Huddersfield Town made it back-to-back competitive wins for the first time since August 2017 following a 3-0 victory over Hull City at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Second-half goals from Karlan Grant, Juninho Bacuna and Elias Kachunga were enough for the three points in the Yorkshire derby and a first home win for the Cowley brothers.
Danny Cowley made one change to the starting XI that battled to Town’s first win of the season at Stoke on Tuesday night, with Adama Diakhaby coming back into the team for Fraizer Campbell.
Town’s goal-scorer in the 1-0 win, Juninho Bacuna, started on the bench whilst Elias Kachunga made his 100th appearance for Huddersfield Town in all competitions.
Adama Diakhaby got the assist for that goal in midweek and started brightly again down the Terriers right-hand side. The winger continued to cause problems down the flank, but a quick succession of crosses couldn’t quite pick out a Town player waiting inside the box.
The visitors hadn’t had too much to shout about up the other end before putting together their first meaningful attack of the game on the half-hour mark. Brandon Flemming darted down the left before cutting the ball back for George Honeyman who saw his low effort gathered by Kamil Grabara.
Moments later, Kamil Grosicki saw his free-kick from around 25 yards out narrowly miss the top corner, after Jonathan Hogg had been booked for tripping Jarrod Bowen.
Both sides continued to grow into the game, with the encounter’s two best opportunities yet coming closer to half-time. First, Lewis O’Brien played in Jaden Brown on the left who saw his driven shot pushed away by Hull ‘keeper George Long.
Shortly after, neat link-up play on the right from Town saw Danny Simpson play in Karlan Grant who shifted the ball out of his feet before forcing Long into another diving save to his left.
Long’s opposite number, Kamil Grabara, was then back in action in Town’s goal, parrying a powerful effort behind from Tom Eaves at his near post to keep the scores level going into the break.
Town continued to push for the opener after the interval, in what was turning out to be a relatively open Yorkshire derby. Skipper Christopher Schindler couldn’t quite connect with a low cross from the left, seeing his effort go over the bar on the turn.
With 66 minutes on the clock, Danny Cowley looked for the opening by bringing on Tuesday night’s scorer Juninho Bacuna, and the midfielder made an instant impact just a minute later.
Town’s number 7 took control of the ball on the edge of the box before finding Karlan Grant inside the area who took a touch before volleying on the turn into the bottom corner superbly, to break the deadlock after 68 minutes.
Bacuna then went from provider to finisher to double the lead just six minutes later. The midfielder latched on to Adama Diakhaby’s ball from the right, on the run, finding the bottom corner to the delight of the jubilant Town fans inside the John Smith’s Stadium.
The Terriers had to stay focused to keep that two-goal lead however, as Josh Bowler tried his luck but Kamil Grabara was set to push away the goal-bound effort shortly after.
Town’s Fraizer Campbell made over 100 appearances for the Tigers across two spells and was introduced from the bench shortly after the goal, replacing Diakhaby as Town looked to put the game out of reach in the closing stages.
The Terriers got their wish and were in dreamland on 82 minutes after another swift move produced a third goal of the second half. Lewis O’Brien’s low ball across the box found a sliding Elias Kachunga who saw his effort at the back post go in off the bar to make it 3-0.
With five minutes added on, the Terriers had to preserve the clean sheet and did courtesy of Jaden Brown’s well-timed sliding block to deny Josh Bowler’s goal-bound strike.
The Town fans probably didn’t want the game to finish but referee David Webb brought proceedings to a close with the Terriers picking up back-to-back competitive wins for the first time since August 2017, to head into the international break with.
Next up for Danny Cowley’s Terriers is a trip to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers in the Sky Bet Championship after the break, on Saturday 19 October 2019; 12.30pm kick-off.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)
Kamil Grabara; Jaden Brown, Christopher Schindler (c), Danny Simpson; Lewis O’Brien, Jonathan Hogg (Juninho Bacuna, 66’), Trevoh Chalobah (Jon Gorenc Stanković, 75’); Elias Kachunga, Karlan Grant, Adama Diakhaby (Fraizer Campbell, 77’)
Unused Subs
Ryan Schofield, Isaac Mbenza, Steve Mounié, Florent Hadergjonaj
HULL CITY (4-3-3)
George Long; Brandon Fleming, Jordy De Wijs, Reece Burke, Eric Lichaj; Kevin, Stewart, George Honeyman (Josh Bowler, 58’), Daniel Batty (Leonardo Da Silva Lopes, 58’); Kamil Grosicki (Josh Magennis, 75’), Tom Eaves, Jarrod Bowen
Unused subs
Matt Ingram, Ryan Tafazolli, Norbert Balogh, Matthew Pennington
REFEREE
David Webb
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