A late Rarmani Edmonds-Green strike ensured Huddersfield Town would take a point from the final game of the Sky Bet Championship season following a 2-2 draw with Reading.
The substitute’s late goal cancelled out what looked to be like the winner from Yakou Méïté who had built on Michael Olise’s equaliser for the hosts after Josh Koroma gave Town the lead early on from the spot.
The draw means the Terriers finish the season in 20th position in the table with 49 points from 46 matches in the league.
There were four changes to the Town line-up for the final game of the season, with 20-year-old Scott High coming in for his first Sky Bet Championship start, on the final day.
Danny Ward returned off the back of his goal from the bench in last weekend’s draw from Coventry while Álex Vallejo and Rolando Aarons were also named in the XI, the first time since late January for the latter following injury.
With Championship status secured in that game seven days ago, the Terriers were simply looking for a strong finish to the campaign on the final day.
Duane Holmes tried his luck at setting Town on to that early on, but powered an effort over having received the ball on the edge of the penalty area.
At the other end, Ryan Schofield had some early business to take care of in the Terriers’ goal. The ‘keeper got down to keep John Swift’s low effort from around 20 yards out from finding the bottom corner.
On Championship debut, High had enjoyed a positive start to the game in the middle of the pitch, nearly making an immediate impact with just over 10 minutes played. The Town Academy graduate drove forward, neatly played the ball off before receiving the it back and striking the post with a curling effort.
Moments later, the midfielder was fouled on the edge of the area after displaying some good footwork, with Josh Koroma stepping up to find the net with the free-kick from a central area, to give Town the lead with his eighth goal of the campaign.
That advantage lasted less than three minutes, however, with the hosts hitting back from the spot straight after. Jonathan Hogg brought down Alfa Semedo inside the penalty area with Michael Olise steeping up to send Schofield the wrong way to make it 1-1.
The goal looked to spark the hosts into life with Tomas Esteves flashing the ball just over the crossbar moments before Olise turned provider, crossing to the back post for Yakou Méïté who’s looping header found the net to complete the hosts’ turnaround.
After a frantic opening half-an-hour, chances became hard to come by but the introduction of Sorba Thomas after the break nearly paid dividends immediately for Town. The winger whipped a dangerous low cross into the box from the right, but his ball narrowly evaded the path of Danny Ward and was cleared.
Like Thomas, the Terriers’ substitutes were continuing to make an impact off the bench in the second half. Carel Eiting, having been brought off the bench in place of Duane Holmes, had an effort from inside the penalty area blocked well by Reading’s Andy Yiadom before fellow substitute Kieran Phillips curled inches wide of the post from range.
In the closing stages, Town’s efforts increased in pursuit of taking something from the final contest of the campaign. Having got on the scoresheet earlier in the afternoon, Koroma latched onto a ball over the top but skewed his effort over the bar.
That looked to be the last opportunity for Carlos Corberán’s visitors until substitute Rarmani Edmonds-Green popped up in stoppage time to rescue a point for Town.
The ball broke to the Terriers’ no.35 on the right side of the penalty area and he kept his composure to find the corner and ensure Town would finish the 2020/21 Sky Bet Championship campaign with a draw.
READING (4-2-3-1)
Luke Southwood; Tomas Esteves, Andy Yiadom, Tom Holmes, Omar Richards; Alfa Semedo; Josh Laurent (c); Andy Rinomhota, John Swift (Dejan Tetek, 67’), Michael Olise (Liam Moore, 77’); Yakou Méïté (Lucas João, 67’)
Unused substitutes
Coniah Boyce-Clarke; Lewis Gibson, Mamadi Camará, Sone Aluko, Femi Azeez, Sam Baldock
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)
Ryan Schofield; Lewis O’Brien, Naby Sarr (Rarmani Edmonds-Green, 78’), Richard Keogh, Álex Vallejo; Jonathan Hogg (c), Scott High (Juninho Bacuna, 78’), Duane Holmes (Carel Eiting, 60’); Rolando Aarons (Sorba Thomas, 60’), Josh Koroma, Danny Ward (Kieran Phillips, 70’)
Unused substitutes
Joel Pereira; Richard Stearman, Romoney Crichlow, Jaheim Headley
REFEREE
Jarred Gillett
