Local hero Jon Stead fired in his first goal since returning to Huddersfield Town to clinch another derby win over Leeds and beamed: “As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t get any better.”
The Huddersfield-born academy product, whose 24 Town goals helped earn him a £1.25m move to Blackburn in February 2004, struck in the 77th minute to clinch a 3-2 victory.
See our match action picture gallery - including Stead's winner - by clicking below
Stead, hampered by a pre-season injury, was handed only a fourth start since rejoining Town in the summer in place of James Vaughan, who was beginning a three-match ban.
All the pre-match talk was of manager Mark Robins’ decision to omit Martin Paterson, Adam Clayton and Anthony Gerrard from his squad.
But by the end of the game, Town supporters in a tickets-issued crowd of 18,309 (there were 3,981 visiting fans), were simply savouring a fifth win in the last nine meetings with Leeds.
It was a first victory in six Championship games and meant Town leapfrogged their neighbours to go ninth in the table.
“It was a huge game and a huge result for us after losing the previous two,” said Stead, 30.
Huddersfield Town 3 Leeds United 2: Examiner match report - click here to read
“I’d never played in a Town-Leeds derby and getting to this stage of your career, you think maybe your big days are behind you.
“Then something like this happens and it just goes straight to the top of the list!”
