Town have that little bit extra
BIRMINGHAM .... 1 4 ................... TOWN
HUDDERSFIELD Town claimed an extra time victory over Birmingham City to set up an FA Cup fifth round clash against Manchester United.
Che Adams put the hosts in front before Marc Roberts’ own goal sent Town on their way to a comeback victory.
The Premier League side needed an extra 30 minutes to get the job done, but goals from Steve Mounie, Rajiv Van La Parra and Tom Ince ensured Town left the second city still in the world’s oldest cup competition.
Head coach David Wagner made five changes to the side that lost to Manchester United at the weekend, going back to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
Aaron Mooy, Tom Ince and Abdelhamid Sabiri came into the midfield, while Scott Malone slotted into left back as Christopher Schindler dropped out and Terence Kongolo moved into the heart of the defence.
Steve Mounie was preferred to Laurent Depoitre up front, while Jonas Lossl was selected ahead of usual cup keeper Joel Coleman, who was named on the bench.
Before the match, Wagner explained that he understood sections of the home support booing the team after the final whistle at the John Smith’s Stadium, with the expectation of victory on his Premier League team in the first leg.
But the Terriers showed their top flight class early on in the second city, with Malone testing former Brighton keeper David Stockdale with a fiercely-hit drive.
Town – in their red flash kit - continued to dominate the first half, with Sabiri firing wide after intercepting Stockdale’s loose pass upfield – a let off for the hosts, whose only real chance of the first period came through centre back Michael Morrison, who put his header from a corner wide of Lossl’s far post.
Lukas Jutkiewicz – who netted the Blues’ goal in the first leg – had a golden opportunity from a Che Adams cross, but could not generate any power on his header, which looped into the arms of Town’s Danish stopper.
The chance of the half however, fell to Malone.
Three minutes before half time, Moroccan midfielder Sabiri won his header against ex-Brentford captain Harlee Dean, allowing Mounie to burst on to the ball.
After his initial shot was blocked, the ball fell to the former Fulham left back on the left side of the area.
Malone looked to send Stockdale towards the far post before slipping it low inside the near stick, but his finish only found the side netting.
Once again Town’s lack of creativity and clinical ability in the final third came back to haunt them in the second half.
After being outplayed in the first period, the hosts came out the brighter in the second half and went ahead after 52 minutes.
The Blues worked the ball upfield quicklyand into the feet of ex-Sheffield United striker Adams.
The 21-year-old shifted the ball on to his right foot from 20 yards out and drilled low into the corner of the net, giving Lossl no chance.
Town nearly responded immediately through Billing, but his bobbling, left-footed shot from the corner of the area beating both Stockdale and the far post.
The hosts goal lit a fire under the Town men and they were back level after just eight minutes.
A short corner from Mooy was worked out to Quaner on the right of the Town box, who was given space by overlapping substitute Florent Hadergjonaj.
The big German cut back to Ince on the edge of the box, whose firsttime strike was palmed up in the air by Stockdale, before bouncing into the back of the Blues’ net via a sliding Roberts attempting a clearance.
Both Craig Gardner and Quaner went close for their respective sides later in the half, but their thunderous efforts could not break the deadlock.
Ince also tried his luck from distance, but drew a magnificent save from Stockdale, who recovered to produce another fine stop from Malone’s rebound.
Town huffed and puffed in the final 10 minutes, with red shirts pouring forward in search of a winning goal within the alloted 90 minutes.
Man-of-the-match Billing went close with a half-volleyed effort from the edge of the box, before Ince was denied by another superb stop from the impressive Stockdale.
Town couldn’t find that elusive winner however, and were subjected to an extra 30 minutes in Rowley Regis.
The match was settled shortly after the restart by two quick Town strikes. Mounie put Town ahead with a dominant header four minutes into extra time after a superb Malone cross, before Rajiv Van La Parra settled the tie three minutes later with a driven finish past Stockdale after the keeper had denied Ince from close range.
Jeremie Boga, Chris Lowe and Mounie all went close to adding to the scoreline in extra time, but it was Ince who had the final say of the night, driving the ball low into the far corner of the net just 27 seconds into the second half of extra time.
Town will now face Jose Mourinho’s Man United in the fifth round, but all attention will turn to the Premier League this weekend, when the Terriers face a crucial clash against rivals AFC Bournemouth.