Back-to-back wins for the Terriers!
Huddersfield Town made it back-to-back wins in the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 victory over Derby County at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Juninho Bacuna’s second half goal was the difference in the midweek encounter in West Yorkshire as the Terriers stretched the unbeaten run to four matches.
Carlos Corberán made one change to the Town XI from last time out, with Fraizer Campbell coming back into the side in place of Christopher Schindler.
Jonathan Hogg captained the Terriers for the visit of the Rams whilst Schindler was named on the bench.
Just three days after the win over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, Town were back in action in search of successive wins for the first time in the league since February.
Having opened the scoring in that game, the Terriers pushed to repeat the feat again this time under the lights in West Yorkshire.
Pipa came the closest for Town early on, curling an effort with his weaker left foot wide of the target, before Derby put together their first chance through Nathan Byrne, only for a well-timed Richard Stearman block to put an end to that attack.
A period of good pressure for the Terriers followed, as Carel Eiting had a pair of attempts blocked around the edge of the box before another Pipa effort from the right side of the box was stopped by Derby ‘keeper David Marshall.
At the other end, his goalkeeping compatriot Ben Hamer was also doing his best to keep the scores level, producing a good stop to deny Andre Wisdom who had got forward.
Despite most of his work in an end-to-end first half coming defensively, Pipa continued to provide a threat going the other way.
Seconds before the half-time whistle, the Spaniard fizzed a first-time shot over having been found unmarked on the right side of the box by Josh Koroma.
Town’s first chance after the break came courtesy of a Harry Toffolo cross, with Fraizer Campbell inches away from connecting to put the Terriers ahead on the slide.
Toffolo’s next ball into the penalty area was the one that produced the game’s opening goal on 53 minutes.
The left-back’s incisive cutback found the feet of Juninho Bacuna who slotted the ball into the corner to put Town ahead.
At the other end, it was the work of Hamer that kept the Terriers in that lead midway through the second half.
Town’s no.1 showed great focus to keep an eye on Duane Holmes’ low effort, tipping it round the post on the stretch.
Having kept the Rams out at one end, the Terriers nearly extended the lead at the other, as Bacuna turned provider, whipping a dangerous free-kick in from the right meeting the head of Christopher Schindler.
The skipper’s header, in his first attacking involvement since coming on from the bench, found Naby Sarr who saw his looping header tipped over the crossbar by Marshall.
Corberán’s side then survived a big scare in an attempt to see out the game in the final minutes. Martyn Waghorn’s delivery from the left found the head of Matthew Clarke who powered a header against the near post from point blank range.
The chance, the visitors’ biggest of the encounter, also turned out to be their last, as Town held firm to ensure two wins in the space of four days in the Sky Bet Championship.
Next up for Town is a second home game in five days with Preston North End the visitors to the John Smith’s Stadium in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday 24 October 2020; 3pm kick-off.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)
Ben Hamer; Harry Toffolo, Naby Sarr, Richard Stearman, Pipa (Demeaco Duhaney, 78’); Jonathan Hogg, Carel Eiting (Lewis O’Brien, 65’), Juninho Bacuna; Isaac Mbenza (Christopher Schindler, 55’), Fraizer Campbell, Josh Koroma
Unused subs
Joel Pereira; Alex Pritchard, Adama Diakhaby, Jaden Brown
DERBY COUNTY (5-3-2)
David Marshall; Lee Buchanan (Colin Kazim-Richards, 78’), Matthew Clarke, Curtis Davies (c), Andre Wisdom, Nathan Byrne; Graeme Shinnie (Duane Holmes, 65’), Max Bird, Jason Knight; Tom Lawrence (Martyn Waghorn, 65’), Kamil Jóźwiak
Unused subs
Kelle Roos; Craig Forsyth, Mike te Wieirk, Jahmal Hector-Ingram
REFEREE
David Webb
