Huddersfield Town rounded off the decade with a 2-1 Sky Bet Championship win over Blackburn Rovers at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Jon Gorenc Stanković and Steve Mounié got on the scoresheet either side of half-time following Danny Graham’s early opener for the visitors to help the Terriers to a first win from a losing position since April 2017.
Just three days after the Boxing Day loss at Middlesbrough, Danny Cowley made two changes to the Town starting XI with Jaden Brown and Lewis O’Brien both making their full returns from injury with starts.
Fraizer Campbell also made his comeback from a hip injury having been named on the bench whilst Club Captain Christopher Schindler made his 150th competitive appearance for Town.
The game was the Terriers’ last of what had been a historic decade for the Club both on and off the pitch. It didn’t get off to the perfect start however, as Danny Graham stooped highest to nod in Lewis Travis’ inviting cross from the right.
Karlan Grant already had 12 goals for the season as the turn of the year approached and had his sights set on another as Town attempted to mount an instant response.
His low finessed effort from the left side of the box was diverted away by a diving Christian Walton in the Blackburn goal, before his cross-shot attempt from the right moments later shaved the top of the crossbar.
A consistent period of pressing from Town followed and it resulted in the equaliser for Danny Cowley’s side on. Jon Gorenc Stanković found space in the box to head home Juninho Bacuna’s delightful free-kick, scoring his first home goal in the blue-and-white in the process.
The Terriers had their tails up following the goal and would have completed a quickfire turnaround had Juninho Bacuna not fired his strike from the edge of the box over.
On the stroke of half-time, another effort from Grant was blocked behind as the two sides went into the break level at the John Smith’s Stadium.
It was the visitors who had the first chance of the second 45 with John Buckley finding himself in acres of space at the back post, only to volley his effort over Kamil Grabara’s goal.
But Town grew into the half and increasing confidence brought a stunning go-ahead goal from Steve Mounié.
The Benin international shifted the ball onto his right foot and rifled a strike past Christian Walton and into the top corner from around 25 yards out to give the Terriers a deserved lead.
At the other end, Kamil Grabara ensured the Terriers still held the advantage with just over five minutes left to play.
Town’s ‘keeper made a good diving stop to push away Tosin Adarabioyo’s connection with a Blackburn corner from the left.
Danny Cowley’s side continued to look strong going forward after the goal and nearly had another soon after. Karlan Grant saw his effort from a tight angle stopped by Walton before Fraizer Campbell hooked a low shot wide from the resulting corner.
Despite the lengthy addition of nine minutes of stoppage time, the Terriers stayed calm to see out the game to end the decade with a win and back-to-back home victories in the Sky Bet Championship.
Next up for Town is a second Sky Bet Championship game at the John Smith’s Stadium in the space of four days when Stoke City are the visitors on New Year’s Day (Wednesday 1 January 2019); 3pm kick-off.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-4-2)
Kamil Grabara; Jaden Brown (Florent Hadergjonaj, 72’), Jon Gorenc Stanković, Christopher Schindler (c), Danny Simpson; Juninho Bacuna, Lewis O’Brien, Trevoh Chalobah, Elias Kachunga (Fraizer Campbell, 70’); Karlan Grant, Steve Mounié (Rarmani Edmonds-Green, 90’)
Unused subs
Joel Coleman, Josh Koroma, Demeaco Duhaney, Matty Daly
BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-4-2)
Christian Walton; Stewart Downing, Darragh Lenihan, Tosin Adarabioyo, Elliott Bennett (c); Joe Rothwell (Amari’i Bell, 46’), Bradley Johnson (Harry Chapman, 73’), Lewis Travis, John Buckley; Danny Graham (Adam Armstrong, 61’), Sam Gallagher
Unused subs
Jayson Leutwiler, Dominic Samuel, Jacob Davenport, Ben Brereton
REFEREE
Andy Woolmer
GATE
22,859 (2,262 away)
