Huddersfield Town secured the club’s Sky Bet Championship status following a 1-1 draw with Coventry City at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Danny Ward’s second-half leveller cancelled out Jordan Shipley’s in the minutes earlier to ensure Town would take a point from the final home game of the season.
The draw, along with results elsewhere, ensured the Terriers’ safety in the division with a game to spare.
There were three changes to the Town XI from last weekend’s defeat at Blackburn with Aaron Rowe, Duane Holmes and Yaya Sanogo brought back into the line-up.
Harry Toffolo started consecutive games for the first time since January following his recent return from a back injury, bringing up his 50th Town start in the process.
It was the Terriers who had the first opportunity of the contest in what was shaping out to be an even start in West Yorkshire.
Sanogo, one of the three returnees, picked up the ball on the right side of the penalty area before driving a shot into the side-netting.
The visitors, who were making their first ever visit to the John Smith’s, were looking to open the scoring themselves at the other end. On the break, the ball was worked to Callum O’Hare who found space before curling a shot straight at Ryan Schofield.
Richard Keogh, who spent two years with the Sky Blues between 2012 and 2014, then had a key opportunity to break the deadlock as the first half ticked past its midway point. A corner from the right found Town’s no.15 who miscued his effort on goal from a central area inside the box.
Chances were hard to come by as the game approached the break, but after the interval, Coventry had two big openings to get the game’s first goal.
Half-time substitute Jordan Shipley forced a fingertip save out of Schofield, who pushed the ball onto the post moments before Viktor Gyökeres was denied one-on-one by the ‘keeper who spread himself well to cover the angle.
The visitors did find the target shortly before the 70-minute mark however, to take the lead. Gustavo Hamer rolled the ball into the path of Shipley who opened his body up on the right side of the penalty area before his curling effort took a deflection and beat Schofield to make it 1-0.
Following that goal, Carlos Corberán made a double change with Carel Eiting and Danny Ward introduced as the Terriers pushed for an immediate response.
The latter provided just that to level the scores once more, less than 10 minutes later. The ball fell to Ward following a corner, with the forward volleying into the bottom corner for his first goal since his return to the club in the summer.
At the other end, the visitors looked to restore their advantage straight after, as O’Hare drove inside from the left flank before having his effort on goal blocked behind.
Just as five minutes of time was added, Rolando Aarons tried his luck at a late winner. On the turn the forward attempted to catch Coventry ‘keeper Ben Wilson off guard at his near post, but the latter got across his goal to make the save.
The final attack of the encounter went to the visitors who drove forward before Matty James unleashed a shot that was blocked by Harry Toffolo, with the final whistle meaning Town would take a point from the final home game of the season.
That result, along with others elsewhere secured the Terriers’ Sky Bet Championship safety for another season.
Next up for Town is our final game of the Sky Bet Championship campaign with a trip to the Madejski Stadium to face Reading on Saturday 8 May 2021; 12.30pm kick-off.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (3-1-5-1)
Ryan Schofield; Harry Toffolo, Naby Sarr, Richard Keogh (Rarmani Edmonds-Green, 82’); Jonathan Hogg (c); Josh Koroma, Lewis O’Brien, Duane Holmes (Rolando Aarons, 58’), Juninho Bacuna (Carel Eiting, 70’), Aaron Rowe (Pipa, 58’); Yaya Sanogo (Danny Ward, 70’)
Unused subs
Joel Pereira; Richard Stearman, Sorba Thomas, Scott High
COVENTRY CITY (3-4-1-2)
Ben Wilson; Dominic Hyam, Kyle McFadzean (c), Michael Rose (Josh Pask, 69’); Sam McCallum, Matty James, Gustavo Hamer (Josh Eccles, 69’), Fankaty Dabo (Jack Burroughs, 59’); Callum O'Hare; Tyler Walker (Jordan Shipley, 46’), Viktor Gyökeres
Unused subs
Marko Marosi; Jamie Allen, Maxime Biamou, Amadou Bakayoko, Fabio Tavares
REFEREE
Keith Stroud
