Carlos: We have right mentality to win the final
HUDDERSFIELD boss Carlos Corberan is convinced his players have ‘the right mentality’ to seal promotion back to the Premier League after their play-off semi-final win against Luton.
Jordan Rhodes’ solitary late goal clinched the Terriers a 1-0 second-leg victory at the John Smith’s Stadium and a 2-1 aggregate triumph.
The Terriers, who were relegated from the top flight in 2019, are now just 90 minutes away from what would be a stunning return to the Premier League.
Corberan, in his second season in charge after joining from Leeds, said: “We knew that having the right mentality and the right character was going to be important if we wanted to reach Wembley.
“First of all, I must congratulate the players and
I’m looking forward to the final.
“Nothing makes me feel more proud than seeing how happy they are and how much they identify with the team.
“We’ll rest in the next couple of days and then we will start working towards that game.”
Luton were unlucky to fall to a late sucker-punch as Rhodes, on as a substitute for the injured Danny Ward, ghosted in at the far post to convert fellow sub Sorba Thomas’ 82nd-minute free-kick.
The Hatters shaded long periods of the second leg, just as they had done in Friday’s first leg at Kenilworth Road, which ended 1-1.
Corberan added: “It was not an easy game and we had to work really, really hard.
“I don’t think there was really a time where we were better than Luton, but we got the special moment from a setpiece.”
HUDDERSFIELD Town are heading to Wembley for a shot at a return to the Premier League after getting the better of Luton Town over two legs thanks to a late Jordan Rhodes goal at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Nathan Jones’ side were firmly on top throughout the first hour but proved unable to put their chances away and were ultimately punished by a set-piece delivery from substitute Sorba Thomas, with Rhodes stealing in at the back post to win the tie for the Terriers.
We waxed lyrical about the season Town have had after they claimed third place with that victory over Bristol City, but it really can’t be said enough – this has been an absolutely phenomenal campaign for everyone at the club!
From the board room to the coaching and supporter staff to the players, they deserve all the credit in the world.
We don’t think it’s a back-handed compliment to say the Terriers were second-best for the majority of the 180 minutes that got them to Wembley, yet still found a way to ensure they got themselves that place in the final on May 29.
It is far from the first time this season they have had to pull themselves out of the mire and make sure they got the job done, and that speaks volumes about their resilience, determination and unshakeable self-belief.
Town fans – and players – have delighted in pointing out that everyone had them written off as relegation fodder at the start of the season, but we doubt many of those same supporters would have had much higher expectations coming into this campaign, or even after the first couple of games of the Championship season.
To reach the play-off final with one of the most inexpensively-assembled sides and lowest wage bills in the division is an incredible level of over-achievement that owes everything to the hard work and ability of the players, coaches and recruitment team.
How fitting that they should claim this victory by overcoming adversity once again.
Saying that, there weren’t many kind words about Town’s performance exchanged in the press room at half-time, and we can only imagine that was echoed in the concourses of the sold-out John Smith’s Stadium and in living rooms around the country.
About the only Town players to emerge with much credit in our book were Lee Nicholls, Levi Colwill, Lewis O’Brien and Duane Holmes. Just like at Kenilworth Road, they were out-matched, outrun and out-thought by Luton, who should have found themselves at least a goal ahead by the break but failed to capitalise on several inviting openings.
Pipa and Jon Russell had particularly poor first halves, with the right wing-back receiving an earful from poor Holmes midway through the first half after committing a needless foul in the Luton half that robbed Town of what would otherwise have been a promising counter-attack.
Meanwhile, after the way we praised Russell for adapting to Luton’s double-team tactics after the break on Friday evening, it was disappointing to see him instead put in a repeat of his ineffectual first-half performance from the first leg.
Both players were better after the break - especially Russell, who suddenly started throwing his weight around in all the right ways and Town were able to start finding their way back into the game, despite Luton taking every single opportunity to foul O’Brien after he had been such an effective ballcarrier in the opening 45 minutes.
The numbers tell the story of the game better than words ever could. The Terriers had won just one out of three tackles in the first half, but won six out of seven in the second half.
They had just four shots in the first 45 minutes, but managed
It really can’t be said enough, this has been an absolutely phenomenal campaign by all at Town