Marley’s the Barn stormer
DAVID WAGNER’S sense of injustice will only give Huddersfield more determination to blow the Championship title race wide open.
The German will spend the build-up to the mouthwatering clash with Newcastle on Saturday wondering how he’s not breathing down the neck of Rafa Benitez’s side.
Even without the injured Nahki Wells, who could recover from a twisted ankle in time for the Toon shoot-out, Huddersfield should have cruised to victory here, but were left with only Michael Hefele’s fifth goal of the season to show for their dominance.
Marley Watkins’ equaliser denied Wagner’s side the chance to end a 35-year wait for seven successive victories and just about keeps Barnsley’s play-off pulse beating – eight points adrift of sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday.
Wagner’s name has been mentioned in connection with the vacancy created by Claudio Ranieri’s sacking at Leicester, but the German is more focused on possibly swapping places with the Premier League champions next season.
He has “bigger things” to achieve with Huddersfield and is likely to rest many of his squad for the FA Cup replay against Manchester City on Wednesday, but knows his side have to be more ruthless to take that step. “Everything was perfect apart from the fact that we wasted four, five or six really good opportunities,” said Wagner.
“Of course we deserved three points. When their goalkeeper is man of the match it tells you all about the game. Our mood is still very positive.”
Adam Davies might have had little chance in keeping out the powerful header from Hefele – who outjumped everyone to meet Aaron Mooy’s corner.
After that he became a one-man barrier to stop Huddersfield running riot, starting with a point-blank save to keep out Izzy Brown, before he followed up with another stop to beat away Mooy’s powerful drive.
“We know Adam’s quality. He is turning into a very consistent keeper. He has made us a lot stronger as a team,” said Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom.
“Huddersfield are a very Possession Shots On Target Shots Off Target Blocked Shots Corners Fouls Conceded Offsides Yellow Cards Red Cards good side. They don’t have the money that Newcastle and Brighton have. They can be right up there too.”
They would be in a better place to strike for automatic promotion, but Davies was in no mood to surrender all three points after sub Adam Hammill’s near-post cross was flicked home by Watkins.
The keeper with the most saves in the Championship this season, added several more to his growing collection.
Collin Quaner’s volley was turned away – after Rajiv van La Parra’s cross picked him out at the far post and sub Jon Gorenc Stankovic was denied by the keeper’s legs.
When Davies was rounded by Brown a combination of Marc Roberts and Angus Mcdonald blocked on the line, before the keeper denied the Huddersfield striker a late winner after Joe Lolley set up another chance 15 yards out. 44% 56% 3 6 3 6 3 6 5 10 11 19 4 2 2 5 0 0