Chris loses plenty of claret against the Clarets.. but Terriers have stemmed the flow of defeats

Vokes

BY

BLOODIED Chris Schindler declared his battered nose was back in shape but, more importantly, that Huddersfield are also on the mend.

The German defender surprised everyone at Turf Moor by recovering from the double whammy of a rogue elbow into the face from Sam Vokes followed by a ferocious drive from Ashley Westwood into it.

Huddersfield’s medical team raced onto the pitch and spent five minutes attempting to stem the blood. It was a scene more akin to a boxing arena than a football stadium but Schindler refused to give way, especially because just a couple of minutes earlier he had grabbed a deserved headed equaliser for David Wagner’ (right) and his side – his first Premier League goal.

It also ended a run of three straight defeats which was in danger of making the wild celebrations of the Terriers’ Premier League survival in May seem an eternity away.

So both player and club have picked themselves off the canvas.

Schindler declared: “I got hit by an elbow and it was quite a strong hit. Then the ball was still in play.

“I knew that something was coming down my nose but I wasn’t sure if it was blood or sweat. Then I saw the ball was still in a dangerous area so I got my head on the second ball as well. It was important to stop the bleeding. Because there wasn’t any more serious damage and it wasn’t irritating me, I came back.

“I’ve got pain in the nose now. My nose wasn’t the prettiest before so maybe it’s good for me, maybe it’s back in shape now!”

Wales international Vokes maintained the first hit on Schindler was accidental.

“I was backing in and I caught him with a straight elbow,’’ he said. “I apologised to him afterwards.

“There was nothing intentional. It was just one of those things where you are up against a centre-half.

“I’ve had plenty of them. But I was shocked at what I saw.

“You don’t want to see anyone lying flat down on the ground for that amount of time. I was glad to see him return to the pitch.”

Vokes had given Burnley the lead with a header of his own but in the end they were hanging on for a point following two successive victories.

He admitted: “It was disappointing for us in the end, taking the lead, starting strongly and then fading a bit.

“Huddersfield came on strong, especially in the second half and piled a lot of pressure on.

“Our defensive performance was strong.

“At home we need to be stronger and take the game more to teams like we did against Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago, when we won 4-0, and put that mark on the game.”

The biggest mark in the end was left on brave Schindler’s hooter.