Town get Play-Off campaign under way with draw
- Luton Town 1-1 Huddersfield Town
- Danel Sinani on scoresheet
- Second leg at John Smith’s Stadium on Monday 16 May 2022
Huddersfield Town’s started their Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Semi-Final campaign with a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road on Friday evening.
Danel Sinani put the Terriers ahead in the 12th minute, but Sonny Bradley levelled the score before the break.
The game got off to a flying start, with an early penalty shout from Town in the opening 20 seconds. Harry Toffolo was bundled over in the box after the Terriers swung in an early cross, but the referee wasn’t interested.
Luton responded moments later, with James Bree seeing an effort tipped over the bar by Lee Nicholls for a Luton corner, which came to nothing.
The 12th minute saw Town open the scoring! The Terriers broke brilliantly as Danny Ward lay off Toffolo to run clear. Toffs fed Sinani, who shifted onto his right and sent a powerful strike straight past Matt Ingram to put Town ahead!
A period of real intensity followed, with both sides going at each other with real pace and purpose. The Terriers were defending well when they needed to, and used the ball intelligently on the break where they could.
As the clock showed half an hour played, Luton equalised through Bradley.
Four minutes later, there was a huge penalty shout from Luton as Cameron Jerome got into the box and went down under pressure from Naby Sarr, which Nicholls turned around the post. The referee waved the appeals away for a corner, which came to nothing.
Jerome was at the centre of the action against almost instantly, seeing an effort from range go wide.
The 41st minute saw a big chance for Town! Sinani whipped an early cross towards Ward, but his glancing header was just saved by Ingram’s legs!
Luton responded well, with Sarr doing brilliantly to get down and block a Henri Lansbury effort.
The hosts came out of the blocks fastest in the second half, immediately winning a free kick in a similar area to where they scored. Thankfully, it went straight into Nicholls’ hands.
Town’s first chance of the second 45 fell to Ward, whose effort was blocked by Ingram and deflected out for a corner, which came to nothing.
After an hour played, the game finally appeared to settle, with Town taking the reins for a period, but to no real avail.
The 71st minute saw a succession of corners for the Terriers, which Luton did well to clear and keep Town at bay.
Eight minutes later, Duane Holmes broke forward, sprinting through the middle to feed O’Brien, whose shot was blocked. The resulting corner found Tom Lees, but his header went wide.
As the game continued to count down, Luton won a corner, which was claimed easily by Nicholls, before Town went on the counter through O’Brien and Holmes. It worked its way to Pipa outside the box, whose shot took two deflections before going out for a Town corner, which came to nothing.
The first minute of injury time saw Jordan Rhodes booked.
The referee blew his whistle, seeing the scoreline stay nicely balanced for Monday night back home at the John Smith’s Stadium!
Town’s Line-Up (3-4-3)
Lee Nicholls; Naby Sarr, Jonathan Hogg, Tom Lees; Harry Toffolo, Lewis O’Brien, Jon Russell, Ollie Turton (Pipa, 46’); Duane Holmes, Danny Ward (Jordan Rhodes, 71’) Danel Sinani (Sorba Thomas, 85’)
Unused Subs
Jamal Blackman; Tino Anjorin, Levi Colwill, Carel Eiting
Town Scorer
Danel Sinani (12’)
Town Booking
Jordan Rhodes (90+1’)
