Huddersfield Town were beaten 3-0 by Cardiff City in the Sky Bet Championship.
A goal either side of half-time from Bluebirds forward Kieffer Moore and a late Robert Glatzel strike was enough to secure all three points for the hosts during the midweek encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Three days on from an impressive victory over Middlesbrough last time out, Head Coach Carlos Corberán made five changes to his side on the Terriers' return to the road.
Ben Hamer, Demeaco Duhaney and Christopher Schindler returned for the trip to the Cardiff City Stadium whilst Matty Daly came in for his first senior start alongside Danny Ward who made his first league start of the season, at his old stomping ground.
Town had the majority of the ball in the early goings on a chilly evening in South Wales, attempting to carry over the momentum of Saturday’s win into the opening stages at the Cardiff City Stadium.
For all of the Terriers’ possession, it was the hosts who registered the game’s first clear-cut opportunity as Cardiff skipper Sean Morrison knocked the ball down to Sheyi Ojo who skied an effort on the half-volley over the returning Ben Hamer’s crossbar.
Town’s first attempt on goal came courtesy of a former Bluebird, when Danny Ward saw his close-range effort gathered by Cardiff ‘keeper and former teammate at both Town and Cardiff; Alex Smithies.
Shortly after, it was the hosts who found a way through to break the deadlock on 35 minutes. In-form forward Kieffer Moore met Ojo’s low cross from the left and placed the ball into the net with a first-time effort to put Cardiff ahead.
In search of an immediate response, Lewis O’Brien drove wide of the goal from the edge of the box prior to the break, before Carel Eiting’s powered effort from a similar range was collected by Smithies just after half-time, as the midfielder looked to add to his three goals in the last four matches.
O’Brien’s involvement in the attacking third continued as Town’s push for an equaliser stepped up. The midfielder’s left-footed cross from the right just evaded the out-stretched foot of Ward before Naby Sarr’s off-balance effort fell wide of the target.
At the other end, the hosts took the opportunity to double their advantage soon after. Having won the ball high up the pitch, substitute Junior Hoilett rolled the ball across the box for Moore who tapped into an empty net to double his and the Bluebirds’ tally for the evening.
Former Cardiff man Fraizer Campbell was introduced from the bench by Carlos Corberán in the closing stages and had a deflected shot go wide as Town looked for a way back into the encounter.
But it was the hosts who got the game’s third and final goal. Substitute Robert Glatzel kept his composure to fire into the top corner with just under five minutes left to play, rounding off a disappointing evening for the Terriers in South Wales.
Next up for Town is a return to the John Smith’s Stadium to face Queens Park Rangers in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday 5 December 2020; 3pm kick-off.
CARDIFF CITY (4-4-2)
Alex Smithies; Joe Bennett, Curtis Nelson, Sean Morrison (c), Leandro Bacuna; Mark Harris (Junior Hoilett, 62’), Will Vaulks, Joe Ralls (Marlon Pack, 79’), Sheyi Ojo (Josh Murphy, 89’); Harry Wilson (Gavin Whyte, 89’), Kieffer Moore (Robert Glatzel, 79’)
Unused subs
Dillon Phillips; Greg Cunningham, Sol Bamba, Joel Bagan
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)
Ben Hamer; Harry Toffolo (Jaden Brown, 72’), Naby Sarr, Christopher Schindler (c) (Rarmani Edmonds-Green, 72’), Demeaco Duhaney (Adama Diakhaby, 80’); Jonathan Hogg (Fraizer Campbell, 66’), Lewis O’Brien, Carel Eiting; Matty Daly (Isaac Mbenza, 46'), Danny Ward, Josh Koroma
Unused subs
Ryan Schofield; Álex Vallejo, Aaron Rowe, Brahima Diarra
REFEREE
Kevin Friend
