A second-half turnaround condemned Huddersfield Town to a 2-1 defeat against Reading at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Fraizer Campbell had nodded the Terriers into an early lead but a brace after the break from Lucas João saw the visitors leave West Yorkshire with all three Sky Bet Championship points.
Head Coach Carlos Corberán named an unchanged Huddersfield Town side for the fifth successive league game for the first time in the Club’s history since November 2009.
It meant that the only changes came on the bench where Kieran Phillips and Ben Jackson returned to the match day squad.
Following a spell of wintry showers throughout the morning and early afternoon in HD1, the encounter got underway in more settled surroundings at the John Smith’s Stadium.
It was Town who settled earliest for that matter and powered into a sixth-minute lead through Fraizer Campbell’s fifth goal of the campaign.
The forward towered above a Royals defender to nod in Isaac Mbenza’s pinpoint whipped cross from the right side.
Off the back of another impressive performance between the sticks in midweek, Ryan Schofield was called into action for the first time just after that opener for the Terriers.
The Huddersfield-born ‘keeper got down well to deny Sone Aluko’s low effort from inside the area.
It was Aluko again threatening the Town goal just after the half-hour mark. The forward dragged an effort wide from the edge of the box as the Royals continued their search for an equaliser.
Schofield again had cause to be alert with the final kick of the first half. A free-kick from the left found Tom Holmes at the back post who saw his header denied by the Town ‘keeper at point-blank range.
After the break, the visitors’ pressure continued, and they went close early in the half through John Swift who curled a free-kick just over from a central area just outside the box.
On the game’s next attack, the Royals drew level in West Yorkshire. A direct ball in-behind met the run of Lucas João who kept his composure to find the net with a placed finish into the bottom corner.
João made it a double in quick succession, picking out the bottom corner again with a powerful drive into the bottom corner to put Reading 2-1 up on 65 minutes.
Town’s best openings to get back into the encounter came courtesy of Isaac Mbenza who forced a good save out of Rafael Cabral with a volley before prodding inches wide of the goal on the run.
There was a positive for the Terriers late on as Academy graduate Kieran Phillips was introduced off the bench for his professional debut, but Town couldn’t find a way through meaning defeat for the first time in six home games for Carlos Corberán’s side.
Next up for Town is an Emirates FA Cup third round tie against Plymouth Argyle at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday 9 January 2020; 6pm kick-off.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)
Ryan Schofield; Harry Toffolo, Naby Sarr, Rarmani Edmonds-Green (Kieran Phillips, 87’), Pipa; Jonathan Hogg (c), Juninho Bacuna, Carel Eiting (Alex Pritchard, 70’); Lewis O’Brien, Fraizer Campbell, Isaac Mbenza
Unused subs
Ben Hamer; Álex Vallejo, Demeaco Duhaney, Romoney Crichlow, Jaden Brown, Aaron Rowe, Ben Jackson
READING (4-2-3-1)
Rafael Cabral; Omar Richards, Tom McIntyre, Michael Morrison (c), Tom Holmes; Josh Laurent, Andy Rinomhota; Ovie Ejaria (Sam Baldock, 86’), John Swift (Michael Olise, 60’), Sone Aluko (Tomás Esteves, 86’); Lucas João (Alfa Semedo, 81’)
Unused subs
Luke Southwood; Tennai Watson, Ryan East, George Pușcaș, Jeriel Dorsett
REFEREE
Jeremy Simpson
