Late Delano Burgzorg penalty ensures a share of the spoils!
- Millwall 1-1 Huddersfield Town
- Added time Delano Burgzorg penalty secures a late point
- Brooke Norton-Cuffy had given the hosts the lead
A 96th minute penalty from Delano Burgzorg gave Huddersfield Town a deserved share of the spoils in dramatic fashion against hosts Millwall at the Den in our latest Sky Bet Championship game of the season.
The home side scored fairly early on in the second half in what was a relatively even game, but Town kept plugging away and got their just rewards when Josh Koroma’s volley was handled in the penalty area, allowing Burgzorg to step up and slam home from 12 yards out!
Moore made four changes from the midweek defeat to Preston, with the most notable being an immediate start for Jack Rudoni after his eight-game absence with a foot injury. Lee Nicholls was also back in the side, along with Yuta Nakayama and Jaheim Headley.
It took only 30 seconds for Town to threaten, with a headed clearance from Tom Lees – on his 100th start for the club – sending Danny Ward into space behind the Millwall defence. He entered the area only to see his shot blocked, and Sorba Thomas fired wide of target from outside the area on the follow-up.
Millwall had a couple of half chances as they showed their teeth early on too. The first saw striker Tom Bradshaw volley over at full stretch after Zian Flemming’s cross was knocked back into the danger area by Brooke Norton-Cuffy, and then Bradshaw did hit the target with a 17th minute snapshot on the turn that Nicholls claimed low to his right.
Rudoni was one of Town’s better players on his return, and his inclusion coincided with the Terriers enjoying the most possession they had in recent weeks. His excellent 25th minute pass inside former Town man Murray Wallace set Thomas clear down our right, but goalkeeper Matija Šarkić just beat him to the ball by advancing way out of his penalty area.
Nicholls soon claimed a long-range effort from Dutchman Flemming, but then Town put together a fantastic, patient passing move that led to a very presentable chance. Rudoni drove forward down our right before sliding a pass in front of Thomas, whose low cross found Ward; sadly, he could only flick the ball straight at the ‘keeper.
The Lions had the final two shots of the half. First Nicholls had to get two strong hands to a better effort from Flemming from range, and then a long free kick into our penalty area fell to Wes Harding, who stung Nicholls’ palms with a volley from a narrow angle.
Town started the second half in decent fashion, with a well-worked move ending with Headley’s shot being deflected behind as he entered the area.
Thomas fired a cross-come-shot over the bar as Town continued on the front foot before Kasumu saw an edge-of-the-box effort hit midfielder Saville before looping just over the crossbar.
The came the sucker-punch in the 57th minute. Millwall worked the ball across the pitch to their left side, where Wallace checked back onto his right foot and played a hard cross towards the back post. The initial cross had to be palmed away by Nicholls and when Norton-Cuffy reacted fastest to meet the rebound, our goalkeeper was very unlucky to see his double save end with the ball hitting the Millwall man before dribbling over the line.
Nicholls needed length treatment to an apparent head injury after the goal and that eventually forced him off, with Maxwell replacing him.
At the other end, Ward latched onto another good pass from Rudoni but couldn’t find Burgzorg with his low ball across the face of goal.
Maxwell made a good double save with around 20 minutes to go, coming out to smother a pass played into his area at the feet of a striker before recovering very well to claw away an attempted shot on the follow-up.
Town forced a number of corners and had some territorial pressure as the game played six minutes of added time, with the drama coming in the final minute!
Koroma had been fouled by Jake Cooper wide on the right touchline, allowing Thomas to send the ball into the box again. Sorba’s initial delivery was cleared high into the sky and when it dropped on the edge of the box, Koroma returned it on the volley – only for a defender to handball amongst a crowd of players.
Up stepped Burgzorg and he made no mistake, smashing the ball past the diving goalkeeper for his fifth of the season to secure a point.
Town’s team (3-5-2)
Lee Nicholls (Chris Maxwell, 66’); Tom Lees, Michał Helik, Yuta Nakayama; Sorba Thomas, Jack Rudoni, Jonathan Hogg (c) (Josh Koroma, 79’), David Kasumu, Jaheim Headley; Danny Ward, Delano Burgzorg
Unused substitutes
Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Tom Edwards, Ben Wiles, Josh Austerfield, Loick Ayina, Tom Iorpenda, Michael Stone
Town bookings
Jonathan Hogg (45+1’), Jack Rudoni (71’)
Gate
15,040
Town fans
750
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