Terriers proving the height of fashion
JON RUSSELL and Naby Sarr scored second-half goals to keep alive Huddersfield’s automatic promotion hopes following a stormy encounter against highflying Luton.
After Russell latched onto Pipa’s throw-in to lift the ball into the far corner of Luton’s net for a 59th-minute opener, Elijah Adebayo missed a penalty for the Hatters 10 minutes later.
Substitute Sarr then headed home from a corner in the closing stage to leave Carlos Corberan’s Terriers in third. Huddersfield, still buzzing from their win at Hull 10 days earlier, could have led inside the fifth minute when Lewis O’Brien fired over from Sorba Thomas’ cross.
In the 20th minute Huddersfield threatened again when midfielder Russell hit a well-struck shot from 25 yards which flew narrowly over.
Midway through the half they went close three times in quick succession as Luton’s goal led a charmed life. Luton lost Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu to injury in the 35th minute but threatened soon after when Harry Cornick tested Lee Nicholls with a low shot.
The breakthrough finally came through Russell, then James Bree went down under Danel Sinani’s challenge but Adebayo’s penalty hit the outside of the post.
That sparked a melee and three bookings before Sarr’s far-post header clinched the win.
HUDDERSFIELD (3-4-3): Nicholls 6, Lees 6, Hogg 6, Colwill 6; Pipa 6, Russell 7, O’Brien 8, Toffolo 6; Sinani 7 (Holmes 77), Ward 6 (Sarr 83); Thomas 8 (Rhodes 90).
Goals: Russell 59, Sarr 89.
LUTON (3-4-1-2): Shea 7, Bree 6, Bradley 6, Naismith 6; Onyedinma 6, Mpanzu 6 (Snodgrass 35, 6), Lansbury 6, (Potts 58, 6), Bell 6; Campbell 6; Cornick 6 (Hylton 81), Adebayo 6.