‘HARD WORK IS MAKING TEAM TICK’ SAYS FIRST-TEAM COACH

DAVID WAGNER is reflecting on a hat trick of firsts as Huddersfield Town approach the halfway stage of the Championship campaign.

His side’s 2-1 triumph at Norwich City on Friday in game number 22 of the 46-match programme was Town’s first at Carrow Road since 1969/70, the last season the club won promotion from the second tier.

It was their first win of the season in front of the Sky cameras, after home defeats by Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan Athletic.

And it was the first time Town, who are fourth in the standings, have taken all nine points from a three-game week.

The previous tallies, in chronological order, were seven points, six, six and three.

And Wagner, whose side have 39 points overall as they prepare to host Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, is delighted with the last three results.

Before Norwich, Town beat Bristol City 2-1 at home the previous Saturday and Burton Albion 1-0 away last Tuesday.

“This was our chance to get nine points from a three-game week for the first time this season, and we took it,” said the head coach.

“At the start of the season, we had seven points out of such a week (a win at Newcastle United, draw at Aston Villa and win at home to Barnsley), but never nine.

“With games at Burton and Norwich, the amount of travel was my biggest worry. How would group react after so many miles?

“We also had the issue of a problem with the bus at Burton, when we instead had to go back to Huddersfield in taxis.

“I was a little bit unsure exactly how the group would react. I know they are fit, but how fresh would they be?

“But our recovery and regeneration strategies had an effect. The lads looked fit, fresh and quick at Norwich.”

Wagner added: “I think rotation helped as well.

“We had four fresh players on grass at Burton, five at Norwich, so there were new faces in both games. “It was an outstanding week for us.” Forest are 17th after a 2-0 home defeat by Wolves. ANDREW HUGHES says hard work is the starting point for everything at Huddersfield Town whether on or off the pitch.

And the first-team coach, recruited during the close-season to work alongside boss David Wagner and his assistant Christoph Buhler, couldn’t be happier about it.

Wagner has praised Hughes, who worked at Crystal Palace, Rotherham United and Bolton