HUDDERSFIELD LATE SHOW
SIMON GRAYSON is not a man antagonised easily. The Preston boss is happy-go-lucky and does his job with a grin. But not yesterday.
The sense of injustice was just too much for him to handle. Referee Lee Probert faced the music and it was no melody.
Grayson was furious, directing his anger right into Probert’s face as the Premier League official walked off. There may be repercussions for that, but a disgraceful decision settled this game in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
At 2-2, the visitors had cleared their lines, ready to leave West Yorkshire with a creditable point. Huddersfield had the ball on halfway but were not threatening.
Then the whistle blew. The John Smith’s Stadium stopped, confused. Huddersfield’s Elias Kachunga was on the floor. Preston’s Jordan Hugill stood over him. Hugill had fallen into Kachunga with the ball 30 yards away. Probert headed for the penalty area and pointed to the spot, without consulting his linesman. Aaron Mooy stepped up and saw his kick saved, but Collin Quaner pounced on the rebound.
Fans spilled on to the turf to celebrate a winner that breathes fresh life into Huddersfield’s promotion push after three defeats from their last four games.
And the chaos continued into the tunnel, with Huddersfield assistant manager Andy Hughes and Preston coach Steve Thompson coming to blows.
‘I’ve spoken to the players and the referee, and looked at the footage,’ a calmer Grayson said later. ‘There’s absolutely nothing in it.
‘Something went off before that, both players got up, Kachunga turned to Jordan, walked across him, stopped, then Jordan’s gone in the back of him.
‘I don’t go and see referees that often but when I do it’s because I’ve got a genuine complaint. I’ve been in and he’s said he’s pushed and stamped on him from behind. The video clearly shows that Jordan hasn’t done that.
‘He must have some decent vision to see that. I’ve never seen a decision as frustrating as that. If we’d lost by them playing really well, then I’d accept it.’
Preston took the lead midway through the first half courtesy of Aiden McGeady’s thumping 20-yard effort, which arrowed into the top corner before Huddersfield goalkeeper Danny Ward could even contemplate diving. Huddersfield were level three minutes before the break when Preston goalkeeper Chris Maxwell aimlessly threw a hand at Mooy’s corner and the unmarked Kachunga only had to keep his header down.
The visitors lacked an organiser after captain Tom Clarke was forced off with an achilles injury. Grayson fears it will end the defender’s season.
Huddersfield led with 20 minutes remaining, their high-risk ethos at its expansive best when Nahki Wells switched play from left to right.
Buccaneering right back Tommy Smith — an auxiliary winger — met the volley, skewing across goal for substitute Jack Payne to head in. No Preston player came close to preventing the electrifying move.
Preston were level in the 79th minute, with Hugill heading in from Tom Barkhuizen’s clever cross after industrious work by Daniel Johnson.
Hugill then missed a presentable chance to win it before clumsily walking into Kachunga, who maintained he had been trodden on.
Those who had not witnessed this might be quick to mark Hugill as the villain, but that is reserved for Probert.
It did not matter to winning boss David Wagner, who said: ‘Our style, so energetic, we did a lot of things right. It was a great performance.
‘ They gave themselves a mountain to climb but they climbed it. They showed me with the body language they were still in it. I’m very proud.’