NOW IT’S GOING WELLS, TERRIERS!
Wagner delight as team learns
FROM despair to joy, boss David Wagner was on cloud nine after Huddersfield’s narrow victory against Wolves, calling it one of his happiest days at the club.
Top scorer Nahki Wells struck the game’s only goal as Huddersfield earned back-to-back wins for the first time since Wagner took charge.
And after throwing away a lead late on against Preston just two games ago, Wagner believes his young players showed they have learned swiftly from that experience.
“A few weeks ago, I said it was one of the hardest days since I arrived and, for me, this time it is one of my happiest days,” he said.
“It’s so nice to see this young group learn the right lessons from that experience and show a good reaction. This was very nice to see.
“It was very important that I saw after our game at Preston that, with experience, this very young group will get better.
“It was really hard work, and I think everyone involved with Huddersfield Town can be very proud because it wasn’t easy. It’s nice to see we can be successful on such days.”
Huddersfield had quickly got into their stride, and Wells shot wide after spotting Carl Ikeme off his line on 13 minutes.
The impressive Jamie Paterson went even closer on 21 minutes, cutting inside to unleash a low, leftfooted shot which beat Ikeme but clipped the outside of the post and bounced wide.
Seeing little of the ball, Wolves were reliant on half-chances, and Tommy Rowe blazed one such effort well wide from distance on 29 minutes after Joe Mason’s clever lay-off. The second half continued in much the same way, though Wolves did see a little more of the ball, forcing errors in the Town midfield.
Rajiv van la Parra won possession as Huddersfield tried to play the ball out of defence in the 55th minute, but Bjorn Sigurdarson’s shot deflected wide.
Mason thought he had broken the deadlock on 72 minutes after beating Jed Steer from close range, but the offside flag cut short the visiting fans’ celebrations.
The chance seemed to lift the visitors, and just two minutes later Sigurdarson’s low strike was turned away by Steer at full stretch. Huddersfield responded well though, and substitute Karim Matmour blocked Rowe’s attempted clearance on 76 minutes, before turning the midfielder and shooting just wide across goal.
And Matmour started the move which led to the Terriers’ goal three minutes later too, with a neat passing move ending with Wells scoring from close range.
Harry Bunn should have doubled the lead on 82 minutes, blocking Danny Batth’s clearance to leave him one-on-one with Ikeme, but his attempted chip drifted wide.
Wolves chucked everything forwards in response, but were twice thwarted by Steer in the closing minutes, and Jackett was frustrated.
“In the second period we looked the more likely to win,” he said.
“We put some good pressure on the Huddersfield back four and got ourselves into some good positions.
“It was a very close game, a tough game in competitive conditions, but it is a frustrating day, because the bottom line is we lost.
“It was harsh on the players as they’ve put a lot of effort in. There’s certainly heart and competiveness there.
“Particularly in the second half, I thought we were the stronger team but it comes down to one key moment and Wells put that halfchance away.”