Defeat at Carrow Road for the Terriers.
- Norwich City 2-0 Huddersfield Town
- Goals from Sam McCallum and Borja Sainz
- A second defeat in seven games for the Terriers
Second half goals from Sam McCallum and Borja Sainz gave hosts Norwich City the win over Town in our final game before Christmas 2023.
Town had defended well in the opening 45 minutes, but the tide turned when McCallum scored just two minutes into the second half, with Borja putting the game to bed.
With Danny Ward missing through an Achilles problem, it was a timely return for Ben Jackson – he came straight back into the side following his own three-game absence with a groin injury. That saw Sorba Thomas move into a front two alongside Delano Burgzorg.
Norwich enjoyed plenty of possession and quite a few corners early on, but their only chance of the opening 10 minutes saw talented Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara forced wide in our area before hitting the outside of our side netting.
The men in black did pose a threat on the break and crafted a good opportunity that went begging in the 20th minute. The ball was worked into the Norwich half for Burgzorg, who turned and drove at the heart of the Canaries defence before slipping a pass left for Jaheim Headley, but he tried to cut inside as he entered the penalty area rather than shooting and the chance went.
Michał Helik came to Yuta Nakayama’s rescue a few minutes later when the Japan international lost possession to Jonathan Rowe, getting across to produce a great sliding block on the winger’s eventual shot from the edge of the box.
However, Helik did foul Spaniard Borja Sainz in the D just outside our penalty area soon after to concede a very dangerous free kick. Thankfully Nakayama repaid the compliment, doing his job to block Sara’s set piece as part of the defensive wall.
Chris Maxwell was back in goal as Lee Nicholls follows concussion protocol, and he was needed to pull off one tremendous save in the 33rd minute. Onel Hernandez managed to squeeze a cross past David Kasumu on our left and found the head of Ashley Barnes, who beat Tom Lees to the ball; thankfully, Maxwell threw himself full to his left side to tip the ball around his post.
Sadly, that defensive work was undone just two minutes into the second half. Norwich forced another corner and although Sara’s initial delivery was cleared to the other side of the pitch, Marcelino Nunez returned it into the Town box with interest for half time substitute Sam McCallum to head across Maxwell and inside the far post.
Norwich had further chances to extend their lead that they initially spurned, with Borja heading wide from a very similar position to the opener before Rowe and Sara tested Maxwell from range.
Another home substitute, Christian Fassnacht, headed over the bar when completely unmarked around six yards out from another Sara cross, but then Norwich did double their advantage in the 73rd minute. Helik got underneath a clearance out of the home defence, allowing Adam Idah to race down our left side. His initial low pass for Ashley Barnes in the penalty area was too long, but Borja Sainz picked it up out wide, took a few steps infield and bent the ball around Maxwell.
Ui Jo Hwang shot just inches wide on the turn as Norwich continued to make the running after the restart before Burgzorg forced Gunn into action with a shot inside the area after good skill and a cross from Jack Rudoni.
Town’s team (3-5-2)
Chris Maxwell; Tom Lees, Michał Helik, Yuta Nakayama; Ben Jackson (Kyle Hudlin, 69’), Jaco Rudoni, Jonathan Hogg (c), David Kasumu, Jaheim Headley; Sorba Thomas, Delano Burgzorg
Unused substitutes
Jacob Chapman; Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Josh Koroma, Brahima Diarra, Ben Wiles, Josh Austerfield, Loick Ayina, Tom Iorpenda
Town booking
Jack Rudoni (45+2’)
Gate
26,067
Town fans
412
