Huddersfield Town took a point from Hillsborough following a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday in the Sky Bet Championship.
Josh Windass had opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half before Wednesday substitute Callum Paterson diverted into his own net to ensure that Town would take something on the short trip back to West Yorkshire.
Looking to put up a second away win in the space of four days, Head Coach Carlos Corberán made two changes to the side that started the victory at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
Duane Holmes came into the XI for the 150th domestic start of his career alongside Demeaco Duhaney who lined-up at right-wing-back.
When the game got underway in South Yorkshire, it was Juninho Bacuna who had the game’s first attempt on goal in the early goings.
Fresh from his decisive effort in Saturday’s win in the capital, the midfielder took up a similar position on the edge of the penalty area, this time doing it all on his own to create the chance with some neat skill before firing over a curling effort.
Town’s front-foot start continued past the tenth minute mark after some determined work from Lewis O’Brien close to the corner flag on the left side.
O’Brien rode the challenge of a Wednesday defender before picking out Duane Holmes who faked out a defender with a teased strike before seeing his eventual effort blocked away from the goal.
For all of Town’s work inside the opening half-hour, it was the hosts who took the lead against the run of play. Josh Windass raced onto a ball in behind and fired past Ryan Schofield to put Wednesday 1-0 up.
The hosts held that lead at the break with the Terriers’ first attempt on goal of the second half coming courtesy of Pipa.
Now playing as the left-back in a back four following half-time alterations from the Head Coach, the Spaniard cut inside and curled a shot towards the goal, but it was comfortably collected by Keiren Westwood between the sticks for Wednesday.
In what was becoming another closely contested half of football, chances were few and far between going into the final 15 minutes.
Town were continuing to fight their side of the battle in the middle of the park however, and got a slice of luck for their efforts, to get back on level terms with just over 15 minutes left to play.
Substitute Isaac Mbenza’s whipped free-kick from the left was met on the stretch by Naby Sarr who forced Westwood to tip it into the direction of Callum Paterson who couldn’t help but turn it into his own net from close range, levelling the scores.
At the other end, it took a big save in the minutes that followed from Schofield to stop Paterson from cancelling out his own error and putting the hosts back in front.
The ‘keeper spread himself well to keep out a low effort after the former had been slipped in one-on-one, inside the penalty area.
In the four minutes of stoppage time, Town came close to snatching all three points from South Yorkshire.
Having had a shot deflected behind, O’Brien caught the cleared corner sweetly on the volley but his well-struck effort was blocked away with referee Robert Jones blowing the final whistle soon after as the contest came to a level finish under the Hillsborough lights.
Next up for Town is the visit of Brentford to the John Smith’s Stadium after the international break for a Sky Bet Championship encounter on Saturday 3 April 2021; 12.30pm kick-off.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (3-4-3)
Keiren Westwood; Sam Hutchinson (Osaze Urhoghide, 60’), Julian Börner, Tom Lees; Adam Reach, Joel Pelupessy, Barry Bannan (c), Liam Palmer; Josh Windass (Elias Kachunga, 81'), Jordan Rhodes (Callum Paterson, 61’), Kadeem Harris (Liam Shaw, 61’)
Unused subs
Joe Wildsmith; Jack Marriott, Matt Penney, Andre Green, Alex Hunt
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (3-5-2)
Ryan Schofield; Naby Sarr, Richard Keogh, Rarmani Edmonds-Green (Isaac Mbenza, 46’); Pipa, Jonathan Hogg (c), Lewis O’Brien, Juninho Bacuna, Demeaco Duhaney; Duane Holmes (Yaya Sanogo, 60’), Fraizer Campbell (Aaron Rowe, 90+1’)
Unused subs
Joel Pereira; Álex Vallejo, Richard Stearman, Danny Ward, Jaden Brown, Scott High
REFEREE
Robert Jones
