Late QPR equaliser denies Terriers three points.
- Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Huddersfield Town
- Jack Rudoni gives Town a second half lead
- 95th minute equaliser denies us a vital win
A late, late equaliser from QPR defender Kenneth Paal meant that Town only left West London with a share of the spoils in front of the live Sky Sports cameras on Sunday afternoon.
Town enjoyed the better chances in the game and took the lead late on when Jack Rudoni netted his fourth of the season, only for Paal to knee the ball home deep into added time to secure a point for his side.
Moore switched the shape of the team to a 4-2-3-1, introducing Bojan Radulovic in attack for his first start and moving Rhys Healey to the right side, with Sorba Thomas largely on the left in the first half.
The first half was a full-blooded affair between two teams with a lot to play for but lacked in clear goalscoring opportunities.
At one end, Rangers’ athletic forward Sinclair Armstrong was a handful for Helik and Lees, looking to run behind to latch on to balls over the top whilst doing a good job in the physical battle. The close attention he needed led to a booking for Helik early in the game.
In the Rangers box, Town had chances to deliver but couldn’t find the quality delivery needed. Sorba Thomas, on his 100th Sky Bet Championship start, was repeatedly fouled early on, but couldn’t find a teammate in black with his subsequent free kick deliveries.
Thomas did get his delivery right early on from an excellent sixth minute corner, and that led to the game’s first half-chance. Healey got on the end of it at the near post but headed the ball against the shoulder of his marker, with the ricochet flying over the crossbar.
Healey had another headed chance from yet another Thomas set piece midway through the opening 45, but the former Watford man got underneath the ball and was visibly frustrated with himself as his header flew well over.
Nicholls had a tame shot on the turn from Ilias Chair to deal with at the other end, whilst Lees showed his experience by positioning himself perfectly at the near post to cut out Armstrong’s powerful low cross.
The best move of the half came with five minutes to spare from the Terriers. Rudoni drifted over to the right to play a smart one-two with Brodie Spencer that released the Northern Ireland international into space by the touchline; his pullback was perfect for Healey, but the forward’s goal-bound shot was blocked well by a defender.
Town enjoyed the better of the game in the second 45, with Thomas a constant threat down the left with his direct play. He won a corner just two minutes into the second period and when Helik headed his deep corner back across goal, Radulovic’s claims for a penalty fell on deaf ears.
Alex Matos soon had a shot blocked by the resilient home defence, with Jake Clarke-Salter soon doing well again to deny Rudoni a clear attempt from another Thomas cross.
A 55th minute corner then almost led to a carbon copy of Helik’s goal at Blackburn Rovers, but this time the defender flicked the ball inches over the bar under heavy pressure from three defenders.
Sadly, Helik was soon withdrawn through an injury sustained when fouled by midfielder Sam Field, but that handed Radinio Balker his debut in English football.
Tom Lees headed another set piece over after that, at which point QPR had their first chance of the second half. The otherwise excellent Brodie Spencer misplaced a pass out of defence straight to the feet of substitute Elijah Dixon-Bonner, who curled just wide from range.
Radulovic forced Asmir Begovic to tip his header from yet another Thomas cross as normal service was resumed, and then Rudoni had a shot blocked in the area.
Jack Colback then hit a powerful shot from range straight down the throat of Nicholls.
Finally, after considerable territorial pressure, Town broke the deadlock in the 86th minute. Substitute Josh Koroma was fouled by Colback, allowing Thomas to fire the ball deep into the area; Lees knocked it back across and the ball was only half cleared towards Balker. The Dutchman’s volleyed shot hit a defender in the box and fell straight to Rudoni, who took a good touch to steady himself before beating Begovic at close range!
QPR tried to equalise quickly when Chair’s cross was fired over by Armstrong, but it looked like Town may hold out.
In gutting fashion, they did pull level in the fifth minute of seven added when a player was given too much space to cross from our left, allowing left back Paal to stick out his leg and divert the ball into our top corner with his knee.
Town’s team vs Queens Park Rangers (4-2-3-1)
Lee Nicholls; Brodie Spencer (Matty Pearson, 90+8’), Michał Helik (Radinio Balker, 70’), Tom Lees, Ben Jackson; Jonathan Hogg (c), Alex Matos (Josh Koroma, 76’); Rhys Healey, Jack Rudoni, Sorba Thomas; Bojan Radulovic
Unused substitutes
Giosue Bellagambi; Brahima Diarra, David Kasumu, Ben Wiles, Kyle Hudlin, Tom Iorpenda
Town bookings
Michał Helik (17’), Brodie Spencer (90+2’), Bojan Radulovic (90+3’)
Gate
16,483
Town fans
950
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