TOWN GO CLOSE BUT JUST CAN’T FIND CLINICAL BREAK
TOWN were frustratingly held by 10-man Swansea City at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Striker Jordan Ayew was sent off in the 11th minute for a reckless tackle on Town skipper Jonathan Hogg, leading to Swansea camping in their own half for the remaining 79 minutes.
The frustrating draw keeps Town 15th in the league as Newcastle United move ahead and West Ham United drop below the Terriers.
Head coach David Wagner made three changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur, with Aaron Mooy returning from injury to take the place of Danny Williams in the heart of midfield.
Scott Malone was named at left back after Terence Kongolo picked up a knock at Wembley, and Tom Ince was preferred to Collin Quaner, who was withdrawn after 33 minutes at the national stadium.
Town started the game the quicker of the two sides, defending on the front foot and keeping hold of the ball well.
Two half-chances came in the first 10 minutes, with Tom Ince mis-hitting a shot in the area and Steve Mounie firing wide from six yards under pressure from Alfie Mawson, after Alex Pritchard played him in.
Swansea couldn’t keep up with the frenetic pace Town had set in the early exchanges and the visitors’ day was made drastically more difficult after 11 minutes.
Jordan Ayew tried to bring a long ball under control despite the best efforts of Mathias Jorgensen behind him, with his cushioned chest bouncing equidistant between the Ghana international and Hogg.
The Swansea striker stretched for the ball, but went over the top and caught Town’s skipper on the knee.
Referee Michael Oliver consulted fourth official Jon Moss and showed Ayew a straight red card, much to the appreciation of the Town support.
Christopher Schindler went close for Town shortly after the dismissal, nodding a Rajiv van La Parra cross narrowly over the bar, after beating defenders in the air.
Strangely, the early red card seemed to hinder Town, who now had to break down a Swansea side unconcerned with going forward.
Town struggled to create with 10 of Carlos Carvalhal’s men standing between the ball and Lukasz Fabianksi’s net, despite heading into the break with 80 per cent of possession.
The final real opportunity of the half came through a flicked Mounie header, but despite part of the Britannia Rescue Stand celebrating, it flashed just over the corner of the goal frame.
The second half followed the same storyline as the first: Town pushing forward and Swansea