Roy is Bak in business

HODGSON’S FIRST WIN

BAKARY SAKO ended his personal goal drought stretching back more than two years to finally get Crystal Palace back among the goals.

The Mali forward scored his first since August 2015, and his team’s first in 289 minutes of football, to hand struggling Palace their first win under new boss Roy Hodgson.

Sako didn’t wait long to take his chance, heading in the opener in the 13th minute from an Andros Townsend corner, very carelessly given away by Huddersfield.

A stray pass by Philip Billing was picked off by Chung Yong Lee and the Terriers only just managed to clear the ball but were made to pay from the resulting set-piece.

Comfortable

The away side almost fashioned an immediate response when Florent Hadergjonaj, making his debut at fullback, cut the ball back to striker Elias Kachunga but he flicked his shot over.

Terriers boss David Wagner made nine changes to his team but they slowly grew into the game and began to pin Palace back.

On their visit here on the opening day of the season they had won 3-0, setting the two clubs on paths leading in very different directions.

It was Palace needing a win more desperately last night and Hodgson handed a first start to Mamadou Sakho since his £26m move from Liverpool.

Jeffrey Schlupp tested Huddersfield keeper Joel Coleman’s reflexes towards the end of a first half lacking in real chances, but he made a comfortable save. The omens had not been good for Palace – they had lost their previous three League Cup ties against top-flight opponents.

But Sako had given them something to cling on to and the home fans were in full voice as the Eagles went in 1-0 up at the break.

Wagner, standing stony-faced in his dugout, arms folded, clearly had not liked what he had seen from his side, who failed to force Julian Speroni into a meaningful first-half save.

But while Hodgson sent on Pape Souare for the second half for his first appearance since his car crash more than a year ago, Wagner made no changes.

Rajiv van La Parra made Speroni work with an optimistic shot from outside the box as the visitors tried to force the issue.

It was hardly an onslaught but Palace still looked a team low on confidence, happy to retreat deeper and deeper into their shell.

Kachunga slowly began to look more dangerous, having a shot blocked and then shooting wide, before Speroni saved well down to his right from Tom Ince.

There was a shoot-on-sight policy from Wagner’s men after that but they couldn’t find a way through.