Toon taken to task as Terriers pile on Payne for Benitez
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
Gayle (60)
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 2
Wells (45), Payne (82) JACK PAYNE piled on the misery Newcastle as he led Huddersfield to a shock victory.
In front of a sell- out 52,000 crowd, Huddersfield made it two wins from two to climb to the top of the division and leave Rafael Benitez’s Magpies nursing the wounds of consecutive defeats.
Potent striker Nahki Wells curled David Wagner’s team in front on the stroke of half- time when he was afforded too much freedom in the Newcastle box.
But Dwight Gayle headed his first goal for Newcastle since a summer switch from Crystal Palace just after the hour, even though it came from his own missed penalty, to provide hope.
Huddersfield, who defended strongly throughout, responded by hitting the winner eight minutes from time on the break when sub Payne scored with his first touch to send the travelling supporters into delirium.
Both of these teams had contrasting starts to the season, with title favourites Newcastle losing at Fulham and Huddersfield defeating Brentford on the opening weekend. The confidence that must have given the Terriers was
Jack Payne celebrates with Sean Scannell after hitting the late winner.
clearly evident and they often looked the more dangerous in the first half.
Wells had already had an effort fly a yard over the bar when strike partner Elias Kachunga clipped a post.
Benitez had made four changes to the side that lost at Craven Cottage, with Mohamed Diame, Jonjo Shelvey, Rolando Aarons and Chancel Mbemba all introduced to the starting line-up.
Shelvey was initially influential and often started things off in an attacking sense. From his free- kick, debutant Diame’s header was brilliantly turned behind by keeper Danny Ward. Isaac Hayden headed over from the corner.
But Huddersfield were effective in what they did, so it was not against the run of play when Wells stroked the visitors in front just before half-time.
Rajiv van La Parra was allowed to work his way forward and then feed a ball into the penalty area where Wells, back from injury and allowed too much freedom by Jamaal Lascelles, cleverly applied the low finish beyond keeper Matz Sels.
Benitez, who introduced Matt Ritchie for Rolando Aarons after the break, had to find a way to make Newcastle more dangerous, without a powerhouse centre- forward on the bench in the absence of the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Ritchie, the £ 12m signing from Bournemouth, livened things up down the right and linked well with Daryl Janmaat, but there was still a lack of threat to Ward’s goal, while Joe Lolley was quick to test Sels at the other end.
Newcastle needed a bit of luck and they duly got it when Ritchie’s cross into the area ended up being handled by Mark Hudson in the Huddersfieldbox.
Even though Ward made a low save to stop Gayle’s penalty, the £ 10m striker was in the right place to nod the rebound over the line.
But Huddersfield, just when it seemed Newcastle could find a winner, broke away to retake the lead when Kasey Palmer picked out fellow sub Payne, who took a touch and found the far corner of Sels’ net. Shellschocked Newcastle had no answer.