Wagner: Ince winner a ‘big step’ to survival
Tom Ince delivered a golden goal in injury time that could be enough towards guaranteeing Huddersfield Town a second season of Premier League football.
As the clock ticked past 90 minutes, substitute Ince applied the finishing touch to a lay-off from centre-half Mathias Jorgensen to score a priceless winner as Watford failed to deal with a long ball into their box.
It was a dramatic end to a frankly dreadful game, but no one in blue-andwhite cared.
The three points moves the Terriers seven points clear of the relegation zone with only four games to go and that is a significant cushion so late into the season.
With a tough run-in, which features games against Everton, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, manager David Wagner knows nothing is assured yet, but he recognised the significance of Ince’s late strike.
“It was a very emotional moment for everyone that supports Huddersfield,” the German said.
“This could be one of the most important in the club’s recent history when Zanka ( Jorgensen) showed that little bit of magic and Incey scored the winner.
“It’s a big step, even though we know the job isn’t done. We have a final in two weeks against Everton, maybe one of the biggest games in the club’s history, and we’ll be ready for it.
“The players who were here last season for the play-off semi-finals and final and penalty shoot-outs know how to deal with these situations.
“If we have one advantage, it’s this – this group has togetherness and desire and that could be enough even if we know we are not the group with the best individuals.”
Such is the tightness in the bottom half of the table, the Terriers are now only two points below Watford, who are not yet mathematically safe either.
The Hornets have taken a single point from their last five matches and have not scored an away goal since January 2, but Head Coach Javi Gracia was cursing his team’s luck.
“The game is being cruel with us,” rued the Spaniard. “Today was an equal game, so to lose in injury time was cruel. They only had one shot on target.
“The players were very concentrated but it wasn’t enough.”
The Terriers’ afternoon had already been boosted before a ball had been kicked following 18th-placed Southampton blowing a two-goal lead to
lose at home to Chelsea, a result that certainly lifted the Huddersfield fans’ spirits.
The home supporters provided loud and vocal backing to cheer their team on, but the football struggled to match the atmosphere.
The closest either team came in the first half was when Abdoulaye Doucoure’s effort for the visitors was deflected into the side netting.
After the interval, the home side were screaming for a penalty when Alex Pritchard went tumbling as Sebastian Prodl came towards him, but Craig Pawson ruled that there had been a dive.
Huddersfield were appealing again soon after as sub Laurent Depoitre tussled with Craig Cathcart to get on the end of Aaron Mooy’s cross, but the referee was again unconvinced.
That contrasted with Wagner, who made his feelings clear to fourth official Michael Oliver.
Having sent off Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon at the end of that dramatic Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday night, Oliver’s hopes of a quieter afternoon were dashed.
Terriers skipper Jonathan Hogg was not far off target late on with a 20-yard daisy cutter but, as the game looked set to peter out, Ince provided the crucial magic moment with just his second league goal of the season.