The finale to Huddersfield Town’s latest win was far nervier than it need have been, because they were the better side for long periods of their eighth game of the Championship campaign.
A sixth victory and fourth in four matches on home turf was richly deserved and the perfect way to bounce back from last Tuesday’s disappointing first league defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion.
A loss was always going to come, and the big question going into this clash was how would David Wagner’s side respond?
The answer was pretty positively.
There were times when Queens Park Rangers looked in a real quandary over how to deal with the industry, energy and at times swagger of Town’s play.
The only frustrations were that their dominance didn’t bring a greater winning margin and that the visitors were able to pull a goal back after Kasey Palmer, in the 14th minute, and Elias Kachunga, in the 62nd, put the home side two to the good.
Substitute Idrissa Sylla’s 77th-minute response, which completed as trio of headed goals in an entertaining game, came with Town defender Tommy Smith off the pitch after taking a knock in a collision with his own captain Mark Hudson.
The Londoners, themselves desperate to take something back from West Yorkshire after their 6-0 home drubbing by Newcastle United, had a lifeline.
But with right-back Smith back on the field and Wagner using his three available substitutions to good effect (he brought on Dean Whitehead for Palmer, Harry Bunn for Rajiv van La Parra and Michael Hefele for Nahki Wells), Town stood firm to claim a first win in seven meetings with Rangers.
Doug Thomson and Blake Welton speak about the first half, when Town led 1-0:
Wagner’s side took a little while to find their rhythm, but went on to boss the first half, leading to two changes at the start of the second half by visiting manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who having played 4-4-1-1 against Newcastle, matched Town’s 4-2-3-1.
Town handed only a second start to Palmer, who came in for Jack Payne at No10 and made the most of his chance.
The rangy teenager, on loan from Chelsea, was lively throughout, and it was good to see him claim his second goal of the season.
Kachunga and Rajiv van La Parra took the wide berths either side of Palmer, with Nahki Wells restored to the frontline slot (Bunn dropped to the bench).
It was van La Parra who supplied the delivery for Palmer’s close-range nod in.
The first ball into the danger area had come from Smith, and his good work was finally rewarded when he claimed the assist for Kachunga’s third goal of the season, also headed past former Town keeper Alex Smithies.
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Kachunga had earlier had the ball in the back of the net, only to have his shot disallowed for offside, when Wells had a decent-looking penalty shout for handball by centre-back Grant Hall turned down by Wiltshire whistler Simon Hooper, who overall had a decent game.
Town had other opportunities too, and with Newcastle United and Barnsley both beaten, the three points puts them two in front of Norwich City, who are now second.
Barnsley, third beforehand, fell foul of Reading, who are now up to seventh and will be targeting successive Yorkshire scalps when Town visit the Madejski Stadium on Saturday.
Berkshire beckons, and another intriguing match is in store.
