Holmes brace compounds Swans misery
Huddersfield tear up form book
SWANSEA’ S charge towards promotion was spectacularly derailed as Huddersfield shredded the Championship’s form guide at the John Smith’s Stadium.
This was an away banker if ever there was one in this most erratic of divisions: Huddersfield the only team without a win in 2021, Swansea unbeaten in the league in more than two months and boasting the meanest of defences.
Yet it was over as a contest with more than a third of it to run when, with all five substitutes used, on-loan American forward Jordan Morris was carried off with a serious-looking knee injury.
Players from both teams urged medical staff on to the pitch after Morris’ left leg gave way when he got the ball stuck under his feet — and it was placed into a full brace during a six-minute stoppage.
‘It didn’t look good. He’s on crutches and is in a lot of pain, so we have our fingers crossed for him but it will take a day or two to find out the full extent of what he’s done,’ said Swansea manager Steve Cooper.
The Swans had emerged from the dressing room with the game’s momentum on their side following a delicious free-kick from Conor Hourihane in first-half injury time t hat cancelled out a bobbling Fraizer Campbell shot that went in off the post midway through the period.
But a sizzling 10- minute spell from a home team plunging towards the relegation zone since the start of the year turned the game on its head.
Duane Holmes scored a brace, his first goals since returning to the club from Derby last month, the second of which was worthy of winning any game.
Lewis O’Brien had given the free-kick away from which Hourihane equalised, but redeemed himself by nutmegging Swansea captain Matt Grimes in midfield and then rejoining a flowing move to sweep home from the edge of the area via a deflection.
Then came Holmes’ two- goal salvo. He took a deft pass from Aaron Rowe in his stride to apply a composed finish, and then notched a second when he stepped off the left-hand touchline, drove infield and curled into the top corner from 25 yards.
‘ After they scored, the team pl ayed with a great l evel of determination and courage, and a lot of quality from the players that can make a difference at the front,’ said Huddersfield manager Carlos Corberan.
‘In those moments when you have negative experiences, you can have doubts but for me in these type of moments the confidence of the players, their personalities and determination is key.’
Victory would have sent Swansea two points clear of Brentford and Watford with two matches in hand in the automatic promotion race, but the uncharacteristic collapse — they had conceded just 15 goals i n 2 8 matches previ o usl y — provided a chastening trip home to south Wales.
‘ We didn’t do the basics well enough,’ bemoaned Cooper. ‘When we had he ball we didn’t play with enough purpose, didn’t take enough care of it and defensively we were just too passive. It’s cost us the game.’