had unfolded, the entirely ineffective Willock wasted one crossing opportunity which would have been the worst attempt of the day until Duhaney managed to hit his standing foot with the ball, fall over and watch on as his incompetence unfolded.

To be fair to the youngster, he at least added some athleticism to the right side when he replaced the visibly exhausted Simpson.

It only remains to discuss the whole concept of playing games without fans In order to preserve the television money of a bloated league looking increasingly redundant in a changed world and in desperate need of reform once the Unpleasantness finally passes.

Perhaps the horror of the crisis demands the solace of bread and circuses but reality intervenes all too quickly and it is unclear whether this mini season will damage the integrity of English football. The winners and losers in what is a campaign with a fundamentally different end to what preceded it will have to live with the asterisk indelibly attached to it.

Conversely, null and voiding would have been accompanied by decades of victimhood for the two teams least equipped to deal with disappointment so perhaps the immense efforts to complete this strangest of seasons will not be in total vain. Most will forget the legitimate complaints of Peterborough, Tranmere and others pretty quickly and expect them to adopt the level of stoicism their lowly status “deserves”.

There are small consolations. Fans of football league teams will have learned new IT skills as they anxiously grapple with iFollow; from going to settings to resolve some issue about cross channels to finally getting the no doubt wholesome content of their laptops and tablets on to their TV screens.

Catering is likely to be significantly improved, too. Queuing for a pint of ale/lager dredged up from a barrel of despair and the mouth burning agony of a pastry encased animal welfare crime can be replaced by the wonders of the latest click and collect panoply (substitutions may occur).

So, and with maybe a few of us holding our noses, and barring a resurgence of the virus, Town have 8 games to confirm their Championship status. 

It is comforting to an extent that empty stadiums appear to favour away sides, though that counter intuitive barely explains Town’s horrible capitulation, and that there are a couple of clubs in free fall. 

It came as a big surprise that the Cowleys, who had clearly embraced the challenges of a crisis now inevitably labelled as unprecedented, were unable to motivate their squad to anything like the necessary levels. 

An opportunity for a pre-season denied by the circumstances of joining a club, enfeebled and atrophied by defeat, and needing an upturn in fortune after an Autumn reaping a solitary point, was widely welcomed and this clunking failure at the first asking more the baffling for it.

With two difficult away days ahead, and assuming that Town, typically, will miss out on the new apparent advantages on the road, the danger signs are blaring.

Premier League bound Leeds United overwhelmed an occasionally game but ultimately outclassed Huddersfield Town in front of the largest Elland Road crowd of the season (now a standard feature when both clubs are in the same division despite it apparently being of more consequence to the away side).

While their supporters will only accept that promotion, and probably the title, is heading their way when the mathematics confirm it, the inevitable wobble has already passed, potential usurpers look thoroughly unconvincing and the culmination of 2 years under the stewardship of a high quality, if flawed, manager was on full display in a one sided derby.

Resisting the temptation to play defensive wing backs in favour of the same line up which has delivered 2 crucial and impressive home wins, Danny Cowley rather signalled that he considered, along with much of the support, that the game was of less importance than next week’s encounter with Wigan.

The decision was soon exposed as potentially reckless as Leeds took the lead with a goal of no little beauty. Breaking up play in the middle, a swift break down the left allowed Harrison to float an inch perfect ball for the marauding Ayling to smash past Lössl. Grant’s non intervention was a factor, but takes nothing away from a quality delivery and finish which immediately rendered Town’s already mountainous task positively vertiginous.

To their credit, and in an increasingly testy confrontation, Town valiantly attempted to gain a foothold in midfield and had spells of possession which suggested hopes were not entirely forlorn. However, a single attempt by Chalobah which almost sneaked through the legs of Leeds’ young keeper was the sum result of Town’s period of parity and the hosts were able to overcome the absence of Phillips, the fulcrum of their midfield, with an exceptionally solid back four who easily snuffed out the visitors’ intent.

Towards the end of a quite entertaining first half, Leeds should have doubled their lead as they established a grip on the game they were never to relinquish.
Ayling, a massive beneficiary of Bielsa and a far better player than the one Town faced in our own promotion year, repaid his debt to Harrison with an excellent cross which was met perfectly by the Manchester City loanee on the volley but his strike curled just side of the far post. Bamford also had a decent chance which he screwed wide.

Town managed to hold on until half time, but the turning of the screw seemed ominous, despite a reasonable effort against a considerably more coherent unit.

Sadly, the second half confirmed the foreboding. With a natural ability to squeeze space without the ball and expand it in possession, the confidence of the home side in the inevitability of a win underpinned an impressive display which left Town grasping for air on too many occasions. 

O’Brien and Chalobah could not be faulted for effort in the middle, but with Smith-Rowe’s talents almost entirely blunted by the relentless pressure applied by combinations of home players, a back four under immense pressure for much of the half and the sheer range of attacking variation, the visitors barely had chance to venture forward.

Just over 5 minutes in, Leeds doubled their lead. Bamford, a constant menace to Town’s over worked central defenders, drew a desperate foul by Schindler with Hernandez delivering the subsequent free kick on to the head of Ben White. Lössl, who came to Town’s aid several times, saved the attempt but could only push the ball out to Bamford for a chance even he couldn’t spurn.

2 down, in the face of a hugely confident team and a raucous, jubilant crowd, Town rarely suggested that a comeback was possible. A Smith-Rowe effort which was more collected than saved, shortly before his frustrating afternoon ended in substitution and a decent but easily saved effort by O’Brien was all the visitors could muster. A late penalty appeal, inexplicably turned down, could have potentially added an undeserved gloss to a disappointing afternoon, but there were few consolations to be taken from a comprehensive defeat.

That the gulf between the sides was not really reflected in the final score was down to some dogged defending under seige and Leeds’ familiar Achilles Heel. Their pulsating attacking play tended to suffer from hesitant finishing at times but there were more than enough near misses – a superb run and shot from Harrison which hit the post was a particular highlight – to suggest that their potency is never far away which will see them through, avoiding a repeat of last year’s implosion.

For Town, the game always felt like an unwelcome distraction before far more important games. It was even possible to admire, perhaps through clenched teeth, some excellent football by arch rivals knowing that the improbability of gaining points rendered the contest, if not meaningless, less than vital.

Huddersfield Town’s new found attacking intent, predicated on being able to field and organise a group of players infinitely more talented and hungrier than those on show before the January activity, belatedly crushed an occasionally pretty Charlton Athletic side with the softest of underbellies.

6 points in the space of a few days has not banished the threat of relegation, and sterner tests are on the horizon, but the despair following the poor display in South Wales has been swiftly vanquished.

The performance wasn’t perfect and it seemed odd to be walking away from a 4-0 win with the unnerving feeling that a 10 minute spell early in the second half when Charlton’s possession appeared to have developed some purpose could, and perhaps should, have seen the Addicks level.

A dominant first half had yielded just one goal, Grant pouncing on a defensive error which Charlton’s glaring hubris signalled was coming long before it did, as excellent approach play down both flanks was largely wasted by players not taking the opportunity to shoot often enough. Willock, who displayed raw talent with inevitable naivety in equal measure, ballooned and sliced one while a sublime touch to bring down a dropping ball by Smith-Rowe saw the Arsenal loanee shot well saved with Grant hitting the post from a very tight angle.

Simpson, who had a very solid game both offensively and defensively, delivered a sumptuous cross for Grant who couldn’t connect properly with his head; possibly distracted by the defender jumping in front of him.

Charlton occasionally tried to gain some control through possession but Lössl was troubled just once and made a fairly routine save at his near post. On the whole, the indefatigable O’Brien and excellent Chalobah pulled the strings in the middle and with multiple options ahead of them and to the sides, Town just lacked the precision and incisiveness in dangerous areas to put the Londoners away before the break. A knock to Smith-Rowe reduced his effectiveness though his class was barely concealed.

The half had been satisfying if unfulfilled. On the front foot for the vast majority of the time, the interplay down each flank was striking with Toffolo’s surges forward creating constant overloads and threat. On the other side, Willock and Simpson were a little less potent but nevertheless the necessary pragmatism of the Cowleys tenure to date seems to be being replaced with a sense of adventure which bodes well for the future if the unthinkable is avoided.

A two goal cushion would not have been unjust but the newly dynamic formation will surely add a lethal edge in time.

Town started the second half still the more likely to add to their lead and Smith-Rowe’s final notable contribution before succumbing to injury was a goal bound effort bravely blocked by a Charlton defender in the opening exchanges. Chalobah also saw a good effort cannon off a red shirt and victory looked assured.

However, the Addicks, with the added energy provided by substitute Williams, began to claw themselves back in to a game in which they had looked doomed. Playing with more menace and pushing the home side back for the first time, a 10 minute spell produced 2 very presentable chances and several scares for the hosts.

Toffolo, otherwise excellent, was completely bamboozled down the right and Oshilaja picked out Pearce in the box who waste fully fired over. It was a warning against complacency and O’Brien and Chalobah stepped up to regain control and release the tension.

It may be a little unfair to reflect on the absence of Hogg and Kachunga but it is hardly deniable that Chalobah’s mature and pretty flawless display provides greater thrust than the more prosaic veteran and Willock’s pace and ability to beat an opponent replacing the German stalwart’s admirable but largely stultifying work rate. A threshold appears to have been crossed with players passing and moving forward with intent rather than sitting fearfully. They no longer appear to be waiting permission from opponents to attack.

The January recruitment has also transformed the bench, providing the Cowleys with options, ability and experience. Pritchard, missing for months, may not have given much since his arrival but his talent is unquestionable. Coming on for Smith-Rowe, the diminutive play maker was instrumental to the second, killer, goal, releasing Toffolo with a superb ball down the left after clever passing with O’Brien. The ex-Lincoln man delivered a perfect cross on to the chest of Mounié, another one of the bench, to score with his first touch.
Charlton were finished and with a revitalised Bacuna replacing the fading Willock, their troubles were far from over. As the game drifted towards an inevitable home victory, the final substitute added much needed gloss to the score line and goal difference.

Playing a wall pass off Mounié, the erratic but hugely talented youngster sat a Charlton defender on the floor with the slightest of feints then fed Grant in behind for his brace.

With injury time almost up, Bacuna then carried the ball upfield. With little company to pass to, he created a pocket of space and then lashed a tremendous 30 yard shot beyond Charlton’s keeper for a 4th. 

It was possibly a winning margin more befitting of Tuesday night than this particular game, but the confidence and joy which was palpable at the end as the old salute was revived in front of the south stand should stand the squad in good stead for the challenges ahead; not least next Saturday on enemy territory.
While throwing caution to the wind at Elland Road is unlikely to end well, Town simply cannot entirely abandon the style which has brought 6 hugely valuable points.

A week is a long time in Championship football.

Boosted by new recruits, with 3 on the pitch and one on the bench, Town’s resilience prevented a technically superior Brentford from scoring for the second time this season and secured a very well earned point as the Cowleys recalibrated their squad in ways which may only become clear over the next few months.

A flawless debut by Stearman, a very promising introduction for Toffolo to the rigours of the Championship and glimpses of Smith Rome’s youthful talent, despite a totally anonymous first half, were encouraging and an early reassurance that the disastrously wasteful recruitment which has all but destroyed any lasting Premier League legacy will not be repeated.

Bar a very late scare as the team rather wilted as they clung on to their reward, Brentford’s rightfully lauded front 3 were largely frustrated by a dogged home side who have been shipping far too many goals of late.

A relentlessly dull first half suited the struggling Terriers and provided an ugly but necessary platform against high flying visitors who will be hungrily looking above them at a team who, pre-Christmas, were nailed on automatic promotion winners seemingly imploding. 

Easy on the eye but rather ponderous in the final third, the visitors caused few problems before the break despite having the lion’s share of possession and a predictable defensive block from the hosts worked well. With 2 debutants in the back four, up against a seriously talented attack, the turgid fare can be forgiven and particularly if it translates in to a solid foundation for survival.

While Brentford’s lack of penetration was a little surprising, Town’s inability to muster any sort of threat was frustrating and the hard working Campbell cut a forlorn figure unsupported up front. Needs must, however.

Smith Rowe, starved of the ball but too often unavailable to receive it, looked on as the game completely bypassed him; he improved in the second half but it was probably the wrong game for his introduction as Town focused almost entirely on quelling their opponent’s flair, sacrificing commitment to attack.

It was something of a surprise, possibly not least to the Bees, that Town started the second half on the front foot and enjoyed a 15 minute period which should have seen them take the lead.

A bright start brought an early corner and encouraged the somnolent crowd for the first time. An excellent ball from Chalobah nearly released Grant but the somewhat out of form leading scorer couldn’t quite control and the opportunity passed.

It wasn’t long before his next one which proved to be something of a turning point. Smith Rowe, now a little more prominent, was set free down the right and his low, well hit cross evaded a dozing centre half and fell to the feet of Grant, 6 yards out. The pre-Christmas Grant would have buried the chance but he blasted over instead. Perhaps the reported interest in the striker died in that moment.

Smith Rowe had a reasonable effort comfortably saved and the wind in Town’s sails dwindled thereafter.

Sensing the moment for the home side had passed, Brentford reasserted control and began to dominate the ball again. Still over elaborate and lacking crispness once higher up the pitch, they were subdued by a defence marshalled by the experienced centre back pairing and a disciplined shape.

Mental and physical tiredness started to take their toll, however, and an under hit pass by Grabara to Schindler created avoidable danger. The visitors were unable to take advantage but were encouraged that cracks were appearing.

Schindler stopped a Brentford break on the halfway line to earn a booking and was a little fortunate not to be shown a second with a clumsy foul just minutes later and a visibly wilting Town were now clinging on in some desperation.

With just minutes left, Brentford’s big opportunity arrived. Clever, quick passing freed Dasilva on the right but the youngster’s well struck shot hit the upright and away to safety with Grabara beaten.

A defeat would have been hard on Town who fought valiantly and particularly hard on Stearman who simply didn’t put a foot or head wrong in a debut which will rank among the best ever for the Terriers. Remembering how early mistakes tarnished the unfortunate Elphick, the ex-Blade’s consummate display carries genuine hope and his vast experience can only help the bid for survival.

A game which attracted just one booking and a paltry 2 minutes added time in the second half pointed to an absence of the gamesmanship the Cowleys have found necessary to employ for their entire tenure (not least down at Griffin Park), and possibly reflected a greater trust in a team with, finally, their own choice of player integrated.

It is no mean feat to blank a clearly talented, if somewhat underwhelming on the day, Brentford team twice in a season where they may finally, and hopefully, be rewarded with a shot at the top league their unique approach deserves. Doubly so if elevation thwarts the ambition of our neighbours.

If the wastrels can be offloaded and maybe another new face introduced in the 10 days of useful preparation time ahead, the pervading gloom attending the dismal Stoke and Barnsley performances could be vanquished and a brighter future secured. 

We live in hope.

(And that’s it from me until 29/2. 60 today and heading off to this place for a few weeks)

An already hugely challenging season took another nosedive at Oakwell with a completely unacceptable first half performance only slightly redeemed in the second period as Town took to the air in a failed attempt to force a result.

After a relatively bright opening, the visitors’ sluggish, disjointed and shapeless efforts shocked their large away following in to an angry and justified reaction as they sloped off sheepishly towards them.

Until Barnsley’s opener after 14 minutes, which should have been stopped either by better defending by Brown on Brown or better goalkeeping by Grabara who should have stopped the cross, the game had reflected the lowly positions of the protagonists; poor final balls from the hosts undermined occasionally competent approach play while the visitors carried no threat.

Once they conceded, however, Town deteriorated alarmingly. Second to every ball, panicked in and out of possession and devoid of ideas or intent, only Barnsley’s inability to translate overwhelming superiority in to chances saved the visitors from the ignominy their display deserved.

Home supporters could at least see what their team was attempting to do and what little guile was evident came from the men in red. Jacob Brown gave his namesake Jaden a torrid time but the youngster, who has struggled to find form after his return from injury, wasn’t helped by a less than committed Grant in front of him. The leading scorer is rarely effective when playing with his back to goal but provided no discernible contribution down the left and was rightly hauled off at the break.

In the middle, Chalobah’s endless desire for time on the ball which simply isn’t available in the Championship had predictable results, though he wasn’t helped by static team mates. As he occasionally showed in the second half, there is a powerful presence in there somewhere but Town surely don’t have the time to allow him to develop in to what he may become.

Aside from Stankovic, who demonstrated calm whilst many around and in front of him were consumed by inertia, and O’Brien, who was not, the performance had no redeeming features and had all the hallmarks of failure and doom.

Being only one behind, however, offered some hope. It was barely conceivable that Town could be anything other than better in the second half, and so it proved if only to a limited extent.

Brown was hooked at half time along with Grant though the Cowleys had quite a few choices over who should pay the price for the woeful display. Given their histories, the role of saviours thrust upon Mounié and Hadergjonaj was ironic but both made a difference in a second half where Town were, at least, competitive.

The improvement from dreadful to mundane hardly lifted the spirits but at least there seemed to be a semblance of purpose which had been entirely absent before the break. Still, no attempt on goal emerged from the basic competence suddenly acquired and after 20 minutes of futility, Barnsley extended their lead with a rare moment of quality in a humdrum derby.

Kachunga was easily beaten by a piece of trickery by Oduor on the half way line and after side stepping O’Brien lifted an excellent ball to Brown on the left. The winger double his assists with a fine first time pass to Chaplin who finished coolly.

What appeared to be a fatal blow was rendered irrelevant one minute later when a poor Bacuna cross was dealt with inadequately by a home defence which appeared increasingly vulnerable. The ball fell invitingly to O’Brien who lashed a first time half volley in to the top corner to put the game back in to the same position.

Desperation set in for both teams as the game descended in to an unsightly tussle befitting two relegation threatened rivals.

Town, largely on the front foot, launched high balls forwards for Mounié at every opportunity with any pretence of gaining midfield control long abandoned. Hadergjonaj made a difference on the left and the introduction of Koroma added a threat completely absent with Kachunga. In hindsight, he should have been the third half time substitute but it was telling that both full backs failed to finish the game. Kachunga’s ineffectiveness was simply switched to the right as Bacuna filled in at right back.

Mounié had a good effort smartly saved following an uncharacteristically deft turn in the area while Campbell’s flying volley which just cleared the bar would have been an excellent equaliser.

For the most part, however, the Terriers toiled and struggled to overcome Barnsley’s play halting tactics and time wasting; ploys which no Town supporter can complain about given our antics under the Cowleys.

Diaby was very fortunate to only be booked for a rash, dangerous challenge on O’Brien but the referee was simply awful in the second half and failed to spot a clear push on Mounié late in the game which should have lead to a penalty. Such a decision would have been soft but the offence was committed. The players’ infuriation with the referee was growing and several dissent bookings were deserved but so were a few home indiscretions which went unpunished. 

The equaliser didn’t come, Barnsley squandered a couple of breakaway opportunities and a low quality derby came to an end with the hosts taking 3 deserved points and the visitors in no doubt that their efforts were unacceptable to the packed away end.

The extended bounce gained by the appointment of the Cowleys is undoubtedly at an end but they surely deserve some patience. So far, they have been able to add one free agent to a hugely damaged squad, lifted the team out of the relegation zone and overcome significant handicaps on the way. Hopefully, they will be able to add to the two signings illegible for yesterday’s game, a left back is urgently needed, and rediscover a winning formula.

The stains of the last few weeks need washing away quickly.

A barely functioning Huddersfield Town side began the 20s with not so much a roar as a whimper against an organised, physical Stoke City who deservedly put their feeble relegation rivals to the sword.

As if being hauled back in to an increasingly tight battle at the bottom was not bad enough, any lingering hopes of capturing the Family Club of the year award disappeared when sections of the home support responded to arch provocateur James McClean with chants relating to a disbanded terrorist organisation as if the peace negotiated at the end of the last century hadn’t happened. 400 years of tragic Irish history distilled in to 3 words. But nobody should expect nuance from a crowd.

Illiterate politics and history aside, New Year’s Day proved to be a bleak return to the shapeless, incoherent early season performances thought to be long gone under the new management regime. The fragility of the revival under the Cowleys was comprehensively exposed; a limited, unbalanced squad succumbed to the ravages of a bruising festive period and, individually and collectively, mustered a display brimming with error, weakness and torpor.

Mental and physical fatigue should apply equally to both sides but while Stoke, who did have the luxury of rotation, appeared unaffected and impressively strong, Town visibly wilted from the off with a notable drowsiness in possession and a startling lack of awareness out of it. 

The resilience evident, even in defeat, in the Cowley brothers’ previous outings evaporated and while it is difficult to excuse a performance littered with ineptitude, it was so out of character that the hope is that a combination of a resurgent opposition and overwhelming strain produced a one off capitulation which can be fixed.

Clutching at any passing straw, a case can be made that all of the progress made under new management was derailed by a deadly combination of factors which rendered defeat inevitable.

Individuals, notably Simpson, Hogg, Stanković and Grabara, made a succession of unfathomable errors in the space of just 90 minutes and others contributed to those in at least two of them. 

Stoke are now, finally, managed by someone with the ability to organise and motivate a squad with significantly more talent than their league position would suggest and the new influences are taking effect.

Despite acknowledging that our principal goal threat operates far more effectively from the left, Grant was played in a front 2 and constantly lost possession in probably his worst performance in a Town shirt. The persistence with 4 4 2 until late in the game was a glaringly obvious error; without Kachunga’s defensive work disruption to the team was inevitable, but the Cowleys took the wrong option.

At crucial points in the game, a quite dreadful referee and his assistants failed to give the home side two clear penalties or punish a foul on Mounié with a second yellow card. 

None of these negate the fact that a single goal separated the sides at half time, yet the visitors should have buried their hosts before the break. Without a single effort on goal, a feeble response to Stoke’s physical superiority and an inability to impose any semblance of authority, being down by just one self inflicted concession was a massive relief.

From the avoidable concession of a corner in the first minute until the Potters hit the bar in first half injury time, Town looked abject, disjointed and lacking players prepared to take individual responsibility, with the possible exception of O’Brien whose energy was utterly wasted on the left of a tragically inadequate, insipid and slow midfield.

On the right, Bacuna occasionally rose above his sulking display with flashes of skill but his confusion with Simpson which contributed to the veteran slicing an attempted clearance straight to Powell to set up Vokes for an easy opener was his main impact on a day when he seemed impervious to instruction from the dug out. Bordering on insolent, don’t be surprised if he is rewarded with a lengthy spell staring at Danny Cowley’s back.

Stoke’s goal scorer terrorised Town’s defence with a display which mixed aggression, anticipation and know how; Schindler and Stankovic battled gamely on the whole but were comprehensively dominated.
Everywhere you looked, problems were evident and each compounded the other.

Grant was playing with his back to goal as a co-striker and anything fed up to him bounced off him at a variety of angles and invariably conceded possession. In the middle, Chalobah was slow to react, hesitant to challenge and largely uncomfortable in possession. Alongside him, Hogg’s work rate was undeniable but his effectiveness was almost entirely lacking. As a pairing they were horribly out classed by Joe Allen who buzzed around with purpose and intent.

With O’Brien and Bacuna exiled to the sides, creativity was largely absent and the visitors constantly succeeded in playing between the flat lines of our midfield and defence. Lacking Kachunga in front of him, Simpson had an afternoon to forget while young Brown tried to subdue the powerful Campbell on the left; he was successful to an extent but became more ragged as the game progressed.

The formation was clearly flawed from a very early stage of the game, evidently unable to cope with Stoke’s superior physicality and energy and hugely contributed to a first half almost entirely devoid of threat from the home side. Other than a couple of free kicks from deep, the only move of any note came down the right and resulted in Grant being clearly pushed in the area as he went for Simpson’s cross. 

After such a wretched first half, the events of the first 5 minutes of the second were bewildering. Grant, finally in a position facing the goal, brought a save from Butland which translated in to a corner he lifted high in to the area for Mounié to climb for and head home. 

Minutes later, Mounié was tripped by Lindsay. Having already been booked, the defender was extremely fortunate not to be dismissed but the lenience of the referee towards the men from the Potteries was a particularly baffling feature of an altogether bizarre afternoon.

Bacuna delivered a reasonable but not particularly threatening free kick which Butland decided to fist away rather than gather and the ball ricocheted off Batth who had no chance of avoiding conceding an own goal.

It was barely comprehensible that after an abject first half when they should have been already well beaten, Town found themselves in the lead. The Germans probably have a word for the mixture of joy and bewilderment which engulfed three and a half sides of the stadium. Fortunately, English provides the noun for what it turned out to be; a chimera.

Within minutes, Stoke were level. While Hogg was fouled in the build up, his hesitation invited a challenge and set Campbell away down the right and he had the simple task of picking out Powell in the area to finish smartly.

Normal service was resumed and Stoke had shrugged off set backs which would surely have overwhelmed them not too long ago and Town were about to hand them a lead they would not be relinquishing again.

A relatively innocuous free kick towards the edge of the area was eminently defendable until Grabara decided to intervene by rushing to the edge of his box and attempt a punched clearance which flopped on to the welcoming foot of Campbell who lobbed smartly in to the vacated net.

Following the examples set by Simpson, Hogg and Grabara, the hitherto reliable Stankovic then allowed a high punt forward to bounce with Vokes ready to pounce on his lack of decisiveness. The big forward nodded the ball in to the path of Campbell who, again, finished with lethal composure.

To rub copious amounts of salt in to the wounds, McClean strolled smiling to a last minute corner in front of his goaded abusers, played a short corner to Lee Gregory, received the ball back and then played in the ex-Halifax striker in behind a sleeping Grant to curl in the fifth.

After the early, out of context, flurry at the beginning of the half to establish their fragile, unlikely and undeserved lead, Town had collapsed and offered little resistance other than a decent Grant free kick which was well saved by Butland.

An exceptionally bad day with barely a redeeming feature (a single high point earned Mounié a man of the match award which the rest of the team were probably pleased to avoid) emphasised and illuminated both the structural weaknesses of a club trying to recover from at least 2 years of decay and misjudgement and the huge task in front of the Cowleys. Perverse comfort may be drawn from the fact that so many errors, dismal performances and rank decisions resulted in the loss of one game, rather than spread over a month.

There wasn’t even a decent bloody sunset.

An indifferent Boxing Day performance at Middlesbrough, according to witnesses, would have been as bearable as similar efforts at Stoke, Charlton and Wigan (which garnered 7 points) had 2 easy chances been converted.

A few days later, the miscreants of the Riverside both scored to beat a decent and in form Blackburn Rovers side and end a traumatic 2019 with a hugely important victory which provides significant hope for the new year and beyond.

Coming from behind to win for the first time in over 2 and a half years after a dozy, incompetent start to the game emphasised the Cowley effect on a squad of players with inherent flaws but a growing spirit and immensely improved resilience. Culled of disruptive or disinterested members, a club immersed in a losing mentality and headed for certain relegation is being transformed before our eyes with an intriguing January window about to open.

After an error strewn and shapeless opening 15 minutes which handed the visitors a lead which felt ominous, Town changed shape to bring Mounié in to the game; if flowing football was beyond a team desperately missing the disruptive force of the injured Hogg, knocking it longer provided some desperately needed impetus.

With all the confidence of a team enjoying a good run of form under an astute manager, Rovers strolled past their opponents’ lethargy with some ease and an uncontested cross from deep found an uncontested Danny Graham who headed home past a static Grabara from 10 yards after just 7 minutes.

It was a deeply disappointing concession but a direct result of a passive opening which thoroughly invited disaster.

Inured to the fact that their team simply isn’t capable of reversing setbacks, assuming damaging defeat or, at best, a fairly useless draw was the natural conclusion amongst supporters numbed, if not defeated, by the events of the past 2 years.

With Gallagher causing multiple problems up front and Rovers shrugging off the unfortunate serious injury to Dack, along with Holtby’s absence, a bleak afternoon (even one blessed with a spectacular sunset) seemed inevitable.

Town finally emerged from their languor as the quarter hour approached with Grant forcing a good save after being fed by O’Brien. The leading scorer’s control appeared to involve his arm before the strike, but the effort stirred the crowd and the team finally responded.
A mishit cross by Grant hit the bar and while it was far from one way traffic with Blackburn still capable of causing consternation at times, it had become a contest.

It was Grant, yet again, who should have earned himself a penalty to equalise but a largely out of his depth referee waved away what should have been a straightforward appeal.

Fortunately, the incompetence was rendered irrelevant just a few minutes later. Bacuna, effervescent after the horrendous start, was brought down on the left and got to his feet to deliver a superb free kick in to the corridor of uncertainty for defenders and the keeper alike. Piling in to the area with exquisite timing, Stanković headed past Walton to atone for his Boxing Day miss.

The rest of the half largely belonged to the home side and a little more composure in good situations may have established an interval lead; momentum had swung to the home side though this was occasionally threatened by a Rovers side who still looked dangerous when given the chance.

A good effort by Grant which narrowly missed the far post brought the meaningful action to an end and parity was just about fair in a reasonably entertaining contest. At the back, Schindler and the excellent Stanković had finally got to grips with Gallagher’s aerial threat, O’Brien had begun to fizz in the middle, Grant was threatening, and while far from perfect, the team as a whole had recovered from the worryingly poor start.

Perhaps half time came at a bad time but Town started the 2nd half poorly though some credit should be given to the visitors who took the initiative and one excellent move was only ruined by Buckley firing high and wide.

However, Town were individually and collectively switched on in the face of Blackburn’s improvement and they didn’t allow the visitors to translate their confidence in to another lead.

Scrappy at times, the game lulled until the hour mark when a great ball in to the area by Bacuna was met by an equally good run by Grant. The leading scorer’s attempt flicked off a defender for a corner which was wasted as a practised routine broke down with Brown on the edge of the box unable to get a first time shot away and too engulfed to get the ball back in to the danger area.

Give me lucky generals, as Napoleon never said, and the Cowleys had an enormous slice of luck when an injury to Kachunga forced them to change their plan to replace Mounié with Campbell. Almost immediately, a press by the ever alert O’Brien pinched possession and fell for Town’s ill starred striker who took a couple of strides forward before unleashing a curling masterpiece in to the top corner from distance.

Mounié was the second Town player to atone for his Middlesbrough sin and with a memorable, possibly parting, shot. 

The Beninese is regularly lauded in song by the Town faithful despite his many ineffective displays; there is a residual affection for a lad who is clearly a well liked character in the squad (evidenced by the Cowleys including him while others have been unceremoniously and rightly jettisoned) and there is an argument to keep him as an option. That argument may not be the strongest ever mounted and certainly not universally accepted, but the Cowleys have earned the right to make the decision and this should be respected, either way.

Meanwhile, Campbell introduced himself to proceedings with two fouls in quick succession including a late tackle which earned a merited booking. It is not the first time he has rampaged about opposing defenders like a latter day James Vaughan and he needs to calm down.

Rovers’ final chance to grab a point arrived with minutes of normal time remaining. A corner swung in by Downing was met well by Adarabioyo but Grabara was equal to it and made an excellent save to preserve Town’s lead.

A mesmerising run by Grant nearly put the game to bed, and he possibly should have passed to better placed colleagues rather than trying to squeeze the ball in at the near post but, with his record, his selfishness is entirely forgivable.

Less forgivable was the addition of 9 minutes injury time with the suggestion that the 4th official held up the board upside down and really meant 6.

As it happened, Rovers struggled to trouble a deep set home defence and another step towards safety was achieved. 

While Town missed Hogg and the midfield looks weaker without him, O’Brien had a very good return and Bacuna’s contributions were often telling. Chalobah however remains promising on the front foot at times but fundamentally naive. His decision making baffles on too many occasions and his development needs to show a breakthrough soon.

All problems aside, and many challenges remain, the Cowleys have been remarkably successful with a broken club on a downward spiral reaching peak velocity. The future looks very promising.

Happy New Year to all.

When the first word which comes to mind to describe the events of a game is “feisty”, it is a reflection of an afternoon of excellent entertainment, not all of which was wholesome but which was thoroughly engaging.

This only really applies when your side wins, but a pulsating encounter brimming with tension, perceived injustice and simmering violence excites the emotions in a way that our many  bloodless Premier League experiences could not.

Forest, a good side still reeling from last weekend’s humiliation by Wednesday, clearly believed that redemption was not only possible facing lowly opposition but inevitable. This rather ignored the quite remarkable impact on a severely damaged club of a management team who have resonated deeply with supporters who instinctively know a perfect fit when they see one.

Brushing aside a long and pervasive injury list, which seems, thankfully, to be easing, the Cowleys’ values of hard work, organisation and preparation permeate and bring long lost hope back to a battered and bruised, yet ever supportive, fan base.

Instinctively understanding the brutal demands of a division which offers precious few opportunities to breathe in a relentless schedule, is stuffed with clubs with entitlement bursting from every seam and those who invariably throw huge amounts of cash at their forlorn ambition, they will sweep the ludicrously out of character and wasteful spending from a club which succumbed to the tawdry excesses of the top flight not only to no avail but to near disaster.

A relatively benign first half hour saw the visitors dominate proceedings and the hosts struggle to gain a foothold. Forest had several threatening incursions, usually involving the returning Joe Lolley, perhaps the epitome of Town’s foolishness when the quality of his successors is considered. Ultimately, the ex-Kidderminster man suffered a frustrating afternoon but his fundamentally honest and potentially damaging performance served as a useful cautionary tale for the higher ups at Huddersfield Town. There were reasons he was popular despite the infuriating interruptions to his career in West Yorkshire.

Despite Forest’s bright opening half hour, which was actually preceded by a far post chance for Mounié latching on to an excellent Bacuna free kick, Grabara remained untroubled through it; not that the lack of accuracy from their dangerous raiding was any comfort to the home support as their team struggled to get in to the game, despite some decent forays down the left by Bacuna.

When Town finally began to threaten the opening goal arrived remarkably quickly and undoubtedly against the run of play. A brief period of pressure brought a corner which was swung in high and towards the far post out of reach of Samba (who had previously picked out a cross, entertainingly, with one hand) to the towering leap of Mounié. The ensuing melee involving Chalobah fell perfectly for Schindler whose unerring strike found the top corner.

Forest, possibly enraged with the injustice of it all, responded with a beautiful effort by Ameobi which curled just outside Grabara’s far post and tensions started to boil over thereafter. Two animated benches, with Nicky Cowley and Forest’s coaching staff contributing to a mounting atmosphere of invective and vituperation, culminated in one of football’s glorious traditions; a tunnel punch up. Though Danny Cowley had words with his counterpart, the main protagonists were Mark Hudson and Dawson of Forest. Brooky the kit man was never far from the action either, taking well earned respite from having training tops chucked at him.

The fracas played nicely in to the hosts’ hands. Still short of a left back and midfield options, relying on the heavily built Mounié to press up top and round pegs in square holes, their often blatant disruptions to play designed to interrupt Forest’s flow were in danger of being overruled by a previously indulgent referee. Better by far to allow their opponents to self combust with seething anger.

Some of Forest’s challenges throughout the game were, to put it mildly, robust. Saw hacked at Bacuna for a deserved booking, the same Town player was assaulted but the advantage played by the referee lead to him forgetting the identity of the perpetrator and how Watson was only booked for a late, high two footed lunge on Hogg is anyone’s guess.

Town were hardly innocent in a rambunctious, febrile second half but their sins of time wasting and bookable but hardly dangerous challenges paled in comparison to Forest’s enraged reactions to perceived injustices.

Forest’s frustrations, on and off the field, lead to their downfall. The home side’s best period of the game came after the break and an early goal, which should have been followed by a crushing third, ultimately settled the encounter.

Playing past and through their frothing visitors, Town finally imposed themselves and a blocked Mounié effort lead to a corner. Having already lost their set piece goal cherry on the half hour, it still came as a shock to see Town convert directly from a corner. Mounié, harbouring a dry spell of Western Australian proportions, peeled away from his marker to the back post and met Grant’s excellent delivery to double the lead.

The goal did nothing for Forest’s collective fragile temperament and, soon after, Hogg was unceremoniously dumped into the advertising hoardings by Silva. Unperturbed, the veteran midfielder, who was excellent in a game pretty much made for him, was quickly extricated and offering his hand to his counterpart in acknowledgment of the well executed assault. The same could not be said of the ball girl who felt the brunt of the incident and was lead off for treatment (she was OK, thankfully, and was later compensated with a dressing room visit and signed shirt). 

It may have been in the spirit of solidarity that the other ball personnel proceeded to infuriate Forest players by delaying returns and, in one comically marvellous moment, one of their number bamboozled an enraged Semedo. Delicious.

Town really should have put the game to bed in the 15 minutes after doubling their advantage. Bacuna came in to his own with some dazzling footwork in this period; his talent is raw and occasionally misdirected but with guidance he has a great future. An interaction with Grant nearly brought a goal of stunning elegance, exchanging passes in the area the leading scorer was thwarted by a good save when freed by Bacuna’s intelligent ball.

Grant also had a seering effort just beyond the far post which matched Ameobi’s first half attempt.

Bacuna himself weaved in to the area with a scintillating run only to run out of space and attempt a Rabona which fell straight to the keeper. Ineffective but audacious, the attempt showed the promise of Bacuna which is intriguing and exciting.

Grant was felled by yet another heavy challenge and Kachunga, unspectacular but very effective with Simpson defensively, finally succumbed to injury at the third attempt by a very physical Forest side who were lucky to finish with a full complement.

By the time Kachunga limped away, Forest had capitalised on their fading opponents but the nature of the goal was infuriating. A corner was conceded and Town simply failed to organise quickly enough to deal with the hurriedly and very effectively taken kick; Worrall ghosted in to an area normally defended by Mounié but the striker had barely arrived to get in to position.

Encouraged, the visitors proceeded to take over and with Lolley prominent, Town were indebted to two excellent saves by Grabara to preserve the three points.

In an attempt to quell Lolley’s growing threat (he forced one of Grabara’s saves with a good effort from just outside the box), Bacuna, who had rather abandoned his defensive duties leaving the excellent Hadergjonaj exposed, was sacrificed for the return of Jaden Brown with Flo moving up but it was perhaps a mistake to throw him in to the prevailing situation and Lolley rather tormented him.

Grabara’s blatant time wasting was inevitably punished and the home side teetered on the edge for much of the last 15 minutes but they came through the period despite Forest’s return to playing football instead of frantically trying to exact revenge.

While the left side of the defence crumbled, Schindler and Stankovic were superb, as they had been throughout, while man of the match Hogg and Chalobah offered supporting resilience to claim 3 hugely welcome points.

It could be said that Forest’s superiority in the closing quarter of an hour deserved a point but this rather ignores their abysmal and persistent fouling; defeat may teach them a few lessons.

A scintillating game with incident galore ended in Town’s favour and with 7 points from 3 games in trying circumstances for the Cowleys, the resurrection is truly underway.

A chilly wind, a cavernous stadium with swathes of empty seats and 2 struggling teams playing their 3rd game in 7 days signalled another largely tedious affair lit up by a very special goal, but with Town’s continuing injury problems, adding a point to the tally to the 3 picked up at Charlton represented a good week for the club.

But for a single aberration and Wigan’s sometimes pretty but overwhelmingly ineffective attacking, the game would have been won by a Grant strike every bit as remarkable as the goals often seen flowing from the boot of Mo Salah.

A promising opening ten minutes saw Town on the front foot and playing with some assurance but this faded quickly and the home side eventually established territorial superiority without ever looking particularly dangerous. 

Ex-Town junior Windass caused some mild difficulties with his movement and there were a couple of situations not fully exploited by the hosts but a half which held little of interest to a shivering audience appeared to be fizzling out in well deserved stalemate was presented with its single talking point by Town keeper Grabara.

Up to this point, Wigan’s press against Town’s attempts to play out from the back had been swatted aside, though the easy escapes never lead to attacking threat. Stankovic, in particular, had strolled through the half and as he nonchalantly rolled the ball back to his colleague in the sticks with no path forward he must have thought that the eminently simple task he had passed on would be executed.

Grabara, untroubled up to this point, made the rather odd decision to try to hit a first time pass to Hogg which would have been reckless enough in normal circumstances (the attempt to play out had broken down; get rid) but with 2 opposition players in close attendance it became suicidal. 

The on loan youngster was to save Town going further behind just after half time when a Simpson back pass fell short, but his error allowed Windass to score what must have been a satisfying goal against the club who had released him.

From a position of relative comfort, Town were behind and heading to a dressing room where plans to build on the achievement of thoroughly containing rather toothless opposition had to be torn up and replaced.

It was a game which had not merited a goal and the visitors had fully contributed to the drab spectacle having one, weak, shot on target, which was one more than Wigan until the 43rd minute gift.

Town had welcomed back Simpson who, a couple of aberrations apart, including the near fatal back pass which would have consigned Town to defeat, offered welcome experience and stability at right back and Chalobah who was largely ineffective on his return from suspension.

Bacuna occasionally sprang to life and was Town’s brightest hope in a first half possessing little. It was he who had fed Grant for the visitors’ highlight (the shot on target) and his extrications when surrounded by opposing players offered a little cheer to the frozen souls behind the goal. Little else warmed the cockles.

Once the early scare perpetrated by Simpson and relieved by Grabara had passed, the second half was a little better for Town without ever hitting any real heights.

On the hour, the hard working but largely ineffective Koroma was replaced by Mounié with Grant moving left. It was a substitution which would rescue a point. For all his faults, Mounié is a bigger presence leading the line and Grant’s principal and priceless quality is enhanced as a second striker coming in from the left. 

The change made Town more progressive and the balance of power in the game shifted perceptibly.

On the front foot at last, the equaliser was just ten minutes away and when it came it was worth enduring much of the rest of the 90 minutes. Hogg advanced through the middle as Wigan back pedalled and found Grant on the left. With Hadergjonaj (who had another good outing) making a run down his side, Town’s leading scorer switched the ball to his right foot, created the tiniest bit of space and whipped an unstoppable shot in to the top corner. 

It was an instinctive and thrilling strike worthy of gracing the best of games; that it lit up such a mundane encounter does not diminish it in any way.

The visitors now looked the more likely winners and it was impossible not to feel sympathy for Mounié whose goal bound header from a Grant corner was cleared off the line. It seems unlikely he will ever score for Town again with a departure in January surely on the cards.

A loud penalty shout for handball was ignored rather too readily by the referee when it looked pretty clear cut but Town also had Stankovic to thank for nicking the ball away from Windass’ path at the death which could have turned a useful point in to none.

A forgettable game will be remembered for Grant’s genius equaliser but as Town yearn for the return of the injured and the possibility of new recruits and unlamented departures in January, picking up away points is keeping their heads just above the relegation places with the hope that they can stretch away as the Cowleys build their own vision.

There is something deeply satisfying when, after suffering a full 90 minutes of turgid ineptitude by two teams who, if any justice was in this world, would be sharing zero points, your team fashions an entirely unlikely winner at the merciful death.

In mitigation, both clubs are suffering injury crises; of epic proportions in Charlton’s case, and one which is a crippling burden on top of their own self inflicted problems for Town.

Add in some terrible weather in south east London and the prospects for anything approaching a spectacle were vanishingly low. Even those expectations weren’t reached.

Where a semblance of cohesion emerged it came from Town, with Hogg and Bacuna encouraging periods of competent yet impotent possession. 

Charlton were, frankly, almost entirely devoid of intent or ideas other than during a brief period following the entry of Kyle Taylor to proceedings which lifted the home side as they welcomed back a key player; on this showing, at least another 8 will be needed if their season, which started very brightly with a full contingent, is not to collapse before they can rid themselves of their despised owner.

In a first half largely devoid of incident, entirely lacking in quality and actually quite irritating, Town could at least feel pleased with the performances of Edmonds-Green, a late replacement for illness stricken Duhaney, and Koroma who offered sporadic threat and hard working cover.

A Mounié effort easily dealt with by Charlton’s keeper which followed a good move started by some typical Hogg tenacity in the middle briefly raised levels of interest, but attacking flair was rare to say the least. Town weren’t helped by a subdued performance by Grant who’s every touch was greeted with boos by the sparse Valley crowd, though he did force a decent save in the second half.

After the break, the visitors were comfortably the better side in a contest which elevated itself marginally above dreadful. Koroma had an effort pushed around the post as Town looked to capitalise on a very shaky home defence which found it difficult to clear their lines for most of the second half.

At the three quarter mark, the cumbersome presence of Mounié, who simply doesn’t look like fitting in to the Cowleys’ plan, was withdrawn and replaced by Daly and a forgettable evening appeared to be fizzling out to an unsatisfying goalless draw neither side would look back upon with any affection.

With injury time commenced, most thoughts had already turned to transport home and grudging acceptance of an away point earned in difficult circumstances; Addicks supporters could comfort themselves with thoughts of new ownership and brighter days.

All reckoned without one final aberration by the Charlton defence. A poor clearance fell to Hadergjonaj, who performed impressively, and his cutback to Matt Daly was perfect for the youngster to bury a winner which was as welcome as it was unlikely.

The massive positive was collecting 3 points in circumstances which are far from ideal and in advance of hoped for solutions in the New Year. While the achievement was tempered by the nature of the opposition with all of their difficulties, it remains gratifying that points can be accrued when a slump would seem more likely.

In and amongst the gloom which was entirely alleviated by a hugely satisfying late winner, certain individuals stood out; not least the elegant Stankovic whose timely interceptions and calm distribution marked a further step towards becoming the player Wagner always insisted he could become. Hogg and Bacuna held things together in the middle and always kept Town ahead of the admittedly poor game while Hadergjonaj may even be enjoying something of a renaissance. Simpson’s late appearance also augurs well.

Not a night to celebrate a great performance but the 3 points were most welcome to bring a winless run to an end and instil some confidence before another clash of strugglers on Saturday.

Lacking the injured, the suspended and the indolent, Town’s task against one of the best 3 sides in the division looked entirely forlorn before kick off with just 9 of the starting eleven reasonably considered to be first team squad members and a bench resembling the front row of a school photo.

The visitors were also disrupted by injury with their driving force, Phillips, unavailable and the late withdrawal of Cooper foiling Bielsa’s original plan to play White in central midfield but their problems were comparatively mundane and eminently manageable as battle hardened Championship players came in to a team brimming with confidence and proven quality.

Having revived the club following a disastrous start to the season with a string of results which dragged the Terriers above the drop zone, a combination of unfortunate circumstances and the reemergence of the toxicity which seems to be the only legacy of 2 top flight seasons has brought a halt to the encouraging momentum the Cowleys developed.

Against this background, the disappointment of a derby defeat was massively tempered by a performance of no little credibility against opponents who seem unlikely to make the same mistakes as last season, though the hope is always there.

A typically feisty first half was hugely encouraging for the home side whose tenacity and aggression largely thwarted Leeds’ flow and the territorial advantage achieved was testament to the Cowleys’ ability to meet big challenges in very difficult circumstances. They know what they want and need to reinvigorate a club with deeply embedded and barely concealed problems which will continue to fester until they are in a position to make the changes in January and the summer.

There will come a time when the opposition worries about us rather than having to adopt containment strategies as the first and only option.

With an unfamiliar starting eleven against an established and confident side, Town rarely allowed Leeds to emphasise their technical superiority and disrupted their normal flow and comfort in possession with an energy and commitment entirely absent in a dreadful, yet revealing, first half at Ashton Gate.

Lead by Hogg, who was actually as culpable as many in that Bristol debacle, the hosts harried Leeds in to errors and disabused them of the perfectly understandable notion that they were in for an easy afternoon. 

However, the first opportunity fell to the visitors and a clever corner by Hernandez found an unmarked Klich whose first time effort struck the outside of the post. There were other openings for them in the area which were wasted by rushed shots but the alarms were generally low key.

Establishing superiority in the middle of the park turned the contest more in the home side’s favour as the half progressed with a Bacuna and Hogg dominating the weakest area of their White Rose rivals.

Mounié, making a rare start in an attempt by the Cowleys to play longer and over the passing ability of the opposition had a good first half slightly tainted by too many examples of his weakness on the ground and he met an excellent Bacuna free kick only to be thwarted by alleged racist Casilla who tipped over.

A brave challenge with Casilla from a long clearance by Grabara saw Mounié’s challenge only partially cleared to Grant who was only foiled by an excellent header preventing the ball reaching the top corner. 
Mounié also met a Grant corner (simultaneously with the back of a colleague’s head) which didn’t really trouble the keeper but illustrated a little improvement in the quality of corners which have thus far been woeful.

If Leeds’ counters were rare in number, they did seem to carry more incisive threat than Town’s less sophisticated approach and in Hernandez, our neighbours possess that extra quality and guile which makes all the difference in a league with few stand out teams. Even though the Spaniard was largely contained, he still managed to pull a few strings and one first time ball to Klich in the first half who was first thwarted by Grabara and then an offside flag highlighted how he only needed to escape the shackles once to orchestrate threat.

For Town, Bacuna continues to show great promise on the ball and one shimmering run caused panic in the Leeds’ defence though their resilience swamped the attempt. Unfortunately, at the other end, the Dutchman’s over abundance of confidence can lead to trouble and he jeopardised Town’s promising first half when an attempt to wriggle out of a bad position ended with a chance, blazed over by the rather disappointing Costa.

For all the positives of a good first half, which could easily be upgraded to excellent given the debilitating circumstances, containing the natural ability of this annoyingly well coached Leeds team (by a remarkably admirable manager who has broken the mould of a string of laughable idiots usually employed at Elland Road) for a full 90 minutes was always a massive ask for a cobbled together team with a bench which Danny Cowley was unlikely to describe as sexy again.

Minutes in to the second half, Town’s plans were upended by a goal of undeniable quality. Mounié cleared a relatively poor Hernandez corner at the near post only for Alioski to volley home first time with an unstoppable strike.

The dynamic of the game changed at that moment. Town had to push further forward and with more risk of play being opened up to try to earn an equaliser against a stingy defence with a goals against record which should secure automatic promotion at the second time of asking if they can avoid Bielsa’s unusual curse of blowing up at the business end of the season.

For a good 15 minutes, Leeds dominated possession and but for good saves by Grabara, slightly off radar passing in the final third and some desperate defending they could have put the game well out of reach before the hour mark.

Then came Town’s big chance. Komora, who played well down the left before giving way towards the end, floated an excellent cross on to the head of Kachunga in the six yard box only for Casilla – who will be a big miss for Leeds if found guilty of the alleged offence – to make a remarkable save at close range to, yet again, leave the hard working Town man to rue his failure to convert.

With just over 10 minutes to go, Leeds sealed the points they deserved with a much improved second half performance built on that early strike as they stretched Town once again with a swift break down the left. This time, the ball in by Harrison was undefendable and Hernandez arrived at the back post to finish.

To their credit, Town made the final stages competitive despite facing pretty inevitable defeat and Grant should have reduced the arrears from yet another promisingly good set piece, heading wide when he should’ve hit the target. A through ball to Mounié could also have delivered a deserved consolation but the big man’s monumental goal drought persisted as his stretch made poor contact.

Most home supporters were philosophical about a defeat which didn’t carry the pain normally associated with this fixture; Leeds are clearly miles ahead of a team still carrying out surgery in the aftermath of significant, if self inflicted, problems of the past two years and despite having to field a substantially disrupted and unfamiliar line up, managed to compete for long stretches of a hugely challenging encounter.

Leeds will be pleased to maintain their form despite only sporadically reaching the standards Bielsa has instilled. In fact, the only residual unpalatable traits of a team which used to have a plethora of them were the antics of the hugely annoying Bamford who was, incredibly, spared a booking despite continually offending by an indulgent referee. That he then contributed to yet another Hogg booking with his prone histrionics simply increased the vilification he rightly received.

Alioski’s assault on Schindler shouldn’t be ignored either but, overall, there is a lot to grudgingly admire in our rivals which will hopefully be assuaged by the schadenfreude accompanying a late season collapse. But it won’t happen this time.

In the bigger scheme of things, Town now go on the road to two struggling teams. Charlton’s injury problems resemble our own and Wigan’s form is woeful. The opportunity for revival before the possibility of a transformative January lay directly ahead. 

It would be remiss to excoriate a Huddersfield Town team which capitulated so thoroughly in a first half when all the issues which have infested the club since the summer of 2018 came back with a vengeance, without first acknowledging the excellent performance of Bristol City who comprehensively dismantled an admittedly supine opposition.

Attacking with verve, aggression and precision it was only a question of how many they would rack up against feeble resistance who abandoned the midfield battle, left huge spaces for the Robins to ruthlessly exploit and singularly failed to adhere to any semblance of discipline or unity.

On home soil, the mounting problems of injury to three quarters of the defence can be papered over to an extent as away teams are less inclined to exploit obvious weaknesses. The worry was always the impact on the road and the answer was almost immediately provided.

Starting with Hadergjonaj and releasing Bacuna in to the middle to replace the unfit Pritchard, pairing Kongolo with Schindler so that Stankovic provided the defensive cover vacated by the suspended Chalobah seemed rational in the circumstances but the plan was immediately upended when Campbell was injured fouling a Bristol defender in the first minute. 

This brought Diakhaby on to the pitch and the whole left flank was horribly exposed to Bristol raiding. Danny Cowley’s barely contained post match anger was entirely justified but that exposure was not difficult to predict; Diakhaby cannot provide defensive cover and the problem is compounded a few times over when the full back exposed is desperately inexperienced or, in the case of Kongolo, unsuited.

Reshaping an already depleted, unbalanced team after one minute was bound to be a prelude for difficulties, and they came thick and fast in an opening half which saw 5 goals and chances for more.
Despite the disasters unfolding, and this was true of the whole game after the first quarter, Town were actually reasonably good when they had the ball but largely inept without it.

However, Bacuna and Hogg lost possession and position at least five times in a torrid opening twenty minutes, our old friend Jack Hunt was rampaging down the right and exposing O’Brien and the central defensive partnership of Kongolo and Schindler (who had a very poor afternoon) looked hopelessly vulnerable.

There was an element of good fortune about some of the Bristol goals – a wicked deflection off Brownhill for the first, for example – but when you force the pace as impressively and consistently as the home side did, the breaks are going to go your way.

Orchestrated by the excellent Massengo, City were irresistible going forward and had a second ruled out for offside, for which Grabara should be extremely grateful, though he did make a very good save later in the half as a cricket score threatened.

The inevitable doubling of the lead arrived when Eliasson received the ball from a corner on the edge of the area, skipped round Grant and floated a cross to the far post which Kongolo bundled in to his own net under pressure.

Such was Bristol’s potency, the only surprise was that they had taken so long to punish the bedraggled visitors and their failure to do so could have been costly. Grant missed a very presentable headed chance provided by Hadergjonaj and had an excellent effort on the turn from distance very well saved and despite the omnishambles at the back, there was some flickering hope at times.

That hope burned a little more brightly when an excellent Bacuna through ball found Grant in the area. The leading scorer turned Ashley Williams with some ease before finding the far corner with a slightly deflected shot.

With just ten minutes to go before half time, this was the visitors’ chance to consolidate, apply some pressure on a clearly superior home side disappointed not to be out of sight already and hope for a turn around in the second half.

One minute later, Brownhill and Hunt eased their way past a combination of Diakhaby and Kongolo (O’Brien having been relieved of left back duties after the second goal), Hogg was beaten ridiculously easily as he tried to cover and a deep cross was headed in by Eliasson. Revival over before it started.

4 minutes later, the scorer turned provider with a cross which found an unmarked Williams who headed powerfully past Grabara. Naturally, the goal originated down our left; Hunt and Brownhill combined to embarrass Kongolo and Diakhaby, the latter fouled Hunt, a free kick was cleared for a corner and that lead to the cross which hammered in the final nail of a first half of epic incompetence.

Diakhaby had the well deserved ignominy of becoming a substitute substituted, though saved from being replaced as the game was in progress. His replacement, Koroma, proved significantly more effective though Cowley could possibly have picked someone from the travelling support and achieved the same result.

It wasn’t long, however, before the home side went nap. An attempted through ball deflected off Schindler, who had partially caused the problem in the first place with a poor clearing header and was aided and abetted by a weak challenge by Bacuna in the middle, allowing Weimann to round Grabara and slot home from a quite difficult angle.

To their credit, Town didn’t capitulate further, and added a decent Bacuna goal to slightly assuage their embarrassment but City rarely had to get out of second or third gear for their guaranteed three points.

Drawing the second half cannot be used as a positive, though they continued to be reasonably good in possession and Koroma added some energy down the left totally absent in the first half.

The circumstances surrounding this heavy, potentially debilitating defeat perhaps lessen the worry for the future a little and it should be one which focuses the Cowleys’ minds if they weren’t already made up. Bar Grant, who will surely be the subject of intense scrutiny once the transfer window opens, none of the players can absolve themselves of blame for such an abject defeat; this includes Hogg and Schindler, senior players who contributed to the first half disaster as well as those clearly wanting to leave.

Cowley’s decisions on formation and personnel where obviously profoundly influenced by events both recent and historic but he may reflect that he also got things wrong, particularly the introduction of Diakhaby, though Campbell’s early departure proved to be far too damaging to the shape of the team and whatever game plan was to be implemented. 

After the very real and encouraging progress of the past couple of months, a painful setback isn’t a harbinger of future despair but the potential solutions don’t look particularly numerous as we await a hopefully extensive shake up of the squad in January. 
However, the characters of the new men in the dug out will surely relish the challenge of a local derby against an ascendant Leeds United; hopefully, the players chosen will understand what it means.

Progress continues under the Cowleys despite a further 2 points being dropped against a peculiar Swansea side whose individual talents were apparent in possession but who seemed rather easily subdued by an aggressive approach which trod a somewhat fine line at times.

Town were helped by a paucity of ambition by their Welsh visitors who, while clearly adept at picking up away points – they remain unbeaten on the road as December approaches – defended as deeply as a relegation threatened side might, particularly in the second half, against opponents with glaringly obvious frailties at full back on both flanks. 

O’Brien and Bacuna coped admirably in their adopted roles, but apart from a worrying opening few minutes down Swansea’s left and occasional glimpses of Ayew’s ability on the right, the visitors barely exploited Town’s injury woes.

Perhaps taking an early lead, in fortuitous circumstances, influenced their mindset. 

An aggressive opening by the Terriers was a little lacking in discipline and the Swans were able to enjoy far too much space and freedom to play at times and their crisp passing and movement seemed ominous with the home side looking a little vulnerable.

However, it was against the run of play when the visitors took the lead.

Peterson, Swansea’s left winger, tormented Bacuna early on and a long night appeared in store for the stand in, but the inexperienced full back could not be blamed for both the linesman and referee ignoring pleas for a dead ball which was obvious from wherever you were in the stadium. 

Instead, a corner was conceded moments later which was defended but at the expense of another. A good delivery was won in the air before a Swansea foot touched the ball on ahead of Chalobah’s attempt to clear, leaving Fulton unmarked to convert from a difficult angle.

While Town should have dealt with both corners better than they did, the whole phase of play was predicated on officials missing the ball going out of play. Their performance did not improve from this point.

Rather than press home their advantage, Swansea became too passive, while Town stepped up their pressing to instil some doubt in to the Welshmen and curb their ability to play out from the back.

On the rare occasions that the press was beaten, Town continued to look a little vulnerable but the Swans were unable to muster a further effort on target.

Despite patient and accurate build up play, Town seemed incapable of creating chances of their own with just one cross early on by Bacuna causing the visitors any real discomfort; Grant was agonisingly close to connecting.

Poorly delivered corners came and went, a strong and fair challenge on the Swans’ keeper by Campbell following a slightly under hit back pass increased the temperature of the game and the striker’s next challenge provided further ignition as he clattered in to Van der Hoorn for a booking which perhaps warranted harsher sanction.

The bizarre sight of the linesman from the other side of the pitch running over to inject his own wisdom on events may have cooled any austere thoughts from the mind of the referee (who, like the rest of the stadium, must have wondered why the hell he had waddled over).

Unlike quite a few of his comrades, whose falls, leg clutching and moaning peppered and interrupted the game, Campbell’s victim was genuinely injured by the tackle – he didn’t appear for the second half – and for all the righteous anger towards a poor referee, the leniency shown to Campbell was generous.

If Swansea’s opener was predicated on poor officiating, Town’s leveller had more than an element of good fortune. However, the goal was the culmination of quite intensive pressure and the result of someone, in this case Pritchard, shooting from outside the area.

The diminutive play maker’s rather unconvincing effort took a deflection off Schindler in to the path of Grant who finished with his customary panache.

Pritchard, who seems to be dividing opinion upon his return to the side, had two other efforts on target from range, was involved in most of Town’s good work going forward and has the ability to create uncertainty in defenders and space for others. While not a perfect performance by any means, and he really needs to add goals in to the mix, there are enough signs that the talent shown in this division previously is finally appearing for his current employers.

The equaliser was timely and proved to be the foundation of possibly the best 40 minutes of the season in the second half with Town not only dominating proceedings but on the rare occasion their grip loosened they regained shape very quickly to deny the visitors the opportunity to counter.

Excellent combinations down both flanks kept the Swans pinned in to their own half, but the impressive approach play simply wasn’t matched once the ball arrived at the sharp end. Even Grant, an exquisite and natural finisher, felt the necessity of an additional touch.

The instinctive passing and movement was very encouraging, however.

Creating space against a side employing a defensive block to the extent that it pushed a highly competent opponent back on their heels is no mean feat; it was just a shame that hesitancy in front of goal and a pair of excellent opposing centre halves thwarted the pursuit of 3 points.

Mounié’s appearance from the bench didn’t particularly move the dial and his lack of pace rather detracted from Town’s energy when compared to Campbell’s work rate. He cannot complain about a lack of service; he dithered when presented with a shooting opportunity in full sight of goal and connected badly to a cross which created a difficult chance. Heading hopelessly wide rather summed up his contribution.

With 5 minutes to go, and Town still pressing hard for a winner their performance deserved, Chalobah’s youthful naïveté burst in to the open. 

Despite one or two blips, including an errant cross field ball which nearly set Swansea free from the pressure built against them, this was comfortably his best performance of the season, linking well with others, putting in some good challenges and even having a shot from outside the area which was tipped, possibly unnecessarily, over the bar.

Town were still threatening the visitors’ stolid back four, had largely subdued any threat from them and, while time wasn’t on their side, looked the only possible winners. At this point, Swansea’s Byers made a late challenge on Chalobah which provoked the young man’s ire. Moving towards his opponent, his head jerked forward collapsing Byers to the ground. A red was the only possible outcome even if subsequent replays uncovered a complete over reaction by the (dying) Swan.

With ten minutes remaining, including the copious amount of time added on for the serious injury to Byers’ fringe, it should have been expected that the air would be sucked out of Town’s pursuit of a winner. But it wasn’t.

Coping with relative ease, Town’s depleted contingent continued to take the game to the visitors, though Swansea came closest to a winner with a back post header over which the vast majority of the crowd held their collective breath.

To only get one point for the second half dominance of a strong, confident opponent was disappointing but the positives shone through the late November gloom.

Alongside Schindler, Stankovic was excellent and his performance was not marred by the errors which accompanied his game against Birmingham. Commanding in the air, comfortable receiving and distributing the ball and rapidly forming a good relationship with his captain, the Slovenian has alleviated the worry of the central defensive disruption following Elphick’s sad absence.

In addition to getting to know each other, the central defenders have the extra responsibility of looking out for the juvenile full backs either side of them. So far, in 2 games, they have allowed three attempts on target. Sadly, two of those were goals, but the sheer mathematical probabilities will eventually work in your favour if that standard can be maintained.

Hogg’s early season travails are over. Despite yet another booking, a senseless foul on the halfway line, his energy, positioning and drive was key to a team display which augurs well. A raking, perfectly executed pass in to the path of a marauding O’Brien in the second half was a highlight; particularly as he is not supposed to be able to move the ball beyond 5 yards.

Perhaps the biggest positives as a team were the noticeably high levels of fitness of most of the side which allowed them to regain shape very quickly if possession was lost. This was more the case in the second half than the first but evidence of the real impact made by the Cowleys.

It was unfortunate that some of the intricate passing movements and genuine quality in the second half did not translate in to goals, but it did demonstrate much higher confidence levels both individually and as a team. Hopefully, the reappearance of genuine entertainment and enterprise indicates a much tighter squad with growing faith in each other. Hogg rarely has to shout at anyone these days.

Though spoiled by a routinely incompetent referee, who was no friend to either side, the stadium witnessed another entertaining game along with some genuinely encouraging performances by individuals working within a discernible team structure.

3 difficult tests now follow and there could well be setbacks, but supporters can have faith that the trajectory is upward even if it will still pan out over months, not weeks.

And, of course, we would have lost that one under……

Coping with and adapting to adversity have been qualities decidedly absent from Huddersfield Town’s recent past as ill fortune piled on to the shoulders of the Cowley brothers’ predecessors and pretty much crushed them.

Having built a revival on the foundations of a solid, consistent back four, the management team found themselves faced with three quarters of their defence ruled out with injury, including one for the season, and few obvious options to not only replace their preferred personnel but also to maintain the balance and standards which underpinned the improvement in results and league position.

The announced team seemed to suggest that switching to 3 centre backs may have been the answer they had devised with the 2 obvious full backs – Hadergjonaj and Kongolo – left on the bench, but few of us realised that O’Brien’s burgeoning talent extended to being a dynamic and quite excellent left back.

While the makeshift, and slightly more experienced, right back was not as successful overall, the defensive line largely achieved a good balance and, but for some late sloppiness, would have thwarted a decent Birmingham City side who fully contributed to a quite entertaining game under leaden West Yorkshire skies.

It was the visitors who made the brighter start as Town adapted to the enforced changes with Jutkiewicz predictably a handful but as the game developed, the hosts settled and had slightly the better of a first half with much enterprise but few chances.

A break by Kachunga, capitalising on a poor error in midfield ended with a rising, unthreatening effort and the German-Congolese had the best chance of the half as he met an excellent cross from Pritchard only to see his header well saved and Campbell’s follow up blocked.
Neither side, however, was able to sustain dominance and a hard fought contest swung to and fro.

For their part, Birmingham occasionally found the room for their more creative players, Daniel Crowley in particular, to operate but lacked the cutting edge some of their approach play deserved.

Bacuna was caught out once or twice down the visitors’ left but performed reasonably well in his adopted role for most of the first half while on the other side, O’Brien was outstanding in the face of not inconsiderable threat. 

Despite too many instances of sloppy distribution and occasional struggles against the physicality of Jutkiewicz, Stanković adapted reasonably well as Schindler’s new partner.

With very little playing time or opportunities for what seems to have been forever, the Slovenian’s time has now arrived; he deserves a little patience and will have to improve in possession but he must grab his chance.

The pre match problems surrounding who to play in the back four were alleviated to an extent by the return of Hogg who provided excellent cover in front of them (though this was at the expense of yet another booking). His copybook was blotted by his role in Birmingham’s equaliser later, but his energy and tackling thwarted and interrupted the visitors’ flow for long periods and his experience will be vital in the challenging period up to Christmas.

Trevoh Chalobah’s talent is evident but often tainted by his decision making and this game was no exception. However, his sumptuous ball behind Birmingham’s central defence for Campbell to open the scoring 10 minutes in to the second half was possibly the highlight of his Town career to date.

It was well taken by the veteran striker who calmly neutralised the recovering central defender with a side step before finishing clinically past Trueman.

Birmingham’s brief riposte after the goal was dealt with reasonably comfortably, but the insurance of a second goal always felt necessary if their excellent record in Huddersfield, dating back to the 90s, was to be broken, and it was Kachunga once more who was provided with a perfect chance to bury the Blues.

The busy Pritchard, who fizzed an excellent free kick in the first half which drew a routine but necessary save from Trueman, was the architect of a cross which should have been buried but, instead, a poor connection saw the ball loop in to Trueman’s hands and the missed opportunity seemed portentous.

Shortly after they should have been two down and out of the game, Pep Clotet made a change which would see a point returning to the West Midlands.

Already showing signs of strain at right back, Bacuna simply couldn’t handle Montero and wasn’t helped by the introduction of the defensively naive Diakhaby in front of him. For all Kachunga’s faults, his industry helps his full back and swapping wings left the temporary right back horribly exposed.

Montero’s threat was palpable and unchallenged; Bacuna’s positioning deteriorated and Birmingham’s threat increased to the point that an equaliser seemed inevitable.

Lunging in on the troublesome sub, Bacuna gave away a cheap free kick on the left. Rather than take it himself, Montero took up an unmarked position in front of the six yard box and despite some pointing out of the danger by Hogg and Kachunga, neither felt the need to mark him. An unexpectedly low ball in, given the number of big men in the box, was flicked on by Montero and finished at close range by Roberts.

Birmingham’s ascendancy, rather helped by Town’s substitution strategy, had been rewarded and it is difficult to argue that they didn’t deserve to share the spoils and it would have been worse but for a smart save by Grabara late on.

In keeping with the rest of the game, Town came back in to the contest towards the end but couldn’t find a winner. That opportunity had gone at one up and they were always unlikely to get decisions on two second half penalty appeals even if one challenge on Grant seemed a little reckless.

In the circumstances, a draw against decent opposition, all be it opponents who seem to struggle to convert, with the context of a cobbled together back four cannot be viewed as disappointing; under Siewert and late stage Wagner, the game would have been lost.

If there is a criticism to level at the Cowleys, it would be that their substitutions were ineffective at best and arguably too disruptive; particularly the introduction of a Diakhaby at a time when Bacuna’s frailties in an unfamiliar position were being exposed.

Hopefully, Simpson can return for the visit of Swansea on Tuesday; his experience was sorely missed in the last 20 minutes and it would also increase midfield options if O’Brien remains the solution at left back.
The home record continues to improve after such a long period of relentless vulnerability and there were quite a few positives to take away from the 90 minutes.

Pritchard’s previously buried talent may be ready to re-emerge, responding positively to the injury problems augurs well and there were glimpses of the side we could become with decent recruitment and the continuing improvements the Cowleys are bringing.

Our recovery remains a work in progress, but it is, at least, in progress.

Battered, bruised and beaten, Town never looked like ending their 50 year winless streak at Deepdale as the home side’s power pressing flattened the visitors for over an hour before quelling a late revival.

To cope with Preston’s superior physicality, Town needed the type of resilience on display at Griffin Park a week ago but countering a team who approach a game with surgical ambition is wholly different from one which applies relentless brute force with the occasional splash of skill and precision.

The loss of both Hogg and Brown proved fatal. Chalobah continues to flounder in the face of intensity and Kongolo’s passive presence at left back contributed to both first half concessions; the replacements simply weren’t up to it while the home side’s absentees, which were as potentially damaging, were shrugged off by a squad clearly of greater depth.

Though a home victory rarely looked in doubt – a second Town goal in their only encouraging spell late on may have produced an interesting finish – any semblance of a game plan was undone by a poor decision by a quite dreadful referee before 5 minutes had elapsed. Chalobah’s tackle on the edge of the box was fair and well timed but, it seems, the decision was predicated on Stockley’s dramatics. He gamely played on and was on hand to convert when Gallagher’s excellently struck free kick came back in to the area off the post.

The official was poor throughout with baffling decisions but had Kongolo made anything like a challenge immediately before the erroneous free kick award, Town wouldn’t have had to face a dangerous situation at all.

Town’s struggles persisted throughout a first half and their passivity all over the pitch was meat and drink to an Alex Neil side who were superior in every aspect of the game.

It didn’t help that an over the top tackle disrupted the visitors’ central defence with Elphick helped off the field with a serious injury which warranted more than a yellow card for Ledson.

Preston’s second always seemed likely as Town struggled to contain the Lilywhites’ persistent energy and greater commitment but, again, questions need to be asked of Kongolo who allowed acres of space for Barkhuizen to cross to the back post for Browne to squeeze his shot off Grabara in to the net.

It was the least the Lancastrians’ dominant display deserved and the score at the interval could have been significantly worse for the Terriers had the hosts made more of a seemingly never ending sequence of corners.

Overwhelmed and pretty obviously beaten, Town produced little of note before the interval going forward despite some probing by O’Brien who also had the only effort of the half with a blocked shot in a rare foray.

In contrast, Preston could feel slightly disappointed that their complete control garnered just 2 goals, particularly against a defence which could barely cope down one side and disrupted by Elphick’s injury. Stankovic and Schindler dealt with their aerial threat from the inordinate number of corners quite well but with colleagues’ inability to break out from a suffocating press, they rarely had time to recover from the constant home assaults.

Any hopes that Town could miraculously reverse the flow of a game in which they had been comprehensively battered were quickly extinguished 5 minutes in to the second half. Already visibly rocking under yet more home pressure, Kongolo’s arm got in the way of a cross in the area and a clear cut penalty was conceded. Gallagher’s idiosyncratic penalty taking style was employed and he smashed the ball centrally past Grabara.

At 3-0, Town were buried and a more severe battering was far more predictable than the slightly face saving result which would eventually transpire.

Right up to the 70th minute, the home side were by far more likely to extend their lead but the introduction of Pritchard and, to a lesser extent, Mounié, turned the tide and forced the home side on to the defensive for the first time.

Cowley’s tactical switch may have been a little too late in to the half, but replacing the isolated and frustrated Diakhaby with a central aerial presence in Mounié and sacrificing Simpson at right back for more creativity further forward with Pritchard produced a glimmer of hope for a comeback as the visitors finally got on the front foot.

Bacuna, who had slotted in on the right defensively, ran at Preston from deep and, largely unchallenged, got a shot off just inside the area and his poke took a deflection off a defender and past the previously untroubled Rudd.

Had a Pritchard header from a decent move beaten the defender near the line rather than being cleared, Preston’s resolve may have been tested a little more but, as it was, a reasonably encouraging last 20 minutes was to no avail.

Anything other than a comprehensive home victory would have been a travesty, however, and it should be said that Preston’s promotion aspirations look realistic and, given their budget, admirable. While there can be some misgivings at an approach which emphasises the physical, Neil has assembled a collection of low cost players in to a very effective unit who can overwhelm teams with a high octane energy and to see the last of the famous names taste the dubious pleasures of the Premier League would not be begrudged.

Perhaps the good people of Preston need to back their team a little better though; the large number of empty seats is scant reward or recognition for their achievements.

Town can now use two weeks to patch up the injured (though Elphick’s recovery is likely to take longer) and reflect on the strides they have made since the last international break; to take 3 points from two very tough assignments is at least 1 more than most would have predicted. The repairs to a severely damaged squad continue and setbacks are inevitable; losing to a very strong promotion contender who rarely fail at home was one of the most predictable.

A final visit to Griffin Park, unless the FA cup throws up another meeting, saw Town extend their unlikely, hugely encouraging and faith restoring unbeaten run against a talented, in form Brentford who were squeezed and blunted for long periods.

The visitors’ suffocating tactics did not a great spectacle make but the quality of Grant’s winning strike illuminated a dank West London afternoon and the discipline and tenacity sustained throughout deservedly reaped a three point reward.

Disappointed home supporters will no doubt decry tactics which pushed towards the outer boundaries of gamesmanship at times, but their team looked and played like one rather too believing of the publicity accompanying recent, excellent, performances and the threat they undoubtedly possess rarely troubled a defensive master class from the Terriers.

Over the years at Brentford’s magnificently ramshackle home ground which is always a pleasure to visit despite a less than perfect view from the standing area of the away end, and going right back to Warnock’s days, Town win when they dig in and stifle and lose heavily if they opt for expansion.

Most remember the play off semi final in 1995 which kick started an unlikely long distance and intermittent rivalry but the final game of the 93/94 season which turned in to a ridiculously brutal game despite having no consequences for either team was just as relevant. 1-0 down and in danger of being bullied in to defeat, Warnock threw Jepson in to the mix for the final 20 minutes and carnage ensued. A 2-1 win set the tone for the next season and that dramatic evening and penalty shoot out.

Fortunes have ebbed and flowed ever since and the Griffin Park encounters have always been more interesting than those back in Huddersfield; the move away is very much to be regretted but may give the Bees the lift they need from admired also rans in to contenders. The area around will still have the same terrific pubs and friendly welcome but will never be quite the same.

Unsurprisingly, the home side were on top for the first half hour but fashioned little in the way of chances and solid defending prevented them from creating any at all in the box and a couple of wayward long range efforts were the sum total of attempts on goal.

Pressing from the front slowed the Bees’ progress and swallowed up space as vital seconds were gained to allow a defensive shape to form time and time again so that even on the rare occasion Brentford escaped the shackles, they were faced with a blue wall and a keeper in fine form.

Led by Schindler at the back and Hogg in the middle, Town laid a platform for a counter attacking style which was eventually to overcome the division’s form team.

Towards the end of a pretty dire first half, it was Town who nearly went in front. Good work by the indefatigable O’Brien, who is blossoming in to a major talent, led to a chance for Grant and the leading scorer brought out a very good save by Raya who pushed his sharp shot around the post.

O’Brien also supplied an excellent ball in to the box just before the break which narrowly eluded Campbell and Town had served warning to their hosts that their plan extended beyond stifling containment.

Following a similar pattern to the first, Brentford were on the front foot early in the second half but it was notable that the greatest moment of danger came as Town were temporarily down to 10 men; the prone Brown, who was to be replaced soon after by Hadergjonaj, was ignored firstly by the referee and then by Grabara who kept the ball in play rather than relieve pressure. 

He more than made up for the error, however, with a fantastic save from an inadvertent header under enormous pressure by Elphick, tipping the ball away to safety.

Elphick, it should be said after the pillorying he has had, not least in these columns, was excellent throughout and made several vital interceptions and was never tempted to over play.

Town then inflicted a crushing blow to Brentford, and one they possibly suspected was coming. A long ball from the impressive Simpson was held up well by the hard working Campbell who then laid it off to Grant. The striker now had the space in the box for which he yearns and hit a superb strike past Raya who had no chance this time.

With just under half an hour plus injury time undoubtedly boosted to compensate for some less than subtle time wasting from the visitors, an onslaught was to be expected but never really materialised and, if anything, Town looked more likely to add to their lead on the break and Grant provided a good opportunity for substitute Diakhaby to poke wide and combined excellently with O’Brien in a raid which ended with a wayward Chalobah effort.

There had been lingering doubts about the unbeaten run given the relative quality of opposition and a not unsubstantial quota of good fortune, but this win against a very talented opponent to extend it goes a great deal towards confirming the impression that the corner has truly been turned.

Disciplined, resilient and dangerous when allowed the Cowley brothers’ impact has been nothing short of miraculous; though they would rightly counter that miracles are fairy stories and hard work has transformed what can only be described as a bunch of losers in to an outfit which can compete with anyone in this division.

Farewell to Griffin Park, we’ll miss you.

A scrappy, occasionally feisty and sporadically entertaining derby saw Town escape from the bottom 3 with a victory which should’ve been far more comfortable than it ultimately became.

The visitors were marginally the better side in a first half where their hosts began poorly and on the back foot for much of the first 20 minutes as the hangover from the anaemic midweek performance persisted.

Barnsley’s lively but largely ineffective start pinned Town in to their own half for fully 15 minutes but, lead by a reinvigorated Hogg with a more than welcome return to form, the home team worked their way in to the game without causing too much consternation to the Reds’ defence.

On the half hour, an innocuous looking free kick just inside enemy territory was taken quickly by Simpson who found Grant down the right. Beating his man far too easily from the visitors’ perspective, the striker played an excellent ball across to Schindler who converted with ease.

Barely deserved, Town conspired to almost lose their lead within minutes. Making a complete hash of a free kick on the left and losing possession, the hosts presented Barnsley with their best opportunity of the game as McGeehan, taking advantage of good work by Woodrow, lifted his effort over the bar.

It was a totally needless and brainless error at a time when consolidation of a fortunate, if well executed, lead should have been established.

Rather than lifting the away side, however, it was the Terriers who regrouped more effectively and the rest of the half was navigated in relative comfort. 

In the second half, Town took a stranglehold over the game and, with O’Brien surging forward, became a much clearer threat to the South Yorkshire side who began to wilt under pressure.

It was the flame haired maestro’s determined run which lead to the second goal but it was Grant’s sublime finish which will be rightly remembered. Taking the ball in his stride, Town’s top scorer created a tiny amount of space for himself and curled a superb effort past Collins in an instant. 

5 minutes after doubling their lead, Town should have put the game to bed. It inevitably involved another O’Brien surge, who was put through by the ever impressive Brown, but Kachunga lacked the necessary composure and fired over with an unassailable lead beckoning.

The miss put a spring in the step of Barnsley and all the momentum built by the hosts began to fade.

First, a cheap free kick given away by Bacuna at the edge of the box – he was replaced by Chalobah immediately and before the kick was taken – was well struck by Dougall but flew over the bar.

Defending a 2 goal lead is notoriously precarious, as Barnsley had found at The Hawthorns just days previously, and the growing tension increased alarmingly when Town’s weak defending at a corner which, regrettably, largely featured the man who had spurned the opportunity to finish off the opposition, threw the visitors a lifeline.

Kachunga’s headed clearance of a poor corner at the near post was weak, but not half as weak as his attempt to close down Brown who skipped past both the Congolese and his name sake in Town’s defence before firing home.

Having to see out a game which had already been won for the final 10 minutes was far from ideal for a side with embedded fragility, and while Barnsley’s threat was somewhat superficial, the tension was palpable and not helped by the game being extended by 6 minutes.

Lead by the excellent Schindler, back to his elegant best, the defence held firm and injury time was actually more comfortable than could be expected; a far from flawless performance had garnered 3 more points and an extension of an unbeaten run which seemed unimaginable only a month ago.

As precarious as the run has been, bar the excellent second half against Hull, the instilling of basic standards which occasionally drop but largely persist have made the team competitive again and provides a solid foundation for a future which looks a little brighter.

The return to form of Schindler and now Hogg, coupled with the defensive discipline immeasurably improved by Simpson’s experience and know how on the right and Brown’s youthful calm and adventure on the left is hugely encouraging.

Despite his part in Barnsley’s potential escape from defeat, both up front and at the back, Kachunga’s support of his full back is currently more important than his lack of pace or threat going forward but you suspect that his presence will be threatened once the Cowleys get around to tackling the continuing balance problem in the middle of the park with neither Bacuna, despite his positive attributes, nor Chalobah convincing.

Nevertheless, and not since Peter Jackson’s great escape season have we seen such a turnaround in fortunes. The next two games present the next level of challenge but a successful negotiation of the past 6 games against weaker opposition provides an excellent platform for continued revival.

Town earned a point they barely deserved in a relentlessly dull midweek encounter with fellow strugglers Middlesbrough.

Maintaining an unbeaten run,  now at 5 games but including 3 largely unsatisfying draws against fundamentally mediocre opposition, Town’s supporters are grateful for extremely small mercies and maybe comforted by the sheer normal banality of it all.

For 20 minutes Town tried, unsuccessfully, to take advantage of a nervous looking Boro but alarmingly ran out of steam in a first half of rising drudgery which neither team bothered to enlighten with spontaneity or flair. Before a well executed Diakhaby free kick flew just wide and provided a rare moment of excitement, both sides had headers over the bar with Boro’s being the more dangerous of the two and from which Ayala should really have converted.

Unlike the second half revival at Blackburn, the Terriers managed to perform even more sluggishly in a desperately poor second half as the visitors contrived to miss the two or three decent chances their improvement to slightly above mediocre presented and what should have been an away victory petered out to a numbingly banal scoreless draw.

On a night more noted for Town’s regression to toothless supplication, only the performance of O’Brien provided some light amongst the pervading gloom. Schofield’s clean sheet was also noteworthy but the negatives far outweighed these clutched straws.

Elphick again gave away possession trying to play out from the back and was only saved greater opprobrium by a combination of Schofield and Brown closing down an immensely dangerous situation. His near perfect impression of Mark Hudson’s end of days performances is becoming irritatingly predictable and change can’t be much further away than the January window.

In other news, Hogg continues to berate colleagues for errors in which his own part plays at least 50% of blame. It is an irritating feature of the season so far and rather than displaying the intended look of a will to win, it portrays a senior professional consistently passing the buck.

Some early menacing runs by Diakhaby promised to herald another display of threat and pace but he was effectively subdued early on by a resilient Boro defence whose early displays of nervousness were largely overcome as the realisation dawned that their opposition were barely capable of creating moments of genuine danger.

Given their form, Boro’s support was impressively large but they left the stadium with just as many frustrations as the home support. Their team was the one which looked far more capable of a breakthrough but even when presented with an open goal they were unable to convert. Schofield’s save from a deflection off Hogg was as outstanding as Fletcher’s miss was diabolical.

It was reasonable for the Cowleys to believe that introducing Bacuna to replace the continuing struggles of Chalobah, who simply cannot find the form to display the talent he so obviously possesses, but there was no redemption this time with Boro’s tight control of the game precluding the necessary team cohesion which allows Bacuna to flourish.

The anonymous Grant, starved of anything resembling service, was moved out left to accommodate Campbell when a more obvious substitute was Mounié who may have given Boro’s dominant centre halves a little more to worry about.

However, the slow tempo, lack of inspiration (bar O’Brien’s excellent but fruitless probings) and inability to create threat was so entrenched that affecting change was probably beyond anyone from the bench.

So a deeply unsatisfying evening ended with a point which should be considered a bonus given that Boro’s profligacy cost them a win they largely deserved.

The unbeaten run should be celebrated, of course, given the context of a season and a half of perpetual loss and failure, but – and the Cowleys will know this – it looks fragile and perhaps fortunate. There is undoubtedly a stiffened resolve and enough signs of a brighter future in and amongst but, not unsurprisingly, a long, long way to go to banish demons deeply entrenched.

So, Barnsley next. The sight of 2 home fixtures against fellow strugglers raised expectations against the backdrop of improved results but last night and our Yorkshire neighbours’ performance at the Hawthorns on Tuesday have surely brought us all back to earth.

The Cowley brothers will have learned a great deal from an Ewood Park encounter which failed to convince that the neuroses which hang over this squad have been banished by recent good results despite earning a good point against a similarly enigmatic Rovers side.

Cruising for 20 minutes and easily containing hosts who looked toothless and disjointed while unleashing Diakhaby’s pace and trickery on a regular basis, Town carried an air of confidence which felt defining.

A debatable penalty on 11 minutes created by some quick, skilful Diakhaby feet presented the perfect platform to build upon the pre international break form and Grant’s clinical execution gave the visitors a lead which their early dominance deserved.

At this point, Rovers appeared fragile and were unable to muster the passing movements which appeared later in the half and a second goal in the period of dominance would surely have buried them. Promising positions, however, did not translate in to opportunities and disaster was just around the corner.

Not for the first time in his short career with the Terriers, an Elphick error handed the home team an initiative they had rarely looked capable of creating for themselves. Taking the ball from Grabara at a goal kick, the veteran defender completely misread the strength of Rovers’ press and tried a suicidal cross penalty area ball to the distant Schindler which was predictably intercepted and fed to Dack who had the simple task of squaring to Holtby to equalise.

The error was bad enough but, if anything, the response was worse.

Blackburn’s confidence soared, Town dropped further and further back and abandoned all of the things which had given them ascendancy in the first place. 

The home side, visibly invigorated, began to move the ball with purpose and accuracy and with better final balls, should have buried the Terriers in an overwhelmingly dominant 25 minutes when a lot of the old frailties came roaring back like a secondary infection.

Inevitably, Town cracked by failing to deal with a stationary ball on the edge of the box and the talented Dack took full advantage with a beautiful strike in to the bottom corner just after the half hour.

By this point, the visitors’ midfield had ceased functioning. Hogg, as he has done for much of the season, plays as if pining for the more talented colleagues he is used to while Chalobah continues to struggle. Finding a balance in the middle of the park has to be the Cowley brothers’ most pressing priority.

Fortunately, the alarming performance dip, inspired by Elphick, wasn’t fully capitalised upon by Blackburn but as all the old failings flooded back, the delicate psyche of a battered club was exposed.

The second half continued in similar vein. Town looked more resilient – it was difficult for them to look more fragile – but, even so, it was the home side constructing the moves and dictating play. Dack narrowly failed to connect with a wayward Armstrong effort; a third goal at that point would have surely spelled the end.

Perhaps a little belatedly, the struggling Chalobah was replaced by Bacuna who provided an instant injection of forward momentum and had a decent effort just past the post which seemed to stir the visitors.

A further blocked effort was quickly followed by an equaliser. The otherwise poor Kachunga assisted a clumsy looking one two with Bacuna who created crucial space before firing in the leveller.

It was the home side’s turn to deflate following a setback and for 15 minutes, the visitors took control with some bursting runs by O’Brien and Bacuna creating problems for the home defence. Several corners suggested that the Cowleys’ famed set piece innovations were being introduced to the squad even if the execution was poor.

Bacuna had the best chance to heap misery on a home side who were visibly wilting under pressure, but his effort took a deflection over the bar.

Town’s newly found dominance, however, left them open to counter attack and perhaps two cynical and punished fouls by Hogg and Kachunga to prevent danger persuaded the visitors that a point was a good return from a curate’s egg performance.

For their part, Rovers brought on Sam Gallagher for Holtby in a move which rather abandoned their attractive approach play in favour of the aerial route.

Despite enjoying most of the pressure for the last 10 minutes, the ploy played in to Town’s hands as both Schindler and Elphick were more comfortable with the ball in the air and, to their credit, Town dealt with the late assault pretty well.

Town replaced Grant with Frazier Campbell who proceeded to put in a performance reminiscent of Alan Lee; he charged around committing foul after foul despite an early booking and dangerously skirted the margins of the referee’s patience.

Campbell’s uncharacteristically rage fuelled cameo was almost over shadowed by the surprise appearance of Hadergjonaj who replaced the faded Diakhaby. 

The Kosovan, who is surely on his way in the January window, managed to avoid putting in a single tackle and in one bizarre sequence was fooled by the same dummy three times and taken out of the play. It was like watching Charlie Brown refusing to believe that Lucy would snatch away the football before he kicked it, for the umpteenth time in a row.

While the home side finished the stronger, Town’s failure to turn their 15 minutes of second half dominance in to a win made this somewhat inevitable.

Both sides demonstrated why they are destined for mid table; periods of decent play replaced by anxiety and deflation with dashes of resilience thrown in should elevate both above danger but there was nothing to suggest either can catapult in to any sort of contention.

The Cowleys still have a lot of work to do, as they readily acknowledge, not least on the players’ mentality and finding answers to the midfield’s propensity for dysfunction but momentum was maintained, just.

1,393 days since the last win on a Saturday with a traditional kick off time, and just 4 days after a first win in over 20 months (statistics are not a feature of these reports and may need fact checking), a performance of discipline, identifiable strategy and, ultimately, emancipated flair gave Town a thoroughly deserved 3 points and the bruised and battered support some genuine hope.

The improvements under the Cowley brothers have been evident, if unsurprisingly imperfect, reflecting their philosophy of tackling problems individually and steadily building towards a preferred style. The difficulties they faced inheriting a deeply flawed and damaged squad were entrenched and labyrinthine; a veritable mockery of the concept of football being a simple game.

Months of demoralising defeats plunged players in to collective and individual crises of confidence and the club in to seemingly irreversible decline, and for the inchoate reign of this management team to have already transformed fortunes is quite remarkable.

An ugly win in a cold, wet Tuesday night in Stoke was just perfect for these two. If the performance didn’t thrill, the cliche most emphatically did.

It is no coincidence that the full back positions have held the key to an upturn in fortunes. Simpson brings a seasoned pro’s nous to the right side in place of Flo’s chaotic mixture of inappropriate positioning, weak tackling and ineffective attacking while Brown’s youthful athleticism is far better suited to the left than a central defender being shoe horned in the position on the strength of his obvious footballing talent.

No longer distracted by the fallibilities either side of them, Schindler and Elphick can now concentrate on their traditional duties and begin to look like the partnership they can be.

One goal conceded in 3 games, and that one a goalkeeping howler which had nothing to do with the defenders, provides a base for the rest of the team and in the second half of a game against a competent if not particularly convincing Hull City, the confidence emanating from solidity at the back seemed to finally inspire the team as an attacking force.

Town’s midfield remains imperfect (and, presumably, the next focus for improvement) with a rotating cast of characters, but the effervescent O’Brien is now being trusted for a full 90 minutes and will surely be the fulcrum around whom the engine room will be constructed. Finding the right balance remains unresolved, but a stronger back 4 requires less protection while playing higher will release the potential of front players whose instincts have been blunted for far too long.

The victory was built on a solid, rather unspectacular first half where Hull’s threat down the flanks was largely, if not totally, subdued. Those full back positions again.

In a half of few chances, the better ones fell to the visitors and just before half time, Grabara foiled Eaves with a good save at his near post as the big Tiger was found with a decent lobbed pass to unleash a fierce volley at the young Pole.

Grabara was called upon for more routine saves a couple of times and saw a well struck free kick fly just over the bar but, overall, Town were defensively solid and only lost their way a little in the aftermath of a head injury to Schindler which left the German groggy for a while.

At the other end, Town’s slick passing freed Grant for an effort from outside the box which took a deflection causing slight discomfort for Long who, nevertheless, made a routine save to concede a corner.

An intelligent ball inside by Simpson to O’Brien when a pass down the line seemed more obvious, allowed the flame haired midfielder the opportunity to advance in to space and feed a marauding Brown on the left but the youngster’s effort was straight at the keeper. 

Mildly entertaining to the break, neither side had done enough to warrant a lead, but for the hosts, mere competence has been a standard seemingly out of reach for months on end and with the buds of renaissance beginning to sprout over the past week, a base had been established.

The second half was following a similar pattern of deadlock. The visitors started better and had two early shots blocked during a rare period of dominance, but the home team responded well and gradually imposed themselves.

The turning point was the introduction of Bacuna for the hard working if unprogressive Hogg. Within a minute, the frustratingly talented but inconsistent Dutch youngster created the first goal by attempting a one two with Grant which resulted in Town’s leading scorer miscontrolling but then turning the looped up touch in to an excellent strike on the turn which beat Long comprehensively. It was an instinctive finish which seemed to release all of the tension on and off the pitch.

5 minutes later, Bacuna added to his excellent midweek goal at Stoke by sweeping home a cross from Diakhaby who had also had a hand in the first goal. The raw, unfairly maligned Frenchman picked out his team mate with the same precision he had displayed on Tuesday night and the combination effectively put paid to any ambitions of recovery by the East coast outfit.

Bacuna was not done yet and he threaded an excellent ball through to man of the match O’Brien who found Kachunga at the far post to force home the third. Whatever one thinks of Kachunga’s value to the side or his performances, he rarely lacks effort and his emotional reaction to the goal betrayed his sense of responsibility for a quite awful miss at Stoke. It was very touching.

At the death, Brown made a block on the talented Bowen when he looked like ruining Town’s clean sheet. It was an example of the enormous strides the brothers have made in restoring spirit amongst the squad and just as telling as the 3 excellent goals converted.

For the final 20 minutes, Town looked a top half team and the escape from the bottom 3 in time for a potentially transformative international break which the Cowleys can use to impart more improvement should have a huge psychological boost.

While only a fool would describe any Championship game as anything other than a difficult challenge, the post break fixtures present good opportunities against fellow strugglers which could provide a momentum not seen since Wagner’s days.

Reconnecting to a support which has never deserted an imploding club has been a stated objective of the new men and, yesterday, they made huge strides towards achieving it as smiles returned to faces.

Happy international break everybody.

As far as it is sensible to try to deconstruct a chant sung by supporters and ascribe deeper meaning to a small reworking of Paul Heaton’s easy on the ear tune, Luton Town away became an anthem with levels of sub conscious and conscious meaning from which the marketing department of Huddersfield Town should have stayed well away.

It is important to emphasise that it was never a disparagement of the Hatters. Their club’s name, first and foremost, easily scanned. They are, like us, unglamorous to the point of parody and have taken relatable, and actually more serious, journeys from pride to desolation; in the Championship it is difficult to find a more suitable contrast to Old Trafford, the Emirates or Anfield (which also scans). 

The point of the song was self deprecation, self awareness and a wry acceptance of a fate expected since the play off promotion and known by the time it emerged.

It was also increasingly sung with bitterness. Not at the inevitable demotion from a league which found us irritating after the condescension had subsided, but the utter failure to transition back to the Championship despite the considerable financial advantages the club now has over their rivals, which should have provided a prudent platform to compete.

1 win in 2019, 4 wins in 57 games and a refusal to win a traditional Saturday game for over 500 days are statistics to boil the piss of the most easy to please of supporters. The patience shown has been extraordinary; the adoption of a fatalistic chant about the prospect of a visit to Kenilworth Road iterated their continued support and acceptance of difficult circumstances but contained a subliminal message that the direction of travel needed to be addressed.

Perhaps inevitably, the long anticipated match ended in yet another defeat and it is now clear that the warning succinctly expressed has not been heeded. Acceptable and necessary prudence looks far closer to parsimony, the transfer of power from Dean Hoyle to Phil Hodgkinson looks contrived and potentially dubious (a much more convincing explanation is imperative) and no one seems capable of reversing a catastrophic decline reminiscent of the 1970s implosion.

On the pitch, the performance was fairly typical of the past 20 months. Unconvincing, lacking resilience and purpose, and ultimately weak. It wasn’t disastrously bad – as ever, we get little periods of play which show promise, but even a referee influenced defeat is still another L to add to the chain.

A forgettable first half was littered with errors, largely free of invention and determinedly mundane. A good run by Diakhaby, who should surely be given time to develop as he shows tantalising glimpses of quality, which ended with Grant poking the ball just wide under pressure was the rare exception to a final third ineptitude which has plagued the club now for as far back as you care to remember. Diakhaby also produced another run which narrowly evaded Campbell who was making his debut as Hudson reverted to two up front though to little effect.

Van La Parra, bizarrely transferred to Red Star Belgrade DURING the game, was a constant thorn in the side of Town’s attacking intent; everything he did either slowed down play, stopped attacks as he was dispossessed cutting inside (which was telegraphed every time) or ended with misplaced attempted passes going dead. His signature lack of heed to overlapping left backs was on full display. Thanks for the memories, Rajiv.

At the back, and from the off, Town seemed intent on inviting the easiest press Luton will come across in a lifetime. Trouble was never far away from some absurdly casual attempts to portray competence and confidence with Hogg’s miscontrol of a simple pass the most egregious and potentially costly; fortunately Grabara, no innocent in the shambles, wasn’t called upon to save.

When common sense finally dawned, Grabara’s kicking was generally straight down the middle and on to the welcoming heads of Luton’s imposing centre halves, who were excellent throughout.

Luton played with markedly more cohesion and unity than the visitors but were nearly as lacking in the final third and rarely troubled Grabara, while Town’s other chance was a rushed header back to his keeper by a Luton defender which needed to be turned away for a corner. Grabara did make one sharp save from Collins, the best effort of the half by either side.

The Terriers began the second half with a little more vigour and found themselves one up within minutes with a goal born more of poor execution than sizzling play. 

A typically lacklustre free kick was headed out to Hogg who found Van La Parra out wide. The Dutchman’s last meaningful contribution to Huddersfield Town was to deliver a cross behind the forwards which Grant somehow managed to get an ankle too which deflected over to Diakhaby who played a one two with Schindler and fired the ball across for Grant to connect via a defender for the lead.

For a time, it looked like a turning point as Town applied pressure to try to get a second and hopes, oh! cursed hope, rose in an away end still willing to back a team which rarely fails to dash them.
Unfortunately, a referee who had barely been noticed in the first half, which is a compliment, strode purposefully to centre stage.

Luton had regained their composure in response to the opener and began to increase pressure on the visitors and were having some joy down their left. A ball was played in rather innocuously towards Schindler. As the captain shaped to clear, Collins nipped in front of his half cocked leg and was knocked over. The collision was entirely accidental but deemed a penalty which was expertly converted by Collins himself.

Less than ten minutes later, Luton took the lead while playing on, as was their absolute right, with Hogg down in the middle having taken an arm or an elbow to the face. Having stopped play earlier in the game for a similar circumstance, the referee neither gave an obvious free kick nor halted proceedings.

Two pretty terrible pieces of refereeing had undone Town who, true to form, were not going to come back from going behind despite some frantic attempts which never culminated in Sluga having to make a save other than thwarting substitute Mounié in a one on one. That chance came as a result of the referee appearing to waive play on after fellow substitute Kachunga was dragged back in the area.

Grant headed a reasonable chance over the bar and Town dominated the latter stages in a performance which, overall, wasn’t too bad in the second half but this is to damn with faint praise.

Another defeat simply piles on the pressure to a new hierarchy already under deep, possibly unfounded, suspicion.

The transfer of power at the end of last season was opaque, puzzling and inadequately explained. The exodus of players, ranging from the unwisely outspoken Billing to the hugely respected Löwe and Smith, was only partially explicable while the recruitment was baffling.

In the next two weeks, Phil Hodgkinson, somehow, has to make an appointment which will restore some faith, answer questions which he has largely created himself by seemingly not following up his Summer statements with action and transform a deeply troubled club with visible and convincing leadership.

Let us never sing Luton Town away ever again.

A third defeat in 8 days, two of them under his now almost certainly temporary tenure as manager, was a little harsh on Mark Hudson who has, at least, instigated some structural changes in a deeply flawed squad which has encouraged better performance for a little longer in games than his unlamented predecessor.

He has not, however, and thus far, been able to banish a losing mentality so entrenched that it is almost impossible to envisage from where salvation will emerge. Mentally and physically frail, with the former being perhaps understandable but the latter unforgivable, the players produced the best 30 minutes of the season from the kick off yet were unable to muster a shot on target and belief began to ebb as the flow was exhausted.

A game which must have been targeted as the one to turn around horrible early season form rather ignored Reading’s solid start to the season, though the Royals looked deceptively limited as the home side ratcheted up considerable pressure under a wilting August sun.

The visitors barely crossed the halfway line in the first 15 minutes and offered little but resilience in a one sided first half. They did, however, muster the only realistic attempt on the frame of the goal which Grabara saved well. The keeper, a positive bright spot amidst the gloom of our relegation hangover had earlier played the team in to trouble with a poor ball out and paid for it with a collision with Kongolo to prevent a disastrous concession in Reading’s first foray in to the final third after 15 minutes.

At the other end, Van La Parra’s trickery caused Reading concern on several occasions which quickly dissipated as the winger’s decision making was invariably poor.

His counterpart Diakhaby showed tantalising glimpses of whatever talent resides within the leggy French kid though rawness too often foils his intentions. 

Another youngster, however, lit up the game in the first half with a powerful performance which provides a glimmer of hope. Trevoh Chalobah couldn’t add to his midweek goal at Cardiff which should have earned an unlikely and undeserved point, but he possesses the power and intensity so absent from Huddersfield Town displays for the past 18 months.

Like the rest, he faded as the crushing despair weighed down in a desperate second half but he may be an asset a new manager can build upon amongst the general wreckage.

Jaden Brown at left back also produced an encouraging performance which was full of calm decision making as he replaced Kongolo who, too belatedly, was drafted in to a central defence finally relieved of Elphick.

Things may have been different had Pritchard made more of a good through ball by Grant but instead of taking on a shot, the diminutive and too often disappointing play maker allowed the ball to bounce up and the opportunity was gone; extinguished by hesitancy.

A Schindler header from a corner went narrowly wide and Chalobah saw a good effort have an identical result but the optimism generated by a much improved showing was severely tempered by the near immutable law that if you don’t convert dominance in to goals you will be bitten, hard, on the arse.

The second half saw a perceptible shift from the beginning with Reading finally showing intent further up the pitch, perhaps sensing the home side’s almost permanent mental fragility.

The first chance, however, fell to the Terriers as Grant latched on to a Reading error. Sprinting forward, the leading goal scorer had Diakhaby free to his right but decided to shoot and bring a good, but not particularly difficult, save from Cabral. It may have been a better decision to release his colleague but had that not worked, a strong possibility, he would have been criticised for not taking the shot (our first on target); damned if you do…..

Up the other end, and almost immediately after Grant’s effort, Reading were nearly rewarded for their more adventurous approach when Grabara had to keep out a rasping effort by Boye after Yiadom had crashed the ball against the bar.

A decent Pritchard effort was tipped over the bar, again routinely, before Diakhaby was found by Grant alone in the area but he couldn’t bring the ball under control quickly enough and his effort was deflected wide by a recovering defender.

By this point, the hosts were wilting and the visitors began to capitalise. Encouraged, Reading manager Jose Gomes brought on the ominously monikered Puscas (joining Pele who was already on) and within minutes, the Royals took the lead.

A simple one two in the middle of the park set Ejaria free and he waltzed through Town’s tiring rearguard and struck an excellent shot past Grabara.

The atmosphere, which had been remarkably buoyant in support of a team which so rarely delivers, subsided immediately; raw belief hasn’t materially impacted results for such a long time and it wasn’t going to change now.

Deflated, unquestionably defeated and staring at yet another failure, Town couldn’t and didn’t recover. Belief, as in all walks of life, simply isn’t enough and the players had nothing left with which to respond.

With 7 minutes left, a corner to Reading was converted rather too easily by Morrison. This was the cue for a mass exodus as supporters left to enjoy the rest of the day’s sunshine and, apparently, little of note occurred in the remainder of the game.

Hudson deserves some sympathy. He made the right changes for his second game in charge, had clearly motivated and organised the team to produce an encouraging, if flawed, first half performance and can hardly be blamed for the lack of confidence which envelops at least half of the team no matter how hard they try to put it right.

Basic fitness levels appear deficient to say the least, exacerbated by the burden of persistent individual and collective failure weighing down on shoulders.

Sacking Siewert was necessary but was never going to solve the deep, systemic problems plaguing a club in steep, possibly irreversible, decline. Hodgkinson now has to make a difficult choice of new manager; the values which brought success to the club have all but crumbled over two disastrous transfer windows and the new direction and shake up which should have happened in January but didn’t, leaves him in a classic zugzwang.

Disciplinarian or innovator? Experienced or hungry? English or foreign? Whomever gets the job deserves our sympathy and patience, but the latter is in very short supply.

It always seemed a little odd just how sanguine Reading fans were after the play off defeat. A little more understandable now, perhaps, but is there any excuse for a club not to capitalise on the huge injection of revenues two seasons in the top league has brung?

The ironic chant about going to Luton is not so funny now, is it?

Jan Siewert’s painfully inept, if somewhat unfortunate, tenure as manager of Huddersfield Town came to a predictable end with a defeat against a Fulham side who finally woke from a first half torpor to dominate a horrible second half for the team and their walking the plank boss.

With the club suffering from seemingly intractable problems which had built inexorably since around January 2018 under Wagner who, despite the miracle of survival which had largely been secured in the first 3 months of the season, was unable to replicate his remarkable achievements in the rarefied air of the Premier League, Jan’s job was as unenviable a task as the trials of Hercules.

Unfortunately, and from his first days to his last, he was unable to move the dial and rarely looked capable of doing so. 

The automatic goodwill and sympathy afforded to a coach taking over control of a vessel battered by the storms of debilitating stretches of defeat, the loss of leadership caused by Dean Hoyle’s traumatic illness and the sheer impossibility of a league where weakness is ruthlessly and incessantly punished was rather wasted by attacking his vulnerable players after defeats and never really connecting with a support which had demonstrated endless patience.

With no bounce, not even of the dead cat variety, there was little for supporters to become excited about. Perhaps unfairly, Siewert’s personality contrasted rather poorly with the man he replaced; when compared with many of his predecessors this would not have been an issue but Wagner, for all his failings towards the end, will cast a long shadow. He needed a signature victory but the only one he got was a fairly streaky three points against an opponent seemingly mesmerised by the words Huddersfield and Town.

Having accepted that there was little the man could do with a team largely incapable of competing in the top league, most were able to muster patience largely based on the belief that the step down would be an opportunity for him to shape his squad, get rid of the alleged bad apples and impose his own style for a difficult but more egalitarian league. 

That patience, however, was not underpinned with a great deal of belief as Siewert hadn’t demonstrated much in the way of innovation and even a successful, if relatively soft, pre season only served to slightly increase expectation that the team could quickly find their feet; not necessarily with a barnstorming march to the top of the early table but with a clear style and decent performances. Neither happened. Glimpses of decent play in isolated spells in the first two league games simply didn’t convince.

A relatively difficult start didn’t help him, but it was his job to overcome the challenges in front of him and he has pretty consistently failed to rise to them. There were some moments of ill fortune, but even a peremptory examination of them reveals individual failings; Elphick’s horrible debut including a ludicrous error, Kachunga’s blazing of an equaliser opportunity over the bar, Quaner ducking under across at QPR. The latter, however, was not just the error of the player – he shouldn’t have been on the pitch and epitomised Jan’s persistently bad substitution decisions.

The circumstances surrounding the home defeat by League 1 Lincoln were also ill starred but in a tough world, they were of the type you have to overcome. He didn’t. Again.

Overall, Siewert had little good fortune throughout his occupancy of the hot seat but neither did he ever give the impression he would create strategies to overcome them. It wasn’t just bad luck and circumstances which caused his downfall, it was his lack of discernible reaction to them.

In his final game, Siewert faced one of the favourites for promotion (serendipity seems to entirely evade the German) and chose a team which entirely ignored Van La Parra’s angry, message sending, cameo against Lincoln and Bacuna’s poor performance in the same game.

Predictable, lacking innovation or bravery even when you know the sack is just 90 minutes away is either remarkable chutzpah or unwisely and doggedly clinging to failed beliefs to the very end.
It didn’t turn out well and an uneventful, dull first half with neither side convincing or forcing either keeper in to meaningful action, though Grabara was the busier of the two, failed to offer much solace. A decent first 15 minutes for the home side faded away and were never to return and created little of note in any case.

Despite what looks like a very strong Championship squad, including the little nark, Arter, Fulham had a first half to forget and both sides produced distinctly average displays, littered with errors. For Town, Bacuna’s woeful start to the season persisted and was about to get immeasurably worse.

There was a significant case to be made for Siewert to replace the Dutch youngster at half time but, indecisively and predictably, he didn’t; a decision he would rue just 5 minutes in to a second half which had already seen Fulham improve considerably with purposeful possession.

A fairly benign attack down the right was transformed in to a dangerous one as Bacuna’s attempted clearance sliced high in to his own penalty area and perfectly placed for Mitrović to head home from close range. Elphick could possibly have done better too but the situation was completely unpredictable and a gift for the Fulham centre forward.

To their credit, and to the general surprise of a home crowd now fully expecting defeat, Town equalised when Hadgerjonaj finally delivered a decent cross which found Grant unmarked. Town’s single bright spot and cause for hope headed powerfully to the keeper’s left whose attempt to claw the ball out was marginally too late and goal line technology showed it crossed the line for Grant’s third goal in 3 games.

This should have signalled an assault on the visitors and the introduction of an attacking alternative to pile on the pressure. It didn’t, of course, and Fulham shrugged off the disappointment and simply picked up where they left off, dominating possession, moving easily and looking very comfortable.

Grabara, who had made several good stops before the equaliser became increasingly busy as Fulham resumed their superiority but had no chance whatsoever when Cavaleiro curled an excellent winner past the Pole after creating space in the area with the help of a dummy run to his left by Bryan.

With that, the final nail for the manager had been driven home and Town never looked like recovering. Van La Parra appeared with 5 minutes to go as Siewert’s Achilles heel was demonstrated for the final time and boos cascaded down the stands at yet another defeat.

Hudson, who, along with Whitehead, should have been given the job to guide Town out of the Premier League, will take charge at Cardiff and maybe until the international break if the club are wise and consider the options very carefully.

Whoever takes over will have the very difficult job of ensuring the great drop of the 1970s is avoided. There is organisable talent in this squad, but the relentless defeats have left an atrophied club spiralling in a descent reminiscent of those exceptionally dark days.

Good luck in the future, Jan, it just wasn’t to be.

It was good to see a well organised, committed and resilient team compete to as high a standard as their talent allows and beyond, securing a well earned victory with purpose and identifiable intent at the stadium last night.

Each and every player seemed to understand their roles and responsibilities, worked hard to counter the threats intermittently faced and played with freedom and movement when the opportunities arose.

That Lincoln we’re not at least two goals to the good by the break was down to debutant Ryan Schofield in goal who made some excellent saves to prevent even more embarrassment than that which finally befell a team which spluttered with uncertainty, hesitancy and lack of direction for most of the evening. One save, in particular, stood out as Schofield turned an excellent effort by the lively Jack Payne round the post. 

In what is now a feature of Huddersfield Town’s games against opposition ranging from the very top of the game to lower league strivers, there were brief flurries of intent and intensity (in this game, the 10 minutes before half time and, with desperation screaming from the effort, the final 15 minutes of the match).

The majority of the encounter, however, was dominated by a clearly well managed Lincoln City side who knew when to move the ball, when to swamp the opposition out of possession and how to keep their shape and discipline throughout. It didn’t take any insight in to tactical theory to recognise teamwork underpinned by motivated individuals taking personal responsibility to achieve a collective goal.

Those in red and white who took the deceptively long journey to Huddersfield could be mightily proud of their team, even if the margin of victory should have been greater – they fluffed a ridiculously easy chance to double a lead secured by a tidy move which unhinged Town’s back four before being sweetly finished at the back post. 

Lincoln were also grateful for a particularly generous interpretation of the hand ball rule towards the end which should have seen Town’s third penalty award in a row but they deserved the break and the home side decidedly did not.

The introduction of Van La Parra, who appeared to bristle with angry intent, turned the tide and the snubbed Dutchman nearly created an equaliser twice. First, he had a good effort well saved, then he put a cross on to the head of fellow substitute Mounié. To little surprise in the disgruntled, seething crowd, he put it over the bar.

The non penalty, the save and the miss spared us all 30 more minutes of misery and Lincoln deservedly progressed in to the next round of a cup which Town seem incapable of taking even remotely seriously. David Wagner earned the right to treat cup competitions with disdain; the current incumbent had a responsibility to lift the spirits of a club in a deep spiral.

Seeking positives from this dismal scenario is difficult and probably futile, but Challobah  looks to have a drive which even the least effective manager since John Haselden will struggle to subdue. That is not to say he won’t.

Another performance lacking in intensity, spontaneity and organisation brings Siewert perilously close to the exit door and the relationship, never great, with supporters is now beyond poisonous. If he lasts up to the Fulham game, it is going to take something exceptional on Friday night to save his skin.

As toxic levels rise inexorably, with both poison chalice holders, manager and chairman, coming under pressure from a frustrated support increasingly questioning of a club seemingly in search of a direction, Town scraped a point in a dire contest thanks to another Grant penalty.

In most circumstances, a draw at Loftus Road, now touchingly renamed The Kian Prince Foundation stadium, would be rightly viewed as creditable given QPR’s standing in the game, but neither the opposition nor the location was relevant.

After a painful second half of last season, for which no blame could attach to the new manager, slightly alleviated by 2 final games of relative competence against less than fully competitive opposition, and a full pre-season to prepare, supporters are still searching for signs of renaissance, some semblance of a new identity and, perhaps above all, evidence of managerial competence.

Siewert deserves a little sympathy as he took over from a man whose consideration of his fast disappearing reputation outweighed his responsibility to a club already suffering  an enforced crisis of leadership and there appeared no solution to the spiral of failure. Having accepted the challenge, however, Jan inherited the responsibility and has been given time to impose himself on the job.

He will know that the support’s patience has been stretched to it’s limits with, it seems, a majority yearning for a discernible upturn in fortunes from the very start of the season. This may or may not be an unfair demand, but it is his reality. Goodwill, which extended in to the pre-season, is now spent.

An opening day defeat against a competent Derby County piled on the pressure for a game which could hardly be considered a knocking bet, but the long awaited improvement in fortune failed to arrive, again, in a messy encounter not helped by strong winds and early downpours.

A pacy run by Diakhaby promised a very early boost for the visitors but ended with a tumble deemed a dive by referee Whitestone who booked the young Frenchman.

Rangers’ dangerous youngster Eze, who had scored a well publicised and fantastic goal against Stoke in the R’s opener, brought an excellent save from Grabara and looked a lively handful for the first 20 minutes before rather fading from prominence as the game wore on.

Bright Samuel forced the impressive Grabara in to another stop as the home side dominated the opening 10 minutes.

Weathering both a figurative and actual storm, Town came in to the game and a great through ball by the debutant O’Brien fed Karlan Grant on goal but an unnecessary first touch allowed Lumley to narrow the angles and block. The attack wasn’t over, however, and the combative O’Brien won the ball back and fed Bacuna who brought a spectacular but routine save from the home custodian.

With both sides enjoying brief flurries of pressure, an entertaining battle seemed likely but soon descended in to a scrap of low quality punctuated by poor tackles, misplaced passing and little shape from either side.

Pritchard had an effort from outside the box which troubled Lumley rather more than it should have, but the half descended in quality as it went on and boiled over following a sequence of events featuring Bacuna. 

First, he was felled from behind rather crudely by Cameron, who should have been booked, and was refused entry back on to the field of play with the ball deep in Rangers’ territory. Stupidly, the young midfielder took out his frustration on Manning with a high, late challenge which had the home fans near the incident howling for a red card. Replays suggest their ire was not simply partisan.

It made for a bad tempered end to a half from which neither side really deserved to take anything.

While far from exhilarating, the visitors had performed competently, bar Bacuna’s stupidity, with O’Brien enjoying a good debut and Elphick restoring his reputation alongside Schindler with a solid display.

Sensibly withdrawing Bacuna who was one poor decision away from dismissal, Siewert switched Pritchard to the middle and brought on Kachunga to play wide.

Within minutes of the restart, it seemed that the manager had been dealt a winning hand for once as the German was released by an excellent flick by Grant behind the home defence (and possibly a tad in front of it). Driving forward, Kachunga was bundled over in the box and neither the linesman nor the referee were in much doubt as the latter pointed to the spot.

Lumley’s antics; complaining to the linesman and, illegally, banging the crossbar as Grant lined up failed to distract Town’s main goal threat and the penalty was despatched nicely.

This was as good as it got for the visitors who failed to register a single shot on target for the rest of the game, and barely threatened at all from the hour mark.

The hosts enjoyed the majority of the possession for long periods yet rarely looked threatening until the closing stages. Town seemed to be on their way to a scratchy and barely deserved 3 points largely through the inadequacies of the opposition who could only point to easily blocked shots as evidence of territorial dominance.

Elphick was again proving solid and stopped one powerful Eze shot with his head when a goal looked certain and despite one or two scrambles, a decent save by Grabara and a shot which just flew over from Samuel, the hosts seemed destined to draw a blank.

At this point, Siewert decided to replace Diakhaby with Quaner; a decision he will surely now rue as the erratic German managed to give away a dangerous free kick, get booked and lose his man at the free kick which brought Rangers a deserved equaliser in a disastrous cameo.

Difficult as it is to guess which Quaner you will get either as a starter or a substitute, you can always be certain that his aerial ability, despite his size, is virtually non existent. To have him mark an opposition central defender on the back post was grossly negligent and as Grant Hall met an admittedly well delivered free kick which Collin had ducked under, the elusive 3 points were lost.

A second half which had started so brightly descended as it went on. Seemingly playing by instinct (and, sadly, not the instincts which bring inspiration), there seemed little in the way of a plan other than to smother the game. Forays forward were rare and mostly snuffed out with ease. Grant nearly drew a foul for a second penalty following a ball from the hard working but limited Kachunga and a lovely move down the left found Diakhaby released in to space but otherwise the home side took control.

As time wore on, Town visibly tired and while the equaliser was down to an individual’s defensive error, the free kick given away by Hogg was avoidable in the first place.

The visitors held on for a point which was barely celebrated by a following deeply sceptical of the performance of the manager. Lincoln and Fulham represent the thinnest of ice for a coach haemorrhaging support from the fans and increasingly in the hands of a Chairman holding his own poisoned chalice.

An interesting week ahead.

Within 25 minutes of the season opener, Town had been dismantled by a Tom Lawrence inspired Derby County and the balloon of optimism inflated by two relatively competent final Premier League performances and a positive pre-season was brutally popped.

Disjointed, sloppy in thought and deed and with little discernible commitment to a plan, the Terriers allowed Lawrence to dictate the whole game and his appreciation of space, timely passing and eagerness to be involved in everything the Rams were attempting contrasted starkly with the home midfield who appeared disinterested out of possession.

Lawrence earned two free kicks with bursts in to space, fired one just wide and one in to the wall, and revelled in the freedom given to him as no home player took responsibility to stem his glaringly obvious threat.

A good run by Diakhaby which ended with him taking an ill advised shot rather than find a better placed colleague and some decent work down the right by Hadergjonaj which invariably saw the Kosovan find the first defender with aimless crossing was the extent of Town’s threat. 

As early as the first minute, Lawrence had a shot which appeared to strike Elphick on the hand, but Town’s new central defender was to hand the Welshman the opening goal with a weird attempt to direct the ball back to Grabara which hit his shoulder, then his head and forced the Liverpool loanee out of his area to try to clear with his head. 

The attempt gained little purchase and fell to Lawrence who still had plenty to do to score the opener with a deft lob. Elphick’s lack of awareness of the danger his fluff had caused meant that he didn’t get back on the line quickly enough where he could have affected a simple clearance. 

Within minutes, Lawrence struck again but in contrast to the freakish if well taken opener, his second was sublime. The initial danger was caused by a rushed Hadergjonaj attempted clearance, executed for no apparent reason, which was picked up by Derby to launch another attack on the fraying home side. Working the ball across the face of the penalty area, Bogle shaped to shoot but found Lawrence in a pocket of space. With quick feet, the game’s stand out player bamboozled a combination of Elphick and Hadergjonaj before hitting a superb finish past Grabara.

Derby fully deserved their lead and despite Town grabbing a life line before the break with an excellently taken Grant penalty – awarded for a foul on Bacuna, whose turn in the box was just about his only meaningful, positive contribution in the first half before going off injured in the second – their superiority should have seen them restore their 2 goal advantage only to be thwarted by a good save by Grabara and, to his credit, a significant block by Elphick and a similarly effective intervention by Kongolo. The last of these also injured Lawrence and rather muted his contribution for the remainder of the game.

With the midfield trio barely functioning during a first half which was both sobering and worrying, Town were fortunate to still be in a game dominated by a team of genuine threat and tight discipline.
A decent Pritchard effort which cleared the bar, an excellent couple of pacy bursts by Diakhaby and the Bacuna turn which brought the penalty were over shadowed by a dysfunctional overall performance directly contrasting with Derby’s shape, purpose and discipline. 

The main threat was Hadergjonaj’s probing down the right, including one excellent turn to set himself free, but the threat disappeared with woeful final balls which hit the first defender with laser like precision. This was not about to improve in a better team performance in the second half.

After the break, Town had their best spell with an intense 15 minutes which brought chances and significantly more cohesion.
A Bacuna effort resulted in a corner which found its way to the back post and an unmarked Schindler. The captain’s shot was saved at close range by Roos to maintain the visitors’ lead.

A wild Pritchard effort following good work by Grant confirmed Town’s temporary dominance which ended with a fantastic half volley by Mooy which fizzed just wide. The Australian’s influence grew after a below par first half as Town established a tighter grip in the middle, perhaps as a result of Lawrence’s diminished threat.

An injury to Bacuna disrupted Town’s rhythm and energy; aside from one woeful attempted pass straight to a black shirt, he had looked better after the break and the game in general became scrappy following his departure.

Rarely emerging from their defensive shell, Derby were content for Town to have the ball, but launched one or two dangerous looking counter attacks including one which resulted in a painful collision between Kongolo and Grabara. On the whole, however, from the hour mark, niggly fouls and over officious refereeing blighted the flow of the game to the home team’s disadvantage.

All would have been forgotten, however, had Kachunga buried a glorious chance with 10 minutes to go. An otherwise rather out of sorts, and out of position, Kongolo swung a good cross in which fell to the second half substitute in space. His shot was snatched and quite horrible, sailing way over the bar.

The chance of rescuing a probably undeserved point vanished with the woeful effort.

Kongolo on the left had seen less of the ball than the over employed Hadergjonaj who covered lots of ground but remained cluelessly inaccurate with his deliveries, including one in to an area entirely bereft of colleagues.

Derby defended very well on the whole but their comfort was built on Town’s ponderous  attacking, predictability and poor decision making in the final third; deficiencies which pre date Siewert but show little sign of improvement.

The big moments were overwhelmingly in the Rams’ favour but they had earned the three points with good organisation, a clearly identifiable plan and a first half hour dominated by Lawrence, supported by good movement around him.

Town have talent in the squad but aside from the 15 minutes after the break, they were unable to develop momentum and were telegraphing virtually every move to a comfortable opponent. That talent, which included a good but frustratingly unproductive performance from Pritchard, must be harnessed by Siewert in to a far more potent unit that was on display last night; Grant’s isolation cannot be allowed to persist and the over use of Hadergjonaj until he learns how to deliver in to the area must cease.

Elphick’s debut to forget – he improved after the break but couldn’t really decline – is unlikely to see him replaced but Siewert should make some brave choices for the next game, including moving Kongolo to centre half.

It is far, far too early to panic – Derby look a good, competent outfit – but the patience afforded to the team and the management last season is unlikely to last long. The next few weeks could be very challenging for Siewert and the games look far from straightforward.

In the run up to this ridiculously mismatched contest, the media applied the epithet “already relegated” to Huddersfield Town. While it made a change from Huddersfield Town nil, it was also a message to Liverpool – drop points here and bottling would be redefined.

Conceding within 15 seconds, with Stankovíc trying to play out from the back as two rather decent footballers breathed down his neck, that notion was instantly buried.

Kieta robbed the over casual Slovenian, received a pass from Salah and beat Lössl with some comfort to record Liverpool’s fastest ever Premier League goal. The visitors had managed to turn kick off in to a golden opportunity for opponents hardly reliant on such a gift.

If there had been even a glimmer of hope for Town, and this is a stretch demanding a lot of imagination, it was to frustrate the Reds and jangle their nerves as they strived to put pressure on the other outstanding team in the division vying for a title both deserve to win.

Ironically, rather than being a prelude to Liverpool asserting their overwhelming quality, Town produced 15 minutes of decent football which almost lead to an immediate shock equaliser as Stankovíc found himself in space and side footed an attempt goal wards which deflected wide off Lovren for a poorly delivered corner.

Mbenza had an effort blocked and also delivered a dangerous cross which Mouníe failed to convert, and the striker nearly connected with another corner as the visitors took the game to their hosts.

As ever, the bright spell faded away quickly but it should be noted that there was more adventure in that brief period than in the whole of the last visit to Anfield.

With a palpable yawn, Liverpool woke up to the fact that they needed to put away this upstart and, lead by the imperious Van Dijk who, striding forward in to a space he created for himself by disdainfully swatting off any attempt to intrude upon his elegance set up Robinson to swing in a perfect cross for Mané to bury.

Any pretence of competition disappeared with the doubling of the lead and the home side set their eyes on the one area where they are well behind City; goal difference. The Terriers had contributed to the discrepancy in their 6-1 capitulation with a scratch Wagner side in the second game of the season, so this was the Merseysiders’ lamb slaughtering catch up opportunity.

As the injury time board was held up showing just 1 minute to be added, Alexander-Arnold played a sumptuous ball through to Salah who expertly lobbed Lössl to salt the visitors’ gaping wounds.

Anfield, a little more atmospheric than last season, applauded off their team who had barely broken sweat for their 3-0 lead and could even afford 15 minutes of complacency  against a team consistently exposed as massively out of their depth. 

Only the dynamic Bacuna – who was taken out 3 times by Kieta without a word to the Guinean from a typically indulgent referee – provided comfort to the visiting supporters though Grant’s fearless if not flawless work out of position on the left promises good things as well.

Liverpool could, and probably should, have closed the goals gap on City to the point of parity in a second half played in an increasingly swirling, cold wind. As it was, Mané planted a fine header past Lössl following an excellent Henderson cross and Salah steered home a low cross from the excellent Robinson after a defence splitting Shaqiri pass had played in the Scotsman on the left and the hosts went nap.

Shaqiri had been brought on as a substitute. Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought on as a substitute on his return from horrific injury at the back end of last season. We brought on Löwe, a left back, to replace alleged striker Mounié.

With Mané hitting the post, Lössl saving well from Oxlade-Chamberlain and the hosts rather over elaborating at times, the score was a little way off humiliation but still humbling.

Town had actually been the first to get the ball in the net in the second half but the excellent Bacuna was deprived by a correct offside call – Sturridge was similarly denied minutes later.

Before those judgements, however, Mounié managed to encapsulate everything which has been wrong with the Terriers all season. After exposing Lovren with a decent attack featuring Grant, a loose clearance allowed the Beninese a clear run on goal with both Grant and Bacuna free to his right. Mounié took so long to weigh up his options you could almost visualise the confused thought bubbles. Mané – a guy who plays up front for the equal best team in the country, vying to be the best in Europe – got back to dispossess him.

There have been many situations which could have been the final straw for the immobile, indecisive non scoring striker – his failure to play in Matt Daly last week, for instance; surely and finally this piece of ineptitude will be it?

For supporters, the yearning for an end to the relentless punishment endures. There is a certain joy in the gallows humour which masks the humiliation of being one of the most inept teams in the top flight (going back way beyond 1992), but neither is there any comfort in looking to the future at a level at which we should be able to compete, there being little evidence – Bacuna and Grant aside – that the decline can be halted.

Two theories about Siewert compete amongst the fans; he is either hidebound by the circumstances in to which he was plunged and worthy of a transfer window to transform our fortunes or an entirely unproven naïf who has shown little discernible aptitude for the job.

Successful succession planning rather assumes a smooth transition in calm circumstances, not parachuting in an inexperienced (in fact, non experienced in terms of first team football) coach to take over from an emotionally drained miracle worker. Town have done themselves nor Siewert any favours at all when Hudson could have guided the club down without the apparent friction created by a man, understandably, trying to make his mark.

A heavy defeat to an elite club and team has to be viewed in context, but as another chapter in an appalling, exhausting season of hopelessness, Town’s incessant failure cannot simply be ignored.

Perhaps the future ownership will be clearer by the end of this week, if rumours are to be believed, which may, finally, lead to some evidence of planning for the rigours of the relentless Championship season ahead. 

The club, which barely deserves the number of season tickets sold, must start communicating messages beyond the banalities emanating from them at the moment (like a picture of the away dressing room before the game last night). Even a little reassurance would be welcome, if not universally believed.

Still, it’s nearly over, thank God.

That a youngster from League One has become Huddersfield Town’s top scorer in just a few short months as he adapts to life at the top level tells you all you need to know about a squad which continues to fail to deliver even scraps of hope to a remarkably supportive fan base.

As has been the case for nearly a season and a half, Town faced opponents with much greater quality, application and coherence playing within themselves for much of the game and finding thwarting the sporadic threat the home team could muster all too easy.

An early goal for the FA Cup finalists – it would be due reward for a great season if the Hornets overcome the City juggernaut – augured badly for the Terriers who, in time honoured style, rather gifted the opportunity to the talented Deulofeu when a ball from Lössl to Hogg put the ex-Watford man in some trouble. 

His attempt to extricate himself saw him robbed and left defenders in big trouble behind him. Kongolo made a great block from Doucouré only for the ball to rebound to Deulofeu. The Spaniard bamboozled the recovering Kongolo and planted the ball in off the post with a marvellous piece of skill.

A pretty dreary first half followed with a Mooy free kick and a decent effort by Mbenza which was too close to Foster to cause much concern briefly enlivening proceedings. The shape and composition of the team was much better than last week’s horrendous mistake and there were one or two encouraging releases of Smith down the right and Durm down the left by the lively Bacuna but gloom largely pervaded.

Hogg, on a booking and near the edge of a red was withdrawn for debutant Daly and the youngster acquitted himself pretty well – had Mounié played him in during a bright period in the second half, he could well have capped his debut with an equaliser.

After the interval, Town were a little brighter and a little more competitive but rarely troubled Foster in the Watford goal as the final third failings which has engulfed all the other efforts throughout the season were exposed once more.

Grant, on whose shoulders next season appear to be weighing, replaced the disappointing and fundamentally immobile Mounié just after the hour. Other than his failure to release Daly in a momentarily dangerous looking counter attack, the Beninese had overhead kicked a loose ball over the bar and failed to connect with a decent Mbenza cross. His overall contribution was marginal, however.

Another feature of many games this season has been the obligatory 10-15 minutes of decent play. It rarely leads to a goal, never changes the course of events and cruelly tantalises supporters who wonder why these brief sparks of competence cannot be sustained and never deliver anyway. 

As hope is crushed on impact with the final third of the pitch, it is only a matter of time for the invariably superior opposition to counter and when Watford broke up Town possession halfway in the home half, alarm bells started ringing. Sema made a strong run past Durm before his dangerous low cross was deflected to Doucouré who brought out a good save from Lössl only for the ball to fall to Deulofeu to place a killer second past despairing home defenders.

A late consolation by Grant, who seems to have significantly more instinct in the box than the rest of Town’s failing strikers put together, put a little gloss on the predictably dispiriting affair – the goal means we have equalled the record low scoring season in the Premier League, held by Derby County. One more and the tiniest scrap of comfort can be drawn.

With ownership uncertainty, doubts over the new manager and one or two players going through the motions before inevitable departure, it remains incredible that the club receives the vocal support heard in the second half – some time soon, they need to see a plan to halt a debilitating decline which seems inevitable as things stand.

On the positive side, Bacuna and Kongolo performed excellently for the whole game, Grant looks like the type of poacher who could thrive in the Championship and Lössl reminded us what a good goalkeeper looks like.

It is anybody’s guess what sort of team Siewert will put out at Anfield but the challenge looks monumentally beyond any combination. 

Town’s latest gig on the tour of forlorn futility rolled up to Tottenham Hotspur’s gleaming new citadel in North London to provide the Lilywhites with some light relief between their Champions League quarter final match up with Manchester City.

Feasting on the doomed Terriers in a ludicrously one sided first half, Spurs dictated the tempo of the game with measured ease. Pochettino had the luxury of resting his major players knowing that he could have picked a team out of a hat to secure 3 points. His counterpart Siewert appears to have actually followed that plan with another failed experiment which managed to add a new level of frailty to his so far entirely uninspiring tenure.

The timorous visitors approached the game with a debilitating level of fear and should have been buried well before a quick double between the 24th and 27th minute gave the score line a semblance of reality. For the first, Stanković was embarrassed by Llorente on the edge of the area before the Spaniard fed Wanyama to waltz through the little resistance there was in front of him. Minutes later, Durm lost the ball on the halfway line allowing a lightning fast counter which ended with Lucas Moura firing under the hapless Hamer.

Revelling in their sumptuous new surroundings, Tottenham strolled their way through a first half without, remarkably, adding to their lead leaving the away support with no choice but to stick around in the unlikely event that the old adage of 2-0 being a dangerous lead came true.

In fairness, Town showed more fight in the second half and had an excellent cross by Hogg been guided in by Mounié on the three quarter mark rather than creeping agonisingly wide, the game may have become interesting. By that point, the home side had contrived to miss a plethora of chances and their profligacy may have come back to haunt them. 

Prior to the miss, Bacuna had released Grant with an excellent ball only for the youngster to run out of steam at the vital moment. These two combined again later to no avail but they represent just about the only hope that the club can be revitalised next season.

For the time being, we look hopelessly out of our depth even against lesser lights than a scratch Spurs team who scored two late goals through Mauro, allowing the Brazilian a first Premier League hat trick. The record books won’t have an asterisk denoting the appalling opposition he faced to achieve the feat.

A raucous celebration of our lamentable team at half time in the concourse provided just about the only entertainment for the visiting support – once it was broken up by stadium staff the beleaguered travellers had to go back out to endure yet another humiliation in a season of desperate, dreary tedium.

Growing and serious question marks now surround Siewert. Not because he has picked up just one, streaky, win since his appointment or because he has been unable to produce miracles with a squad destined for relegation long before he arrived or that he lost to a team on a completely different financial plane, but because there has been no discernible improvement in tactics or performance; pretty much the opposite, in fact.

Our identity was lost before he took over, but the path from dogged, aggressive Terriers to supine poodles has been accelerated rather than reversed. The pride we had in a team battling overwhelming odds has been replaced by the shame of humiliation, disguised with scathing self mockery.

The club is in a dangerous place and the decline is becoming malignant.

Huddersfield Town were predictably dismantled by a Leicester side brimming with talent and confidence and they added a twist of cruelty by not emphasising their massive superiority in the first half with more than a slender 1-0 lead.

A bright start in the second half saw the home team achieve a semblance of threat before Vardy made it 2-0 following the Foxes’ first serious foray.

Reflecting the horrors of a season which has trashed the legacy built by Wagner and Hoyle, home supporters were given a glimmer of hope when the first penalty of the season was converted by Mooy only for the visitors’ overwhelming superiority to be reasserted as Town’s forlorn search for an equaliser was foiled.

Hogg, who picked up a cheap booking pulling back the excellent Maddison, tried to be calm on the edge of the area when a clearance was demanded and fouled Vardy as the ex-England striker nipped in to dispossess him. Maddison curled the free kick past a poorly constructed wall and the worryingly execrated Hamer to seal the points.

Vardy’s late penalty gave the score line a more realistic representation of the yawning gap of quality, organisation and resilience between the mismatched teams. By that point, many had left the stadium for pursuits elsewhere wracked with fear and doubt over the future of their club. 

Financial stability is the consolation but the stench of failure is beginning to hang heavy around a club which still does a hell of a lot right off the pitch – the invite to the girl from Texas inspired by Mooy was typical of that – but for how long will they be able to roll this turd in golden glitter?

Parallels with 1972 and probably the darkest period in Town’s history become stronger and stronger. Experienced, well remunerated players sidelined after making their departures public, disintegration on the pitch as dismal failure permeates and destroys confidence and the ownership, through no fault of his own this time, appearing to be ready to go. Gallows humour is just about the only thing left for a brutalised support.

Jan Siewert’s tenure has not gone well. One win over Wolves, a club seemingly and bizarrely hexed by the Terriers, doesn’t begin to mask his unremitting failure to offer any signs of hope despite some pretty brave decisions which are unmistakably experimental. Brief glimmers of excitement are all too easily buried by the cruel realities of a division far beyond the capabilities of many in the squad and the ease and propensity of collapse during games reflects a potentially engulfing chaos.

The appointment of Siewert is looking increasingly like an attempt to reheat a soufflé. There was undoubted logic in formulating a Wagner succession plan, but that surely presupposed a smooth transition rather than the quite horrible circumstances pertaining in January and since.

Where once the underdog Terrier identity was defining and useful, dropping down to the Championship with riches beyond the imagination as recently as 3 years ago has to mean change. We cannot pretend to be the paupers we once were – while geography and image still mitigates against established, quality players choosing the club, money does talk. That reality must be grasped and turned to advantage rather than ignored as being too vulgar.

Town’s situation surely demands an experienced manager to oversee a well recruited squad through the rigours of the Championship, but the reality is that the Siewert gamble will be played out to its conclusion. There is little evidence that the conclusion will be joyous, but maybe the planets will align as perfectly as they did once Wagner got the squad he wanted?

For many, the drop down barely registers as a disaster, and there are many aspects of the Premier League which won’t be missed – not least the Sisyphean futility of staying up – but this acceptance could easily translate in to a further relegation. It has happened to bigger clubs than us.

The unlamented Rebbe has yet to be replaced at a time which could be being used productively to source the players to make us competitive, which is an added worry to a pile of concerns over the short term future.

Back to the game itself; woeful passing, wasteful free kicks and corners and an all pervading lack of cohesion doomed Town from the start and a 3rd home win never looked like happening. To his credit, the much maligned Hamer kept the first half score down with some decent goalkeeping to deny the ever dangerous Gray but it was only postponing the inevitable.

Improved after the break, Town finally perturbed Leicester’s back four but ……. ah, who cares.

On to Spurs to look around their new home ahead of another thraping. 

Bournemouth couldn’t have hand picked a better away game to reverse their poor 2019 form than at the John Smith’s Stadium and they strolled to a comfortable victory barely breaking sweat.

Absorbing what passes as pressure from the home side it would be easy to describe their performance as rope-a-dope (with the emphasis on dope), but that would imply energy from the home side and determined defending; the former, particularly in a quite dreadful first half, simply wasn’t the case and they didn’t need the latter.

Quicker, more comfortable on the ball and infinitely more coherent as a unit, the visitors should have won the game in a canter but were guilty of failing to convert several highly promising opportunities. Against other opposition, such profligacy may have cost them but once they went ahead the outcome was in little doubt.

Injuries to Hogg and Kongolo stripped the hosts of aggression which others, notably Billing and Zanka, were never likely to replace.

Bacuna, playing a right wing back role to which he looks entirely unsuitable defensively, played with the required intensity but in the wrong position before half time.

Offensively, he at least got in to areas to deliver in to the box – sadly, his efforts were as poor as his colleagues. On the rare occasion that crosses were not cleared by the first defender, they sailed over Mouniè or he was easily eased off his jumping by the excellent Bournemouth centre backs.

As always, some of Town’s build up play was acceptable with Pritchard, Mooy and Durm having some joy down the left, but none of it resulted in a goal scoring opportunity as the Cherries swatted away threat with consummate ease.

On the break, Bournemouth were lively, rapid and dangerous. In stark contrast to their hosts, they looked capable of scoring every time they crossed the halfway line and after 20 minutes they secured the 3 points.

Losing the ball upfield, Town were on the back foot and extremely vulnerable with Bacuna treading water trying to track Fraser as Brooks strode in to the wide open space in front of him. The former Blade had the simple task of playing in the unmarked Fraser who crossed for Wilson to chest in his umpteenth goal against the Terriers.

The goal celebration took up a ludicrous amount of time with Taylor making the point that he was looking at his watch to add on time at the end of the half. With blessed relief for the home crowd, only 2 minutes were actually added.

A single, weak shot from Mouniè and a Mooy free kick which was punched away comfortably by the under employed Boruc was the totality of Town’s threat on Bournemouth’s goal as the collective perturbation once the danger area is approached blighted the Terriers yet again. The quality of crossing was abysmal. Perhaps only Lössl could leave the pitch at half time with his reputation unharmed.

Siewert, presumably rueing some of his selection decisions, smeared some lipstick on the pig at half time by removing the languid Billing, relieving Bacuna of the failed experiment on the right in to central midfield and moving Durm to right back with Löwe coming on to the left.

The small improvement was inevitable rather than uplifting, with round pegs sitting uneasily in round holes and a better shape but the increased threat to the visitors was marginal at best.

A flurry of home pressure briefly excited a crowd subdued by the first half dross and a cold wind, but optimism was hardly surging as our collective memories of the past 15 months introduced grim reality.

20 minutes in to the second half, Bournemouth scored an unnecessary second. Stanković, who had a mixed bag of a game; assured at times but sloppy at others with a bad, potentially red card challenge on Brooks thrown in, failed to tackle King midway in the Town half and the Norwegian played an excellent ball to Wilson who reverse passed to the unmarked Fraser to finish.

The speed, understanding and clinical execution of the goal cruelly illustrated the difference between the two teams. While Bournemouth, all be it somewhat patchily over a season, continue to develop a philosophy, Town are a hollowed out husk of the team which made the unlikely leap to the highest level.

It is, of course, pertinent to point out that the south coast club has had many advantages over Town for several years, not least the ability to sign better quality players with a Russian sugar daddy and better geography, and that Town’s foundations were built on a once in a generation group of players who inevitably slammed hard in to a thick glass ceiling, but the deterioration is still difficult to take.

The introduction of Rowe from the new development regime offered a glimpse of the future, and he looked pacy and unfazed by the occasion even if his first contribution was to try a floated cross to the back post hoping for a teammate to be there. Add optimistic to his list of qualities.

Having accepted the inevitability of relegation quite a long time before anyone at the club (who may or may not have privately shared the view), supporters now turn their attention to next season and how the club can turn things around. The performances of recent weeks under a new manager, Wolves included, offer little evidence that a successful Championship season can be achieved. The team which took the field and performed as it did would struggle badly in the rigorous environment in to which we are about to be plunged.

The exodus of fans well before the final whistle should worry the hierarchy. The one constant of a dreadful season, other than the dearth of goals and points, has been the patience of the support. It has run out.

The season cannot end soon enough.

That didn’t last long, did it?

For the romantics dreaming of a hugely improbable barnstorming end to the season to recover pride from a horrible, possibly very damaging season yet another meek, mediocre performance away from home shook us back to reality.

There were a couple of mitigating factors for the defeat with Hogg going off in the first half with injury and Stanković (who impressed again) succumbing to muscle fatigue, but little excuse for an abysmally uninterested display from Billing who seems to have regressed all the way back to the irresponsible displays of his youth; forgivable then, but not now.

His failure to track Andone’s run on to Knockaert’s cross for Brighton’s winner was typical of a laissez-faire attitude permeating his afternoon which also included a slow motion recovery from what he believed to be a foul challenge and a saunter back while his team came under pressure. He also managed to prevent Town launching a counter attack with numbers in the second half with an exceptionally poor pass.

After a first half of vague promise with decent efforts by Pritchard and Bacuna, Town’s inability to provide decent service to either Mouniè or Grant, whose promising full debut was regrettably not followed up, meant they were unable to take advantage of a fairly dismal home side. Neither team looked like they belonged in the top flight with mistakes littering a contest short on quality, guile or invention.

Brighton’s best moment was an effort by Jahanbakhsh which dipped on to the bar with Lössl rooted and presumably assuming the ball would sail over. His one error of judgement was more than made up for by some smart saves as the keeper continued his good form.

In front of him, Schindler and Kongolo played well behind Stanković with the latter producing last ditch tackles which prevented the home side taking what would have been, at that point, an undeserved lead. Life, it should be said, was made relatively easy for the visitors with most of the home side’s play being attempts to bring an out of form Murray in to the game.

Brighton were a little more lively in the opening exchanges of the second half, but two substitutions turned the course of the game. While the Seagulls were enlivened by the appearance of Andone, returning from suspension, Town had to replace a key individual in Stanković and adopted a new shape.

His replacement, Hadergjonaj, produced an excellent late cross for Mouniè but Ryan made a good save to prevent an immediate equaliser and wasn’t further troubled.

Andone’s movement caused problems from the moment he came on, and he should have done much better when he slipped by Town’s defenders. Lössl made a comfortable save, but the alarm bells were ringing. Not long afterwards, the Dane had to be at his best to keep out a fierce drive from the Romanian.

Town were visibly disintegrating. The possession advantage gained in the first half disappeared, errors multiplied and opportunities for transition spurned. With passing laboured, the visitors’ threat, such as it had been, receded to virtually nothing – Mouniè’s late chance was an outlier to say the least.

Brighton deserved their win for a much brighter second half, aided by Town’s enforced change at the back; they were largely mediocre in a poor spectacle but still had too much for their surely doomed opposition.

This depressing season cannot end soon enough.

Of course, it had to be Wolves. 

Town’s head to head record against all manner and shape of teams from the Black Country, in whatever form they are in, however much they have or haven’t spent and under managers as disparate as McCarthy and Nuno is quite remarkable, stretching back over 20 years.

The current Old Gold iteration is one brimming with talent as evidenced by an excellent first season back in the top flight, yet Siewert’s much changed team nullified their naturally expansive play with a combination of tenacity and discipline so sorely missing at St James’ Park.

Saturday’s performance, even given the early reduction to ten men, clearly rattled the new manager desperate for a first win or point. Eight of the starting eleven found themselves ousted with a couple excluded entirely as, notably, Grant was given a first start, Stanković handed the opportunity to finally show what a good player he can be and, in the most left field change, Duhaney was included from, well, nowhere, really.

Pritchard was drafted in after a long absence out of favour and the team selection appeared very bold, brave and potentially disastrous with Mooy – whose performance at the weekend was way below his high standards – relegated to the bench.

After a promising opening 15 minutes when Town dominated possession and territory but without causing much consternation for the visitors, other than a wickedly deflected Hogg effort which rather fortuitously flew narrowly wide, the first half descended in to something of a bore. Wolves’ superior technical ability eventually stemmed the early enthusiasm but without creating any significant danger for the hosts.

The one area of concern for Town in the first half was the inexperienced Duhaney being rather exposed defensively – his work on the ball was more than competent – and Siewert sensibly replaced him at half time with Bacuna. It was to prove to be an excellent substitution.

If the first half was a rather damp squib, the second came to life immediately with a goal bound Mounié effort deflecting off a defender and wide. From the corner, the hugely impressive Stanković could only head weakly despite little attention from the Wolves defence. Unfortunately, it was also slightly too firmly headed for the equally impressive Grant to apply a finishing touch near the line.

Grant’s willing running up front gave Town a new dimension up front (or, to put it a little more cruelly, an actual dimension) and Siewert’s stated aim of creating more chances, which looked very hollow at Newcastle, is taking shape. The problems are far from resolved, but the youngster’s movement is surely the way forward to improve the pitiful goals output.

Despite being on the front foot from the start, quelling the free flowing style of the Black Country men remained essential and, with some straining and occasional discomfort, the defence coped admirably. 

Central to the effort was Stanković’s cool presence, excellent timing and composed distribution. Kongolo and Schindler produced much improved performances than of late while Bacuna, playing an unfamiliar role, added aggression and pump fisting determination even if there were one or two flaws. In contrast to the youngster he replaced, he was able to recover and rectify his errors.

Bacuna’s influence down the right grew with the half and an excellent diagonal ball evaded Kongolo’s long legs (he had remained forward following a failed set piece) and bounced up invitingly for Mouniè. As has too often happened this season, his finishing instinct deserted him and he hit the side netting when he really should’ve scored.

The only real moment of genuine concern for the home side was when an unmarked Boly headed over from a corner, and it was the only moment where the back line could be criticised. Thankfully, and just for a change, the opponent wasn’t able to capitalise.

From then on, however, Town began to dominate and push forward with the greater conviction. Desperate to produce a win to reward the enduring patience of their disappointed but fundamentally realistic supporters, there was a palpable determination to their challenges on the ground and in the air, a noticeable fitness superiority and willingness to get men forward.

A great tackle by Hogg in midfield set Pritchard in motion. He found the ever willing Grant who, despite being pushed wide, found Hogg’s head at the near post but his instinctive flick went over.

The busy and creative Pritchard came off for Mooy shortly afterwards and Siewert’s second substitution was as effective and influential as his first with the Aussie adding his familiar calm to an intensifying home effort. It wasn’t long before he had a shot, either, fed by Mouniè and just wide.

By this point, the crowd sensed, rather in fervent hope than expectation born of experience, something may be on the cards. An excellent Mouniè strike curled just wide with the keeper beaten. Kachunga, lively as the third substitute, created the opportunity.

It was Mooy who finally opened up Wolves, capitalising on tired legs by bursting down the right and firing over a cross which reached Grant whose effort deflected off a defender, past the keeper and towards the prone Mouniè who poked in the winner.

The release of tension on the pitch, on the touchline and in the stands was as if the Terriers had won a trophy rather than their first 3 points since November, but who could blame us?

In stark contrast to Saturday’s dismal efforts, the second half performance in particular was brimming with spirit, energy and determination; which is all the fair minded, realistic supporter asks of the team.

Siewert’s bold decision making before and during the game delivered and, hopefully, both he and the players can gain much needed confidence to finish the season with a flourish to provide a springboard for the Championship campaign to come.

While Jon Gorenc Stanković will rightly take the plaudits for his flawless performance, Grant’s constant hard work caught the eye – he provided essential motion, something we have desperately needed all season. Bacuna’s promise was again on show.

A rare moment of joy in a quite horrible season was reward for a phlegmatic, largely good humoured and remarkably understanding support – a few more encouraging displays and results to create some momentum could prove crucial for the next campaign, even if dreams of a miracle escape are pure fantasy.

Newcastle United strolled to a victory over 10 man Town to put daylight between themselves and the increasingly adrift Fulham, setting up a scrap for the final relegation spot they look likely to avoid.

With injuries to Mbenza and Diakhaby stripping Siewert’s squad of pace, his selection was, nevertheless, curious to say the least. Seeing Kongolo on the bench was almost as depressing as the inclusion of the leaden Depoitre. In need of a drastic change in fortune, especially in front of goal, the limited opportunities given to Grant remains baffling – while it would be unfair to burden a lad with scoring the goals which could provide the season with a semblance of respectability, there is little left to lose.

For 20 minutes, Town dominated possession but the familiar strategy of trying to thread rope through the eye of a needle failed to trouble the Geordie defence in any meaningful way. Other than a potentially dangerous cross from Smith, which was cut out comfortably, Town’s laborious approach play was tragically easy to defend against and the home side simply waited for their opportunity to strike.

On 12 minutes, Newcastle beat the high press and produced a move of pace and quality which should have been rewarded with the opening goal. Carving the visitors apart in the space of seconds, impressive debutant Almiron chipped his effort over Lössl but on to the post. Following up, Rondón also hit the post, though a corner was awarded.

The move illustrated the gulf between the sides which was to widen as the game progressed. Pace, movement and understanding stripped the visitors bare and hope was already fading when Tommy Smith decided to perform a reckless, high challenge on Almiron which wiped out the Paraguayan and earned a deserved red card.

Relying on swathes of luck, poor finishing by United and some excellent goalkeeping by Lössl, Town survived a torrid test for the rest of the half but any thoughts of unlikely victory were effectively abandoned following Smith’s aberration. Replacing Puncheon with Hadergjonaj rather signalled Town’s intention to preserve a point – introducing Kongolo to play in a back 3 would have been less conventional and rather more brave but the already flawed selection would have required drastic surgery to change the course of events.

If the first half had, at least, seen Town display a level of resilience, the second was a pitiful capitulation which should have seen the visitors swept away. Again, the form of Lössl prevented a deserved towelling. The Dane could do little about the weak defending which saw Newcastle score twice in the first 7 minutes after the interval which removed any lingering doubts about the final outcome.

With Perez and Ritchie hanging out wide to exploit Town’s numerical disadvantage, Newcastle stretched their opponents effectively and often but it was indecision and passivity in the box which undid them.
First, Rondón pounced on a ball which deflected off Almiron’s knee before Mooy could put in a challenge, then Perez took advantage of defensive hesitancy to sweep home the second.

The contest was over and the only question now was how many the Geordies would rack up against their beleaguered and doomed opponents. Incredibly, the answer was none. Great saves by Lössl and some wayward finishing meant that Town entered the final 15 minutes with a flicker of a hope that if they could somehow contrive to score they may apply some pressure on to the hosts who should have been out of sight.

No chances came as Town played mostly sideways and backwards with the home team content to allow possession in the full knowledge that it carried virtually no threat whatsoever. Turgid progress was easily halted and replacing Depoitre with Mounié changed nothing, just as swapping Bacuna with Billing had little discernible affect.

In the end, a two goal defeat was highly flattering and monumentally depressing. All of the promise shown in the narrow defeat to Arsenal drifted away in to the north eastern air; while the loss of Smith was mitigating, the absence of anything like innovation to try to overcome the disadvantage was inexcusable.

A special mention here for yet another Hadergjonaj dive and die abomination. His embarrassing play acting is becoming seriously annoying and nearly lead to Newcastle taking the lead in the first half. On a more positive note, Bacuna, at least, tried to make things happen before being withdrawn following a knock, but there was little else, bar Lössl’s great saves, to commend a performance so feeble and benighted.

The scale of the challenge facing Jan Siewert is undeniably daunting and he needs to be given time but his selection and tactics yesterday failed to provide any vestige of hope. While the reputation of Pritchard, for example, is growing purely through absence, the new manager has to introduce new faces to a team still incapable of scoring or gaining the points necessary to overhaul Derby’s ignominious record.

Sadly, we won’t be visiting Newcastle again next season – a great city with great people and an exceptional away day. Apart from the 90 minutes we came for.

It seems unlikely we will be asked, as we were after the Everton game, to look for positives after a 5-0 defeat but, counter intuitively, there actually were some at Stamford Bridge against an excellent Chelsea side and few, if any, in the slender home reversal.

The west London stadium will always be remembered for the draw which preserved Premier League status rather than this hammering, and rightly so, yet Town played significantly more football in abject defeat than they did on that legendary night and, for the first 45 minutes at least, performed as divisional equals rather than plucky survivors.

Eventually, the visitors were overwhelmed by the sheer quality of their hosts who were clearly determined to banish their Dean Court horrors against the weakest side in the league.

After a good move which created an opportunity for Mooy, headed just over by the returning Aussie, and a fair few breaks utilising Diakhaby’s pace (though, sadly, lacking a final ball or any semblance of composure), Chelsea took the lead with a piece of class from Kante who reverse passed to take full advantage of Higuain’s excellent movement.

The Argentine, who enjoyed an excellent home debut for the Pensioners had been denied by a good block from Schindler and a slightly too tight angle before opening his Chelsea account as a surprisingly open game provided a decent level of entertainment. Unlike on that glorious, status saving night, Town were willing to attack and defended quite well under significant pressure.

They should have been rewarded with going in to the break only one down and still in some sort of contention before being completely undone by yet another exceptionally poor refereeing decision. Kachunga, who worked hard but not particularly effectively throughout the half, tracked back and his gentle nudge on Azpilicueta, outside the area, was deemed a penalty.

Hazard, more of whom later, stepped up and ended the contest.
It was harsh on the strugglers who had played their part. The returning Mooy and Billing had given Town’s midfield a much more familiar look though it was Bacuna who caught the eye more than the returnees with a performance which showed no little promise.

The gulf in quality, however, was undeniable. Chelsea’s array of world class footballers passed and moved with effortless authority while Town’s journeymen strained every sinew to try to make things go their way. Hazard, in particular, was astonishingly good. 

Watching him on television showcases his enormous talent, but only in two dimensions; in the flesh, the Belgian is even better. An instinctive awareness of space, untouchable on the ball and a sublime passer, Hazard ghosts around the pitch and defies any attempt to man mark him – get too close and he will destroy you in a couple of feet of space, lay off him and he will bamboozle you in to giddy confusion.

Despite the contest being obviously over at half time, Town held out for 20 minutes in the second half though they were grateful for some rather wasteful Chelsea play. The sum total of Town’s contribution was a weak Billing shot from distance, though Kachunga, chasing a lost cause, looked to be caught in the box but, of course, the defender was given the benefit of the doubt in this instance.

Slowly but surely, however, the visitors began to unravel as incessant Chelsea pressure all over the pitch started to tell and midfield mistakes became more regular. One such error lead to Barkley striding forward and feeding Hazard who capped a great display with a clinical finish.
Minutes later, Chelsea conjured a quality fourth with Higuain firing home after being teed up, again, by Kante. The shot took a significant deflection over Lössl, giving the keeper no chance.

By this point, Town had dissolved in to an unseemly mess and whatever confidence had been garnered from a so-so first half evaporated in the face of the painfully huge gap in quality. By the time David Luiz’s header from a corner was diverted in to the net by Kachunga (Lössl would probably have saved the effort), Hazard had been replaced and while Town’s torment didn’t stop when he was off the pitch, they no longer had to worry about a player operating on a different universe to them.

Despite the spirit sapping performance in the second half, the away support continued to cheer on their team though the black humour so necessary to alleviate the pain was much in evidence. “You’re nothing special, we lose every week” was a particular favourite, along with jibes at the passive, touristy home support.

A brief and enthusiastic appearance by new signing Karlan Grant offered a glimpse of his willingness to find attacking space but no opportunities for him to actually use it. Hopefully, his chance will come against lesser opposition. Arsenal (!).

As we wait for relegation, the next few months can only be described as purgatorial. Somehow, the new manager and team are going to have to pull out some encouraging performances and maybe even a goal or two. As it stands, a soul destroying future looks far more likely with no end in sight.

Footnote: thankfully, I’m off until Newcastle away. Timing it to coincide with the FA cup, just the one game missed v Arsenal. I may report on the US experience of watching your team on NBC but I’ll probably ski instead.

As those of us who lived through the 1970s can attest, a precipitous plunge from a dizzying height is unpleasant and corrosive.

It is difficult to clear the stench of failure as confidence disappears and efforts to turn fortunes around become increasingly difficult and, eventually, all but impossible. Gloom overwhelms supporters, envelops the people running the club and actively dissuades players from joining an atrophying enterprise.

While Town’s survival against the odds in the top flight was always likely to end, the nature of the drop is beginning to look ominously similar to that sepia tinged nightmare which sucked all the life out of the club for 8 years until Buxton; 1 point from 11 games, a numbing scarcity of goals and the absence of anything resembling normal fortune weighs very heavily on the shoulders of a squad short of the necessary quality to stage even a token revival.

In truth, the decline has been evident since Leicester away in the new year of 2018 – points against Stoke, and the epic performances at Manchester City and Chelsea saved us, but only because our momentum had provided a cushion in 2017. Over one year on, the decline shows no sign of being reversed and there is a real possibility that we are already too far gone to prevent a spiral of doom.

With the exhausted and disillusioned Wagner gone, another German has stepped in to the fray facing huge challenges. 

Jan Siewert’s first game proved to be a pretty seamless transition. The announcement of the team highlighted the shallow pool of quality available, the almost certain dearth of goals in it and, without Mooy and Billing, a shortfall in creativity and nous.

Within 3 minutes, Everton took the lead when Davies was allowed to wander in to the box, untroubled by marking as Hogg stood by, square to Richarlison whose first shot was parried back to him to score.

The concession was not enough to stir the home side who played like strangers for 20 minutes and the Toffees looked capable of dismantling them at will. But for poor decision making in the final third – the scousers had confidence issues themselves – Town would have been buried long before half time.

Struggling to make any impression on a game slowly deteriorating, the hosts couldn’t even rely on stalwarts such as Schindler, who nearly gifted Everton a second with a terrible attempt at what was a straightforward pass intended for Zanka, or Hogg who was given a torrid time by Sigurdsson and the first attempt of any significance came just before half time when Mounié shanked a weak effort well wide.

Failing to land a punch on an Everton side which ran out of ideas about halfway through the half and the debilitating lack of innovation and thrust was all too familiar and the visitors adopted a comfortable cruise control perhaps induced by the stern refusal of their opponents to provide the home support with anything resembling hope.

The sum of the home team’s parts were decidedly less than the whole, not helped by the inclusion of the inexperienced Bacuna, who does display some encouraging attributes at times and Diakhaby, who remains, despite becoming a central figure in the events of the second half, horribly raw. The totem of the now widely disparaged, to put it mildly, summer transfer activity looks severely out of his depth and cruelly exposed. The new manager’s options were limited, however, with Mbenza ruled out of contention with injury.

The second half was following a similar pattern – sustained mediocrity from Town and unconvincing, if competent, dirge from the visitors – and it was easy to predict a now routine, deceptively narrow, home defeat until a very good through ball from Bacuna found Diakhaby alone and free to run at goal. Wether the young man would have scored a potentially confidence boosting goal became moot as Digné brought him down leaving the referee no option but to reach for his red card.

Mooy, on as a substitute and already making a positive difference despite inevitable rustiness, got the free kick on target with a decent effort but Pickford was equal to it, pulling off a spectacular looking routine save.
The Australian influence lifted the Terriers a little and with Everton’s deeply comfortable control disrupted with the loss of two left backs in quick succession – Digné had replaced Baines – hope reared its ugly head.

Town’s best chance fell to Kachunga. A poorly executed simple pass by Diakhaby to Mooy somehow rebounded back to the youngster who then produced a great piece of skill to get past a defender and deliver a perfect cross – the very definition of enigmatic over the course of a few seconds. There was little wrong with Kachunga’s header but Pickford pulled off a genuinely remarkable save to thwart him. 

Admiration of the England keeper’s quality was tinged with the realisation that the save was just a further illustration of how immensely difficult it is to compete. For all their troubles – which appear pretty laughable from our perspective but, you know, relativity – Everton have been in the top flight since the 50s and can recruit at a high, if not the highest, level. 

A point would have been earned, however, had the referee spotted a blatant pull on Kongolo’s shirt in the box in injury time. That he gave a free kick to Everton simply added insult. Again. There has been only limited outrage at another egregious decision going against us; it has now become normalised.

The painful process of reverting to the mean is now entrenched. The optimist can hope that the return of Mooy and Billing to midfield could spark some sort of inspiration which will help us achieve our last remaining goals; beating Derby’s record low points total, restoring a vestige of pride and building the foundations for a decent season in the Championship. They are hopes difficult to envision in the current fog of malaise.

An under par, often bored looking Manchester City predictably strolled past an experimental Huddersfield Town side put together by stand-in Mark Hudson in front of a crowd collectively coming to terms with the fact that a remarkable era in their football club’s history was over.

Shorn of Billing, Mooy and Williams, the rookie manager picked a brave, imaginative but ultimately futile formation and started three of the much maligned summer recruits together for the first time. It was worth a go but, given the absentees, the chances of upsetting Guardiola’s roster of superstars went from slim to near zero.

The plan was relatively simple. Defend deep and with discipline and try to expose City on the break with Diakhaby’s pace and it should be said that the strategy sometimes felt like it may work. The young Frenchman could conceivably have put Town in front before 10 minutes was on the clock but he appeared to shoulder a Kachunga cross wide when well positioned. It was frustrating that the plan precluded the inclusion of Mounié to meet the chance though, as events were to transpire, the result would probably not have been different.

In a game where it was likely to make no difference whatsoever, Town finally found themselves on the right side of a poor penalty decision. How Marriner ruled a Kongolo challenge on Sterling as legal is anyone’s guess but, hey, thanks for the gesture Andre.

Wether Town’s tactics were working as they should or City were simply stuttering, the high quality you expect to come with an Emirate’s largesse was absent. Their possession was overwhelming but largely mundane and the breathtaking imagination they often display was replaced by ponderous build up, misplaced passing and underwhelming movement.

It was fitting that their opening goal was accompanied by a huge slice of fortune. Walker’s pass to Danilo appeared as innocuous as much of City’s play up to that point but he wasn’t closed down and decided to have a go. A not especially dangerous shot was turned in to a lethal one as it cannoned off Schindler’s head beyond Lössl and the game, to all intents and purposes, was over.

To their credit, Town kept battling away while the goal didn’t have any noticeable effect on City’s torpor. For 5 or 10 minutes before the half hour, the Terriers put some pressure on City and made them vaguely uncomfortable. Diakhaby robbed Fernandinho on the left and nearly found Bacuna at the near post only for Laporte to get there first. Bacuna was harshly booked for trying to meet the pass.

Shortly beforehand, Kongolo had a nicely struck shot easily saved while Walker may have been slightly fortunate only to see yellow for a lunging, dangerous challenge on Löwe.

The short lived dominance was encouraging and visibly unnerved the visitors but they regained control to see out a half where they were a little fortunate to be in front despite the obvious gulf in quality.

Presumably motivated by some Spanish invective in the dressing room, City put the game to bed before the hour. Upping the gears, the reigning champions were given the benefit of offside doubt twice as Sané and Sterling combined to devastating effect with a passing interchange which ended with the diminutive Englishman dive heading past a helpless Lössl.

Two minutes later, Sané scored a third as City capitalised on a misplaced pass by Puncheon. The home debutant had managed to escape a multi press inside his own half very well, only to shank his intended pass out wide to Danilo who played in Sané with an excellent ball matched by a composed, quality finish.

The fear was that the bottom club, desperately short of experience, would be obliterated but, in fact, City largely reverted back to comfortable complacency which may have been unconscious sympathy at the hopelessness of their opponents’ situation and circumstances.

Mounié replaced the raw Diakhaby whose main attribute, pace, needs to be supplemented with experience which may make him a player in time, and the Benin international had quite the 30 minutes. He curled an excellent shot just past the post, had a decent header routinely saved and won a lot of aerial duels. Unfortunately, his half hour will mainly be remembered for a horrendous miss with the last kick of the game when he fired wide from 3 yards out.

The consolation would have been a small and probably deserved boost for the beleaguered Terriers. Nobody could complain about their effort, there were little spells of decent play and considering the opponents, there was a desire not to be humiliated after a horrible start to the second half. 
City should have scored a fourth towards the end of the 90 minutes when the Silvas combined to put Bernardo through. Lössl, whose poor distribution caused the problem in the first place, made a good block to make up for it.

A strange afternoon, where emotions off the pitch were probably more relevant than the action upon it, was lightened considerably by cries of “ole” for a sequence of passing which put the league champions to shame. Their international superstars could only watch in amazement as a surge of confidence injected the home side’s play. Like an indulgent Labrador staring at a kitten discovering its surroundings, as seen on several thousand YouTube videos.

With Wagner gone, leaving a moving, genuine goodbye on the big screen at half time, the future of the club is now uncertain. Not the uncertainty which precedes collection buckets, the only thing which should ever be demanded of Dean Hoyle and barely worth mentioning because of its innate ludicrousness, but the rebuilding of the club after nigh on inevitable relegation.

Understandably, most if not all of the paeans to David Wagner concentrated on the timeframe from his arrival to Stamford Bridge. In totality, January 2018 to his departure have been disastrously poor, saved only by the colossal inheritance Premier League survival has bestowed.

An inability to score enough goals, to put it mildly, and the failure to improve that all important statistic threatens to create a death spiral even while financially advantaged in the league below. The new manager will have to rectify this by any means possible.

Even in the context of the Premier League, the goals for have been disastrously low and it has consistently undermined the evident progress elsewhere on the pitch; there have been long patches when our competence up to the final third has been more than adequate to keep our heads above water.

If the promotion and survival seasons had large dollops of good fortune, it’s complete absence since August has been painful. However, when things were going well, it could be easily argued that the luck which came our way was well earned through a collective spirit which shone brightly in everything the club did on and off the pitch. Setbacks, and there were a few, were easily left in the past while now they linger in a fog of uncertainty and indecision.

Underlying the change in fortune, the absence of the leader at the club, for reasons both beyond anyone’s control and infinitely more important than football, cannot have been anything but paralysing to an adventure built upon a deep, symbiotic relationship between two remarkable individuals. 
The new manager, hopefully to be installed early this week, has an enormous, multi layered, challenge in front of him. 

Realistically, preparation for the Championship has to be paramount, while at the same time delivering some joy and fight on the pitch in pursuit of a third consecutive miracle and restoring pride in the more likely event of demotion.

It seems inconceivable that Mooy, Billing and Kongolo will not be snapped up by non top 6 clubs in the summer or even before the month’s end and stripping out proven talent from a squad heavily weighted towards potential is fraught with danger. Schindler, Löwe and Kachunga’s close ties with Wagner must also put a question mark over their futures, while Zanka, Mounié and Lössl have international careers to protect.

It is a considerable stretch to compare Town’s current travails with replacing a Busby or Ferguson, but the dangers of massive change loom and the complexities of managing them cannot be underestimated.
On the plus side, the loyalty of the supporters and the wider community to a club experiencing severe difficulties has been exemplary, the new manager inherits a strong, committed team behind the scenes and a substantially improved infrastructure. The foundations for future success are in place.

So, goodbye Dave. Who could have foreseen the momentous achievements and who would swap the experiences even if, deep down, we knew it was too far, too fast?

The Huddersfield Town mailing list has been around since the very early days of the Internet and we continue our archaic ways with polite discussion on all things Town from around the country.

We have never felt moved to make any sort of statement to the wider world; until now.

This week has seen the departure of the remarkable David Wagner. A man of inspiration, innovation and transparent humanity who has led our club to heights none of us could ever expect.

The thrilling, unlikely ascent to the top league was packed with moments which will live long in the memories of all Town fans and the determination to overcome huge odds and massive disadvantage brought colossal pride to a town too often overlooked for far too long.

But David, his staff and his family and the impact they had on our community transcended football. He genuinely and immediately understood the town and the character of it’s populace which he cleverly, and without pretence, harnessed to the fortunes of its football club.

In a close and deep partnership with our equally visionary chairman, Dean Hoyle, players of character, potential and determination were moulded in to a squad who took on the richer Championship and Premier League clubs and achieved feats beyond our imaginations. With a no limits philosophy, an incredible work ethic on and off the field and unadulterated honesty, setbacks were quickly forgotten as the club amazed and thrilled us up and down the country. 

Huddersfield people, supporters from the wider West Yorkshire area and those in further flung parts recognised the difference David could bring almost immediately – after just two weeks, an under performing team (only a few of which would continue the journey) began to play with intensity and aggression and the first 2 defeats were greeted with appreciation and a sense of anticipation.

The transformation was amazing. Inspired, the fans came back, organised to create an incredible atmosphere at the ground and instinctively embraced the change David and his colleagues had brought. We don’t suffer fools, but, boy, we recognise a smart worker when we see one.

From the infamous Swedish island to the sheer ecstasy of Stamford Bridge, the story brimmed with memories and deserved, wonderful achievement. Hefele at Villa, Payne at St James Park, Mooy at Elland Road, single goal, supremely managed wins such as the one at Rotherham, the flawless win over Brighton, Collin’s intervention at Hillsborough and Ward’s heroics. Wembley and the fitting finale of Schindler’s penalty. The party in St George’s square with all of the personalities on unabashed display. 

Palace and a dream start to Premier League life, the downing of Mourinho’s United, the noisy backing of the team even in defeat, a Christmas video which delighted, Ince’s late, late winner, blanking an incredible Manchester City team on their own patch and Laurent’s goal at Chelsea, with survival – unlikely, brilliant survival – secured.

Wagner swept us all along. When doubts crept in, he calmly reassured, victories were joyously celebrated in the Germanic style and everything in the world was right. He brought us all together, including people not necessarily interested in football, charmed us and a lot of the outside world, with his unique German humour and he put Huddersfield back in the map.
Above all, he gave us pride. Pride in him, his team and our town. 

It was all far too short, but in those 3 years he wrote his name alongside Chapman, Buxton and Greaves.

He brought joy, togetherness and a spirit of adventure we hope can last long in to the future. On news of his departure, the gratitude of the supporters, players and all who came in to contact with him was immediate, sincere and brimming with emotion. This is ours.

Goodbye David and all the very best to you and your family in the future, we will never forget and would welcome you back any time.

Members of The Huddersfield Town mailing list including:

Paul Stephenson   Chris Sykes                  Bob Knowles              Chris Eastwood     Ed Bradley  

Richard Scowron    Richard Holt               James Bartaby         Kev Salmon            Neil Horley

Anthony Rigg         Nigel Woodcock       Gerry Wilde                Simon Evans           Will Shaw    

David Hobson       Peter Watson             Robert Pepper           Mark Abbott            Paul MacDonald

John Thornton       David Ling                   Christopher Beever   Doug Walker          Dan Exley

Nigel Dearnley       Gareth Hardcastle    John Thornton             Nick Thorpe             Marcus Garside

Chris Newton John Hirst

Perhaps the linesman who overruled Lee Mason’s decision to award a penalty to the visitors decided that this artless, clunking encounter didn’t deserve the gloss of a winning goal, and he would have had a point. 

Neither side really troubled either keeper in 90 minutes of grunting, soul sapping dirge – even when Lössl was called in to action, an offside flag made it redundant – and the lack of quality on show was stark.

As ever, Town were competent until in sight of goal but woefully inadequate thereafter. Largely nullifying Cardiff’s more direct style for much of the game, though Hadergjonaj had to make a last gasp challenge in the first half to prevent Morrison’s head down being converted by Hoilett, the visitors dominated possession but simply could not find the right pass, that elusive moment of quality or applied ruthlessness to capitalise.

Up top, Mounié performed manfully but his efforts were not reciprocated by team mates who failed to provide him with a single good opportunity despite working decent positions out wide in both halves. When three consecutive corners pick out the same first defender, sympathy for the Terriers’ miserable scoring record disappears.

The closest Town came to a goal was when Puncheon – who had a decent league debut – fed Kachunga in the area, only for the German to be closed down as he shot. Puncheon himself had an early shot which flew narrowly wide but these were rare moments in a game which barely elevated above dismal.

While the first half managed to hold some interest for both sets of fans, the second descended in to largely unwatchable attrition. Town were slightly the better of the two teams on the ball but decent periods of pressure simply failed to produce any opportunities. 

With 15 minutes to go in a game Town simply had to win to reduce the chasm which eight successive league defeats has opened, a raking pass by Billing found Hadergjonaj raiding down the right. Tussling with Bennett, the Swiss was brought down and after a moment of consideration, Lee Mason pointed to the spot for Town’s first penalty of the season.

Encouraged by several Cardiff players to seek a second opinion from his linesman, the decision was overturned for reasons unknown. At least we were spared the ignominy of someone missing it.

A win would have been undeserved and, in any case, would have made little difference to the inevitability of relegation but the complete absence of good fortune continues to plague the season, piling on the agony and deflating what vestiges of confidence remain.

A point at Cardiff on the back of a good December would have been more than acceptable, but that disastrous month sealed our demise. With no solutions to our desperate scoring record anywhere in sight, the next few months promise to be bleak to say the least.

When Mounié met Mbenza’s perfect cross to put Huddersfield Town in to the lead in a game they surely had to win to cling on to any hope of survival, they were rewarded for a competent, if not exactly spectacular, opening half hour and the success starved home support revelled in the highlight of the night, possibly the year.

In truth and by the time the lead was established, Burnley were already the more likely team to triumph. Town’s play was scrappy and unfocused and the excellent Mbenza cross was an outlier though the relief for Mounié scoring his first, very well taken, goal of the season was tangible.

It all fell apart rapidly as the visitors deservedly levelled within 5 minutes. The excellent young prospect Dwight McNeil, starting only his second Premier League game, tormented the fragile Hadergjonaj, and not for the first time, on the left and swept in a low cross for Wood to equalise from close range. Given Hadergjonaj’s quite awful form, it was a major surprise for him to be selected over Durm though the German’s vulnerability to injury and unsuitability to playing two full games in a week may have forced Wagner’s hand.

Just one minute later, Schindler, apparently blissfully unaware that he had been booked, illegally halted a dangerous Burnley attack – which was initiated by a woeful restart by Town (the increasingly irritating ball back for Zanka to stop and Schindler to launch) – and the bemused German was sent off. 

Though there could be some sympathy for Schindler falling foul of Mike Dean’s idiosyncratic yellow card brandishing, the sheer folly of the situation highlighted the desperately muddled state of the club right now. Alternatively, it is also difficult to summon sympathy when a cynical play (the chances of Burnley scoring were high) results in the ultimate punishment. 

Down to ten – an equation we struggle with both when depleted or facing the depleted – Town’s paddle could be seen floating down the shitty creek. The Clarets had already shown they were a more efficient outfit who passed more crisply, moved more effectively and played with sheds more confidence and it was difficult to imagine anything other than another gloomy outcome.

So it proved. Pritchard’s creativity was replaced by Durm’s versatility when any reshuffle should have seen Hadergjonaj relieved of his misery instead. Mechanical, obvious thinking won the day as it almost always does – Mounié tried, unsuccessfully, to play in the spaces left by his diminutive colleague and was peripheral at best for the rest of the game.

The effort of most in the second half couldn’t be faulted, but Burnley’s control of the ball was exhaustingly effective and it was only a matter of time before they took a likely unassailable lead. 

The goal owed much to excellent centre forward play by Wood who, despite missing a very good headed chance at the back post, had an excellent game – one which could be instructive to both Mounié and Depoitre. Taking a ball with his back to goal, he laid it back first time with his head, moved in to space and received the ball back before moving it on. Burnley had, by the time Wood had done his work, overloaded Town’s back four and Barnes was played in to slot past Lössl.

Town’s attempts to get an equaliser in an increasingly frantic finale were far from convincing and the appearance of Depoitre (for the injured Durm) with 5 minutes to play didn’t augur well – Town have yet to score a goal when both he and Mounié are on the pitch but as the injury time board was held up, a good run from Mbenza was ended by a dangerous challenge by Brady which brought a well deserved red.

Billing lined up a shot from the free kick which was a decent effort but cleared the bar with Heaton scrambling and the 8th consecutive defeat was confirmed.

While there is no way of knowing if the result would have been different without the sending off, deep down those of a blue and white persuasion must concede that Dyce’s men looked more accomplished for most of the game and misses the crucial point anyway – for two seasons we have operated on the edge. One goal wins with good game management in the Championship and just enough paper thin wins and draws in the Premier League have provided two memorable campaigns but, eventually, when you are on that edge, you are going to fall off.

Criticism of the summer recruitment is valid but often ignores the reality of attracting players to a club certain to be fighting against expected relegation and the long term financial consequences of not planning for life in the league below. Mbenza is a case in point – loaned in for his potential, the early signs were not at all good but his displays at Old Trafford and against Burnley suggest that there is a player to emerge. He should have played at Fulham.

Barring a miraculous recovery, Town are down and need to prepare to take advantage of their financial strength next season – an advantage which will change the narrative we have been used to and which will present its own challenges.

The club owes the supporters a cup run now. A shadow team at Bristol on Saturday is not acceptable – they MUST take it seriously.

On the bank of the Thames, Town’s survival hopes – already looking extremely forlorn – were sank in a quite awful performance showcasing all the flaws of a management team and squad which can produce creditable if largely unsuccessful displays against more fêted opposition but flounders badly when faced with their (alleged) peers.

A sterile first half largely played sideways or backwards racked up impressive possession statistics but virtually nothing of note in the final third other than weak efforts from Mounié and Pritchard, and with Fulham failing to rise above mediocre Wagner’s defensive minded team selection looked a huge mistake for a game where a win was desperately needed.
Epitomising the insipid, unimaginative and aimless showing was the number of unsuccessful attempts made to play Durm in behind Fulham’s left back after one early long ball had worked (without creating anything, naturally). 

At least these passes were forward. The depth of risk aversion which infected the whole team was astonishing and paralysed whatever latent creativity existed in the eleven as a dreadful spectacle bored on seemingly endlessly. Neither set of supporters were given any encouragement as fear gripped two sides surely destined to meet again in the division below next season.

The only notable event worth recording from an atrocious first 45 minutes was a pretty bad challenge by Seri on the fragile Hadergjonaj – Seri was booked and may have been fortunate to stay on. Perhaps the referee noted that the player fouled seems to assume serious injury following every mistimed or slightly robust challenge and adopted a level of scepticism we all share about Flo’s histrionics.

The best that could be said about the visitors at this point is that they were solid and competent, and that their opposition managed to be even worse than they were. This could and should have triggered changes to at least attempt to improve Town’s offensive threat – going to a back 4, bringing on some pace, anything to create some change.

Instead, it was Ranieri who acted by replacing the ineffective and booked Seri with the more direct and powerful Kamara and the game changed as the home side acquired the energy they had so patently lacked in the first period and Town’s control of possession was lost.

The Cottagers didn’t transform in to world beaters, their manager simply concluded, along with the majority of the visiting support, that Town’s strategy of stifling play was fragile and one dimensional and just taking an initiative was likely to bear fruit.

Lössl, a spectator in the first half (luckily for him, he was being paid to watch the dross) was now being tested as the home side dominated the opening 20 minutes of the second half, pushing back the visitors and creating shooting opportunities which were well dealt with by the Dane.
With no control of the ball and looking increasingly ragged in the face of the hosts’ new found ambition, Town disappeared as an attacking threat. Two very poorly delivered free kicks which drifted out of play and the odd Billing long throw constituted the thrills on display for an increasingly disgruntled visiting support yearning for some adventure from their team.

Instead, they were treated to two quite ridiculous substitutions with the ineffective Mounié being replaced by the lumbering shape of Depoitre and the creativity of Pritchard by the mundane workhorse Kachunga. The replacements offered nothing new – no pace, no guile, no change of shape – and an actual reduction in potential creativity.

For a while, Town stemmed Fulham’s threat as the game resumed its tedious procession  but a mishit cross bamboozled Lössl who’s clearance on the stretch was knocked on to Löwe’s arm for a clear penalty.
After a tussle over who would take it, Kamara placed the ball to Lössl’s left and it was a straightforward but important penalty save and it wasn’t long before Town had the opportunity to take advantage of the profligacy and seriously hurt their relegation rivals.

Breaking forward, Hadergjonaj waited patiently for Durm to break down Town’s right and fed the German to pick out one of the three players in the box (including one unmarked at the back post). Instead, he chose a low, hard ball which was cut out rather easily. Not that it mattered, as it fell to the unmarked Billing at the edge of the box who could deliver a good strike and gain 3 vital points.

In the real world, however, Phil tried a spectacular volley which left him on the ground and the ball on its way back up to the other end of Craven Cottage. Substitute Sessegnon – introduced for his pace by Ranieri – collected the ball on the halfway line, and moved forward. In front of him were 3 Town defenders and Mitrovic, with the Serbian making a run which Zanka spotted. Inexplicably, Zanka decided to go with him rather than just step up and play the forward offside. Having made one poor decision, his attempt to stop the striker was pretty pathetic and the goal condemned Town to a seventh defeat and probably the most horrible of the lot.

A late flurry of desperation in the final few minutes of injury time was as unconvincing as it was effective and it was hard for the fans behind the goal being mildly jostled in the second half to resist venting. Despite their consistent, loud and continuous support, the team had given them very, very little and there are few, if any, signs that 2019 will bring the miraculous improvement needed to avoid the drop. More likely, it will be the nature of the relegation – a fighting one or an ignominious one – which will cheer or depress.

Still, Happy New Year everyone!

Town fell to a predictable yet hugely frustrating Boxing Day defeat at Old Trafford.

With the end of Mourinho and the start of Solskjær’s reign, the inevitable narrative around the so called Theatre of Dreams is one of renewal, swashbuckling football and the restoration of manifest destiny but, in truth, the Red Devils were relatively humdrum for large parts of the game bar a fine piece of skill by Rashford which should have lead to a goal and two strikes by Pogba which did.

The French midfield player appears to have shaken off his sulking post Mourinho, though he will be hard pressed to find a more accommodating defence than the one which allowed him inexplicable space and time yesterday. His first goal, and United’s second, involved decent movement, not tracked, but his second was uninterrupted by any sort of challenge from Town players with Hadergjonaj the main culprit.

How different things could have been had Kongolo put away a straightforward chance created by a Billing long throw after just 10 minutes. Schindler and, remarkably, Pritchard headed the ball across the area and in to the defender’s path only for him to fire over while leaning back. 

A goal at that time would have punctured the expectation of Old Trafford and brought back the uncertainties which have plagued their season of underachievement. Perhaps.

Town were not to threaten again until the very end of the first half, but defended competently against a United side which occasionally threatened but failed to seriously test Lössl until, and this is where the frustration comes in, a regulation near post corner saw Hadergjonaj fail to pick up his man. Lindelöf flicked on for the unmarked Matic to tap in a simple opener. Momentary disorganisation cost the visitors heavily.

Buoyed by their lead, the hosts piled on the pressure but were still not creating chances of any real quality until Rashford elegantly nutmegged Zanka and crossed to Dalot for what should have been an easy conversion. The Portuguese put the chance wide and Town were still in the game.

As the first half entered injury time, Pritchard – who played very well throughout – fed Billing in to the area with a deft ball but the young Dane optimistically decided to try to beat De Gea at his near post instead of squaring the ball inside to better placed colleagues. The attempt went weakly wide and Town’s second opportunity passed.

Despite being on the back foot for much of the first half, Town had largely contained United and were, at least, still theoretically capable of a result though few in the away section were counting upon it.

Encouragingly, Town gained quite a grip as the second half progressed and yet another opportunity was spurned as Depoitre chose to cut back in on to his right foot rather than attack the yawning space in front of him when played through. His hesitancy meant Mbenza took the ball away from him and hit it in to a defender. 

Earlier, a reasonable ball in to the area was treated to an ineffective overhead kick attempt by the Belgian, but he had a much better effort minutes later when he peeled off from his defender to connect with a rehearsed corner kick by Pritchard and force De Gea in to an excellent, instinctive save.

Kachunga also fired over following a good run by Kongolo.

At this point, Town were the more dominant force and – frustration abounds – it was a little against the run of play when United doubled their lead and ended the contest. Mata surged into the area on the right, sucking in defenders towards him, laid the ball back to Herrera who nudged it on to the unmarked and unchallenged Pogba (again, Hadergjonaj was slow to react, but he wasn’t alone) who swept the ball in.

The killer second came 3 minutes after Depoitre’s saved effort and, as has been the case in most games all season, Town had failed to make the most of the moments in a game which translate in to points. Frustratingly.

A third goal put the rather flattering icing on the cake for the home side. Possibly seduced by the numerous weak efforts by home players throughout the game, Hadergjonaj stood and watched one of the best players in the world calmly pick his spot from 20 yards rather than make a fairly routine challenge which would have blocked the effort. Pogba stood in silent tribute to himself for a good strike, but it was hugely facilitated.

A late consolation by top scorer Zanka – a condemnation in itself – gave the scoreline some deserved respectability, but with just two wins and far too few goals at the halfway point of the season, relegation looks increasingly likely if not inevitable.

In and amongst the gloom – and things are very gloomy – this was a creditable performance against a rejuvenated, if not exactly thrilling, United side who possess players of high quality. Town made them look quite ordinary for long periods but, as usual, were unable to punish the opposition when opportunity knocked. To do so without Mooy and Hogg was commendable but, of course, fruitless.

The lack of points and goals reached a critical point some time ago – failures against bottom half clubs hurt much more than dropping points at Old Trafford – and the next 3 games have become crucial and defining. Gain 7 or 9 points and Town are back in the survival fight; any fewer and hope will virtually disappear.

Possibly the biggest frustration of the whole season is that we are a much better team than last season – yesterday’s display was significantly better than in February – but this is counting for nothing when we consistently fail to take advantage of those moments in games which garner points; something we could do last season at times.

A January striker is essential, though it is far from certain that this will make enough, if any, difference as the pressure of being bottom and possibly adrift weighs heavier and heavier upon fragile shoulders.

On to Fulham and their new shape and better defence.

Southampton, with a new, fresh, inspiring manager at the helm of a squad which always looked significantly better than their struggles under dour regimes suggested, rolled in to Town on a wave of confidence after beating Arsenal last week. It was far from a flawless victory, and there was more than an element of luck about it, but the confidence it has engendered is priceless.

Faced with hosts shorn of aggression, experience and know how in midfield, a shambolic tactical experiment featuring a player yet to convince in a brutally demanding league and a back line which conspired to put in their worst individual and collective display since being brought together, the Saints’ easy win was as depressing as it was predictable.

Pressing from the start, the visitors always looked several streets ahead of a woefully inadequate Town line up who turned in a first half performance which barely rose above desperate. Incoherent through the middle, powder puff up front and vulnerable as babies at the back, Town lacked leadership on and off the pitch and while the injuries to 3 principal characters was always going to be a handicap, Wagner’s choice of the pacy but limited Mbenza and the inexperienced Bacuna for key roles while leaving Durm on the bench was either impressively bold or, you know, the other thing.

Billing, so elegant on the ball at times, simply didn’t handle the responsibility of being the relatively elder statesman in midfield and got away with one piece of negligence when he gave away cheap possession though another lead directly to Southampton winning the penalty which would cap a half of horror for a team which simply couldn’t match the visitors’ energy and confidence.

Alongside Billing, Bacuna was similarly profligate in possession while Pritchard, playing a little deeper but to little positive effect, opened the door for Ings to drive at the home defence, feed Hojbjerg who bypassed a hugely out of sorts Kongolo’s pathetic attempt to cut out his ball through to Redmond (a menace throughout) who easily beat Lössl.

Lacking instinct, composure or confidence, there wasn’t an area of the pitch which wasn’t shambolic and laboured for the Terriers. The two wing backs epitomised the frailty. Hadergjonaj made the most of two innocuous looking knocks but less of the rare crossing opportunities he had though the familiar lack of bodies in the box doesn’t help him in his, so far fruitless, search for last season’s form while Löwe, who has been a very good performer in many games, was hooked at half time after a performance with the highlight being him booked for a pathetic dive. A dive which makes Town the most divey in a league plagued by diving – Löwe was our fifth booking for the offence.

Saints cruised to a 2-0 half time lead, smashing Wagner’s weird game plan in the process. Capitalising regularly on the hesitancy and raw naïveté of their hosts, they were able to play with freedom and confidence with the ball and harass Town in to nervous mistakes and out of possession. There were flurries of attacking play which never managed to end in any activity from the Saints’ keeper and the corners resulting from a couple of blocked shots were pretty woeful (including an attempted short corner which saw Bacuna balloon a cross following a bobble). It rather summed up a first 45 minutes which was capped by the clumsy Zanka challenge which brought down Ings, who rolled the spot kick nonchalantly past Lössl.

A thoroughly miserable half ended with a wild Mounié shot and with a fair few depressed supporters already under the stands or walking away altogether. Patience is wearing thin at systems which don’t deliver goals and when subjected to pressure, crumble away.

The Hogg shaped hole in Wagner’s plans couldn’t have been more apparent. A disastrously weak and inexperienced midfield pushed the defensive shape in to blind confusion and the sight of both Kongolo and Schindler struggling to adapt was worrying  and hugely dispiriting, though it seems inconceivable that their manager will inflict yesterday’s line up on them or us any time soon.

For a while in the second half, and after a strong start from their über confident opponents, Town began to introduce a modicum of competence to their performance; undoubtedly attributable to the introduction of Durm and a back four which allowed the team to function. Not particularly well for the most part, and despite a brief period of dominance following Billing’s long distance shot which somehow deceived McCarthy, not enough to rescue a game against superior opposition, but the improvement will surely change Wagner’s thinking for the future. Sadly, that is far from being the extent of his problems.

The brief revival had begun with Town finally forcing McCarthy in to action as he instinctively and impressively turned a close range Zanka header around the post and was then bamboozled by a Billing effort which really should have been a routine save despite the movement the Dane put on the ball. 

With crowd and team coming back to life, Southampton were shaken out of their dominant control and their nerves began to jangle a little too much for their new manager’s comfort. Just 2 minutes after the deficit had been halved, Mbenza turned on a Zanka assist but fired his shot too close to McCarthy who pushed the threat away.

A weak Mounié header didn’t trouble him at all from the resultant corner, but the home side knew there was an opportunity they could exploit if they could only keep their discipline, keep patient and not making any rudimentary errors at the back.

Just over 10 minutes after scoring and launching several attacks resulting in rather poor efforts on goal (and conceding a break which saw Obafemi fire wide when well placed to score), Hadergjonaj brought the ball infield and inexplicably passed back to Schindler when a forward pass was far more obvious and safe. The German’s attempt to shield the ball went disastrously wrong, with Redmond robbing him and feeding Obafemi for the youngster’s first Premier League goal. Town’s brief, not entirely convincing, revival was over and a defeat which opened up the gap to Southampton and others felt just as damaging as all the other 6 pointers we have contrived to blow.

As Huddersfield Town fans consoled themselves with pre Christmas drinks, word came through that in South Wales, footballers of considerably higher quality than the ones who had easily beaten their team that afternoon had thrown off the shackles of another washed up manager and battered Cardiff with a free flowing exhibition of football. With Fulham keeping their first clean sheet as a new manager’s influence starts to get through (perhaps), the nights may be getting longer since Friday, but it’s still damned gloomy.

Still, with Kachunga and Quaner ready to come off the bench, what could go wrong?

Neil Warnock once remarked that fans only remember the second half of games, no matter how well you perform in the first and no appreciation of a more than competent display against a seemingly cowed Newcastle United up to half time can whitewash the shambles which lead to a damaging and ugly defeat after the break.

The sluggish, isolated play of Depoitre (in both halves) will be the focus of much ire, but we have all seen this play many times before.
It bears repeating that Wagner has a game plan which relies almost entirely on getting the first goal and strangling the opposition thereafter. Going behind creates disruption which is rarely overcome as the principles upon which he builds his philosophy disintegrate in to barely coherent alternative plans, be it the throwing on of 2 identical strikers (when available), introducing a centre half to the final third or switching emphasis to a winger or two when wing backs have failed.

Despite often playing much better, and more attractively, than last season – we are more expansive and braver – the margins remain the same and the inability to cope with the setback of concession as toxic as ever.

Until Newcastle produced a move of some quality completely outside of their previous efforts, Town controlled the contest with some ease, all be it without creating genuine chances in the box (though a fit, confident centre forward would have made more of one or two excellent crosses), and it is baffling to see the panic button pressed so early and so unimaginatively.

The final 25 minutes, the ones which will live longer in the memory than the competence of the first 50, were a depressing mess of static confusion, pointless lumping and witless possession which allowed the Geordies’ central defence as comfortable a second half as afforded to Brighton’s in the last home game.

The lack of pace and guile sent the home crowd in to bewildered depression – they instinctively understood that going behind meant defeat, and at no point following the concession did the team on the pitch lift their spirits or provide hope on a dismal day of freezing rain and dawning reality. Sometimes the onus is on the team to lift the crowd, and this was one of those times – it cannot all be one way and they cannot expect blind devotion.

As ever, the effort couldn’t be faulted. Lauren’s closing down and overall exertions did not point to laziness, far from it, Hadergjonaj’s constant availability on the right demanded effort and commitment and the desperate search for a goal didn’t lack endeavour. It just wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.

Too many players were decent in the comfortable midfield areas where Newcastle conceded space and possession – a literal comfort zone – but woeful in the most important area of the pitch, and open play goals look increasingly beyond a team which simply can’t get enough bodies in the box to support an already beleaguered centre forward (either of them). While Depoitre’s instincts appear to have deserted him – Mounié is a slightly different case – he was always outnumbered, largely dominated and expected to anticipate space which simply wasn’t available for much of the game.

As is often the case, Town started brightly and dominated the Magpies in an uneven midfield battle they won comprehensively. Hogg’s tackling and anticipation, Billing’s purposeful strides forward and total overshadowing of Diamé and Bacuna’s raw but competent prompting created enough pressure to win several matches until the paralysis in or around the area.

Despite overwhelming possession, and not all of it was voluntarily conceded, only a blistering free kick by Billing, very well saved by Dubravka, and a decent but slightly misfit effort by Löwe threatened the visitors’ goal. Hadergjonaj put in some good crosses but with only Depoitre in attendance, the Swiss had to be unerringly accurate for any profit to ensue.

The increasing reliance on set pieces – which had diminished somewhat in recent games – came back with a vengeance, however, and there is something vaguely depressing, and revelatory, in the sheer quantity of unproductive Billing long throws. It seems to be an acceptance that the team isn’t good enough to prosper from less blunt strategies. This may be admirable self awareness, but seems completely alien to Wagner’s usual approach. Let’s ditch it. Please.

Still, by half time, the general consensus was that Town had played pretty well, Billing had shone in a game short on quality and Bacuna had acquitted himself well on full debut. The lack of goals and chances was taken as a given but not, at this point, seen as disastrous.

All of this changed, along with the mood, when a lightning break by Newcastle split Town apart down the right. Escaping the press with a long, rather hopeful, ball forward from deep, the visitors turned a hopeful situation in to a deadly one with sharp passing and movement which opened up space for Rondon – anonymous up to this point – to steer in past the exposed Lössl.

Newcastle had started the second half more effectively, it should be said, and Town hadn’t regained their superiority of the first, but the response to the goal was panic, confusion and ill judged substitutions – not for the first time.

The lead emboldened the visitors’ containment game plan, allowing them to concentrate on defending their goal and spring counter attacks, one of which resulted in an incorrect call from a linesman before Pérez could finish (Benitez’s claim that a second goal had been disallowed was a little ingenuous – Lössl had stopped playing when he saw the flag), and Town’s dilemmas were increased.

With time slipping by, Town’s chances receded exponentially – Pritchard’s cleverness disappeared in the congestion, Newcastle’s defensive wall solidified and still there were too few bodies in the box to meet increasingly desperate crossing.

A decent ball in to Depoitre floundered on the Belgian’s lack of mobility, a defender’s head routinely cut out increasingly desperate crosses, corners and, sigh, Billing bombs and Pritchard fired wildly over when finding rare space.

Sobhi and Mbenza came in to the fray and provided little discernible difference, while Durm’s introduction seemed to be an admission that Löwe’s weird floating role experiment had served only to confuse.

Supporters’ confidence that a point saving goal was a possibility could be assessed by the number heading for the exits and horrible weather; they had definitely seen this play before.

On their lips will have been talk of a new striker in January, but if the problem had such a simple solution, would it not have been addressed before now? Maybe it was a failing of summer recruitment but it is difficult to see how a purchase will automatically solve the tactical malaises up front which have been evident since Wagner arrived.

The first is the stagnation which afflicts the team once the goal is in sight, the second is the lack of support usually provided to the poor sod in the 9 position and the third is the personnel in the shirt (though there has to be some hope for Mounié if not Lauren).

Perhaps a new attacking coach, who can join up the excellent strategies in the other bits of the field with the important bit at the other end, could help? Whatever the solution, without one our life in the Premier League will end in May.

The history, trophies and wealth drip from the very walls of the Emirates. Triumphant years circle the cavernous stadium from Chapman to Wenger, with the former hinting at what may have been for a Yorkshire club which, with even a semblance of good management and vision, could have built on not only a glorious decade but the solidly successful era until the mid 50s.

Now, however, the gulf between Town and the huge clubs with whom they now try to compete is a yawning chasm. Last season, the Terriers simply collapsed in the face of genuinely overwhelming odds; a supine performance without a scintilla of pride and the team prostrating themselves before a mid game collapse which screamed helplessness.

Perhaps assisted by the Gunners recent schedule – including a frantic draw at Old Trafford 24 hours after Town’s promising but unsuccessful trip to Bournemouth – the contrast this season could not have been more stark.

Disciplined, aggressive and unfazed by either the talent they faced or the unbeaten run stretching back 20 games of the hosts, Town forced Arsenal to dig deep in to their reserves (including 2 very good ones at the break) to gain a slender if probably deserved win to maintain their momentum.

That the visitors frustrated the North Londoners for over 85 minutes was admirable but hugely irritating when a brave point seemed more likely as time slipped by.

It is of some solace that, yet again, Town substantially improved their performance over last season but this does not add to the points tally and, crucially, can only be of some use if replicated against non top 6 sides in general and the increasingly stranded other 6 in particular.

Pressing high, Town largely subdued Arsenal’s redoubtable fluency and flair in a first half which rarely rose above the level of mundane and descended in to a scrap at times with referee Paul Tierney dipping in to his pocket 7 times before half time. The tetchiness emanated from both sides, lest anyone feels the need to suggest that the underdogs were simply undermining the aristocrats with foul play, though there was a condensed spell of Town indiscretions which resulted in Tierney calling over Smith to provide a warning that the visitors were going too far.

Disrupted early, the home side rarely moved through the gears as efficiently as they can; indeed, reverse was selected on several occasions, prompting some rare, not particularly encouraging noise from their supporters.

Stout and disciplined defending largely stemmed the Gunners in the final third, but just short of the half hour, they created two excellent chances for their two celebrated forwards, Aubameyang and Lacazette. The first saw the Gabonese put a very presentable chance wide with an instinctive shot, while the Frenchman made a complete hash when alone in the area, hitting a shot against his own foot with the ball ballooning over the bar. 

Both were let offs, but Lacazette latched on to a horribly under hit back pass by Zanka, rounded Lössl to slot home and turned away in half celebration to come face to face with the linesman’s flag. Shortly before Zanka’s error, the excellent Kongolo had deliberately played the striker offside, allowing him to go forward beyond Town’s defensive line, and the linesman was fully aware of the defender’s clever move – the decision was correct.

At the other end, Town struggled to cause much concern and until late in to the half, a reasonable effort from Löwe was all they had to show for their not inconsiderable efforts away from the danger areas. A typically tepid attack appeared to have been easily broken up as the break loomed, but a poor clearance handed the initiative back to Mooy who found Smith unmarked on the right. The captain found Pritchard who curled his first time effort over the bar. It was similar to an effort he had at Watford and really should have hit the target.

Half time parity seemed inevitable but there was time for Arsenal to almost take a season first lead in to the break when Torreira hit an excellent shot which appeared destined to end that particular, remarkable, statistic only for Lössl to claw the ball away with a fabulous save. 

From the subsequent corner, Mustafi fell down in the area under the slightest contact from Depoitre and was duly booked for simulation – the second of three Arsenal players to be booked for Sean Dyche’s favourite transgression. Comically, and for reasons only known to himself, Xhaka had been the first, seeking advantage in the centre circle following his leg being brushed by Mooy.

A mixture of high energy, some good fortune and a largely stuttering home performance  saw Town through a highly creditable first half, during which the visitors had, unlike last season, looked largely comfortable in elevated company.
Mkhitaryan and Iwobi were introduced by Unai Emery to increase his team’s creativity and threat and the change of shape rather pushed Town deeper and less comfortable than they were against the twin strike force deployed in the first half (the out of sorts Lacazette was sacrificed).

The change nearly paid immediate dividend as Mkhitaryan shot wide following a move of some menace, though a rare Hogg mistake had put the visitors in danger when he lost the ball with too few colleagues behind him. Town’s all action central midfielder had suffered an arm injury in the first half which required lengthy treatment and another knock finally ended his participation after just 5 minutes of the second half, necessitating the introduction of the inexperienced Bacuna, who acquitted himself very well.

Williams, who ran himself in to the ground on his first appearance, was understandably replaced midway through the half for Durm, shortly after Smith had to go off with injury with Hadergjonaj coming on.

The disruption caused by the change of personnel could have spelt disaster for the visitors, especially with Arsenal stepping up a gear with their own, voluntary changes at the break, but the substitutes performed well and Town’s resilience remained intact.

Whenever the Gunners tried to inject pace and fluidity to their game, Town hassled and disrupted their movement leaving few gaps and little space to the extent that the only danger after the first moments of the half came from a weak back post header by Aubameyang following a corner.

Forays forward were few as Town adapted to the introduction of substitutes but there was little desperation in their defending and the rather scrappy nature of play continued to help their cause. The only moment of real promise for the visitors came when the lively Pritchard created room in the box but his intended ball to Depoitre was intercepted by Leno.
Arsenal’s frustration was palpable. Unable to break down a defence increasingly comfortable with the uncharacteristically leaden forward movement they faced, and not entirely convincing when Town went forward, the mood in the stadium was gloomy and very quiet.

The exasperation translated in to some further theatrics with Guendouzi falling over in the box and collecting, remarkably, a third Arsenal booking for simulation (surely a record). Torreira could have added to the tally when he collapsed to the ground after Mooy’s hand accidentally created turbulence around his head but the referee – otherwise quite excellent – awarded a ridiculous free kick.

At the other end, Town had a genuine appeal for a penalty waved away when Pritchard was caught as he tried to bring down a ball in to the box and turn his defender, though the defender was probably rightly given the benefit of the doubt.

With time running out, another apparently mundane Arsenal attack was turned in to a winning goal by a piece of skill rather out of place in a game of endeavour and sweat. Kongolo and Löwe tried to defend a loose ball at the back post, with the former putting in a decent block, but Aubameyang was quickly on to it and chipped a delightful ball in to the unmarked Torreira to finish from close range. The extravagant bicycle kick took the headlines, but it was the chip from a not altogether promising position which finally undid the visitors.

It was a cruel blow after a resilient display and the relief of Arsenal and the home crowd was evidenced by a ridiculously elongated celebration which, and again to the referee’s credit, was reflected in the 7 minutes of injury time awarded.
Depoitre was the subject of a slight push in the area which saw him fall rather optimistically, though the anger of Papastathopoulos was hilariously hypocritical.

The Belgian was also narrowly beaten to an excellent Pritchard cross, but an unlikely equaliser never seemed on the cards.
Beaten, but far from disgraced, Town can take many positives out of a game where their game plan was interrupted but not disrupted by injuries. The spineless defeat last season left no doubt that they were a long way away from being competitive with the top sides – this one was precisely the opposite. While Arsenal’s class remains significantly superior, Town looked worthy of being their opposition and were only undone by a piece of creative skill late on.

Bacuna’s assured performance in the middle of the park and the successful return of Williams meant that the absence of Billing wasn’t particularly felt, but the lack of genuine threat in the final third continues to hamstring the overall competency of the side. Depoitre worked hard again, and was vital to the high press in the first half which so subdued the Gunners, but he, and the onlooking, gift distributing Mounié in the away section, must add goals and quickly.

It is dispiriting that two fine away performances have not added to the points tally, and with no solutions apparent for the lack of goal threat, the struggle is plain and obvious. Wagner’s calm head will prevail, however, and it does feel as if reward is on the near horizon – Town now must take advantage of 3 home games to collect points to give us a chance in the second half of the season.

Following the disappointment of defeat at the hands of an incompetent referee on Saturday, Town produced yet another unrewarded but satisfying performance at Dean Court to add further frustration to a season where the team has clearly shown significant improvement individually and collectively while simultaneously appearing to be in greater danger.

Bournemouth, enjoying their best Premier League season so far, may have been physically and mentally drained after stretching Manchester City at the weekend but they raced in to a seemingly ominous 2 goal lead after 20 minutes with the first coming as a direct result of more poor officiating as the linesman gave an incomprehensible free kick for the home side and then another in quick succession. From the second free kick, the same linesman failed to spot a pretty clear offside as Wilson headed the Cherries in front.

After further scares at the back – a flicked King header was only just wide and a Wilson shot was deflected fortuitously by Zanka – Town were beginning to settle down when a poor ball from Billing was intercepted and played up to Wilson who found the raiding Fraser with an excellent ball and the Scotsman finished the devastatingly quick move before Town had a chance to recover their shape.

To their credit, the visitors didn’t let the double setback affect them and they proceeded to dominate the game almost entirely from that moment.

Retaining possession and using it progressively and aggressively, they should have halved the arrears within minutes as first Billing was denied by a deflection and then Pritchard by Begovic from the subsequent corner before an incisive move involving Mooy, Depoitre and Hadergjonaj saw the wing back put in a perfect cross for the Belgian only for his header to be put too close to Begovic who, nevertheless, made a good save.

The Bosnian also denied Mooy from a free kick but with less than 10 minutes to go until half time, Town deservedly clawed their way back in to the game when Mooy picked up a second ball following a half cleared corner and crossed in to the still heavily populated area. The first head up was Schindler, who flicked the ball further in to the box for Zanka who out jumped his marker and found the final member of Town’s defensive triumvirate, Kongolo whose header looped over Begovic’s despairing clawing and in to the net.

It was the least Town deserved after an awful first 20 minutes where little went right for the visitors – particularly as yet another poor decision (indeed, decisions) conspired against them yet again. The second, which was superbly executed by Bournemouth’s exciting front men, stemmed from a very poor mistake up the pitch – and one which would have been seen as a cardinal error against this particular opponent who can hurt you very badly if unshackled.

Other than a breakaway which saw King waste an opportunity for the hosts, the second half belonged to the West Yorkshire side.
Unfortunately, much of the excellent work between the boxes floundered at the sharp end of the pitch, though Begovic had to make some interventions and Ake marshalled his increasingly beleaguered defence well (it is to be hoped that his talent is not stripped away from Bournemouth, where he has flourished, but, sadly, he will surely be a major target of the super rich clubs in January).

Anybody watching on would not have guessed that it was the team in red and black who were about to enter the top six after the game, rather than the team completely dominating possession, forcing error after error and making all the running but they may have had an inkling that the ruthlessness of the home side was the decisive factor.

A very annoyed Billing was replaced on 75 minutes by Sabiri who was immediately injured with his first contact with play – we have had all the luck this season – and forced Wagner to replace him with Sobhi. Kongolo had been replaced by Mbenza at the same time as Town’s need for 3 central defenders had long since disappeared, but the changes didn’t bring any increased threat to the home goal and the Cherries saw out the game to their evident relief.

Though Wagner denied his side had deserved anything from the game, on the basis of the defensive errors and attacking shortfalls, those of us who witnessed the game came away with great pride that in the face of adversity, the Terriers played with a conviction and aggression which totally subdued a very good Bournemouth side who simply couldn’t gain any foothold in the game after the first, disastrous, 20 minutes.

As has often been the case this season, the performance relative to the same fixture last season was massively improved, making the defeat even more disappointing. Pyrrhic victories garner no points.
Wagner was a little harsh on the defenders – they were let down by a linesman and a midfielder – but the lack of a goalscorer is an entrenched, debilitating problem. Depoitre’s general play wasn’t at all bad but, like Mounié, is failing in his prime purpose.

There is hope, however. When on song, Town can control games with an iron grip and the bad luck which seems to have followed the club around for much of the season must surely turn at some point.

On to the free hit at the Emirates – a huge challenge, but on this showing, maybe not entirely hopeless?

The meticulous short, medium and long term planning central to David Wagner’s semi miraculous transformation of Huddersfield Town is necessary to counter the financial and cultural disadvantages which applied both at Championship and now Premier League level.

Wolverhampton has given the world Caitlin Moran, Kevin Rowland, Slade, Nigel Slater and one sixth of Monty Python (by adoption) as well as a storied, if occasionally very troubled, football club. Despite a reputation for industrial grime (and post industrial despair), its alumni reflects rather well.

Ultimately, a draw was a fair conclusion – for the second game in succession, Town’s opponents were forced in to tactical and personnel changes at half time, though the Hammers were significantly more adroit at changing course than Fulham had been and overcame a largely flat first half performance to gain a point.