Huddersfield Town vs Luton Town FC (16th May 2022)

Report | Huddersfield Town 1-0 Luton Town

The Hatters' promotion dream ended at Huddersfield tonight as the Terriers progressed to the play-off final, despite an outstanding performance from Nathan Jones' men.

Jordan Rhodes' goal eight minutes from time was all that separated the sides as more than 2,300 travelling Hatters sang their hearts out, but had to make the long journey home to Bedforshire with pride in a brilliant season, but no Wembley final at the end of it.

Manager Nathan Jones made two changes to the side that started the first leg at Kenilworth Road on Friday night.

Robert Snodgrass came in from the off in place of the injured Henri Lansbury, whilst Danny Hylton started up-front alongside Harry Cornick.

Cameron Jerome was named amongst the substitutes alongside top scorer Elijah Adebayo, who returned to the squad after missing the last three games through injury.

After a couple of early corners, the Hatters had the first sight of goal in the seventh minute when the high press earned reward with Snodgrass winning possession 35 yards out to slip Cornick into the box, but the striker's

Cornick had an even better chance to add to his 13 goal tally four minutes later when Allan Campbell released Kal Naismith on the left. The centre-half's low cross was straight into the former Bournemouth man's path, only for his shot to be kept out by goalkeeper Lee Nicholls' chest.

Snodgrass was next to have a go, James Bree and Cornick combining on the right to tee the ex-Leeds midfielder up for a 20-yard curler that Nicholls punched away, with Amari'i Bell unable to divert his follow-up effort on target.

Huddersfield registered their first effort on goal in the 19th minute, Danny Ward meeting Danel Sinani's cross from the left with a header that flew safely over Matt Ingram's crossbar.

The Hatters were playing with confidence and urgency, suffocating the Terriers into conceding possession inside their own half, and the next oopening came from Bree's angled cross-shot on the half-hour mark, Nicholls again pushing the ball out and needing to be helped behind by a defender.

Huddersfield cleared the first corner behind, but Bree's second delivery from the left was flicked on by Hylton at the near post and somehow mananged to elude both Campbell and Jordan Clark in the six-yard box to run behind for a goal-kick.

Clark fired straight at Nicholls in the 36th minute after he had once again won the ball in the hosts' third, Snodgrass, Cornick and Bell linking up to return the ball to the midfielder to shoot from the edge of the box.

Huddersfield had their first shot on target a minute later when Harry Toffolo waltzed into the Town box, only to find Ingram flying to his left to deny the in-form left-back with a fine save.

The hosts' top scorer Ward was forced off by injury on 41 minutes, to be replaced by veteran forward Rhodes, but it was Town who were once again the more progressive in an attacking sense, Bree testing Nicholls from 25 yards two minutes from the end of a first half in which they had done everything but score.

Huddersfield came flying out of the traps after the break, winning a corner that caused concern in the Hatters' six-yard box, before Sinani delivered a second ball to the far post where Tom Lees headed over the bar.

Sinani had a crack himself on 49 minutes, Ingram saving comfortably down by his near post, and the Hatters were soon on the attack again, Campbell crossing from the right for Bell to head narrowly wide at the other end.

Clark became the first into ref Peter Bankes' notepad just before the hour for a sliding challenge on Rhodes, before Naismith followed suit moments later for a foul on Sorba Thomas, soon after the Terriers sub had been introduced.

Huddersfield had the ball in the net on 65 minutes when Lees met Thomas' free-kick with a firm header, but ref Bankes had already blown for an infringement on the edge of the box.

Jerome, on in place of Hylton, headed a Snodgrass free-kick a foot wide with 20 minutes to go. The veteran forward then slipped Cornick in on the right side of the area for another angled drive that Nicholls parried into Bree's direction, but the ball wouldn't come down for the right-back to fire at goal.

Huddersfield drove forward at the other end, with Ingram making a fine double save before surviving a penalty shout for a tangle with Toffolo as the Terriers defender tried to pounce on the loose ball.

The Yorkshire side finally broke the deadlock with eight minutes to go when Thomas delivered another curling free-kick into the box and Rhodes steered the ball in at the far post.

It was enough to book the Terriers' place at Wembley, with the Hatters left to reflect on a night of missed opportunities, but a campaign in which every single member of the squad, staff and club as whole has done Luton Town proud.

COYH!

Nathan Jones' reaction to Huddersfield loss

Nathan Jones said his overwhelming emotion was pride after a late defeat in the play-off semi-final second leg against Huddersfield Town this evening.

Jordan Rhodes scored the only goal of the game in a tight encounter at the John Smith’s Stadium but the Welshman was keen to take the positives from what has been a brilliant season.

“Really disappointed but it is just overshadowed by the pride I have for the football club and how we’ve gone about it,” he told BBC Three Counties Radio. "We were outstanding tonight, we were the better team and we showed have won. We had better chances, more corners, just couldn’t find the opening.

“It’s heart-breaking because we can clear the ball and we don’t. We give the foul away and then they scored with the way they know best with a set play. Congratulations to them but I’m so proud of our team tonight, we should have won the game.

“I thought we were outstanding, thought we were excellent. Tactically we were superb, we were aggressive and we pressed.”

Lastly on the season as a whole, Jones said: “It has been superb, I am so proud of them and how we’ve gone about our work and everything. We will be better from this, we will come back and learn and we will go again.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mdb2Hcd0Nw – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwnV3qKndsg – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UhtdlESspw – Cameron Jerome interview

Luton's Premier League dream is over as missed chances cost them dear in Huddersfield play-off defeat

Championship play-off semi-final second leg: Huddersfield Town 1 Luton Town 0

Luton Town cruelly paid the price for missed chances as a late goal from the experienced Jordan Rhodes saw the Hatters' dreams of reaching the Premier League ended as Huddersfield reached the play-off final at Wembley later this month.

With the Hatters having the better of the opportunities throughout the contest, particularly first half, they just couldn't take them and were hit with a sucker punch just nine minutes from time, Rhodes sliding in at the back post to convert Sorba Thomas's free kick for what proved to be the winner.

Earlier, Town had made two changes for the game, with Danny Hylton and Robert Snodgrass replacing the injured Henri Lansbury and Cameron Jerome, who dropped to the bench.

There he was joined by top scorer Elijah Adebayo, who had recovered sufficiently from his hamstring injury to take his place among the substitutes.

The hosts also made two alterations, Pipa and Levi Colwill in for Ollie Turton and Naby Sarr, who scored against the Hatters in the league fixture here last month.

After having to weather some early pressure, the Hatters had the best opening on seven minutes, Snodgrass slipping Harry Cornick through on the left, but on his weaker foot, he couldn't get a decent connection, scuffing well wide.

It was to unfortunately prove a theme, when a quick free kick saw Cornick escape on the right, but this time the Terriers defence were back in time to block.

While just 11 minutes, the Town forward had his best opportunity, and one he simply had to score, all coming from Hylton nicking the ball off Duane Homes.

Allan Campbell picked out the run of Kal Naismith on the left and his pinpoint cross was perfect for the unmarked attacker to tap home, but unfortunately for him, he sidefooted straight at Lee Nicholls, who didn't know much about the save, when either side and the visitors were in front.

Still Luton remained on the front foot, a glorious crossfield pass by Naismith picking out James Bree, with the ball fed back to Snodgrass. He went for goal from 20 yards, with Nicholls unconvincingly parrying his shot, the ball hitting Amari'i Bell and going wide.

With 18 gone, the hosts, who played plenty of neat football up until the penalty area, created a first chance of note, top scorer Danny Ward stooping to direct his header from Danel Sinani's cross over the top.

Still the Hatters remained the team that looked the more likely though, a clever throw-in releasing Bree in the area and his cross-shot was palmed aside by Nicholls, the ensuring corner missed by Hylton and flicking Campbell, dropping inches wide.

Clark was next to go close on 37minutes, taking his effort from outside the box early as Nicholls comfortably collected, before the Terriers then had their best opening, a wonderful mazy run from Harry Toffolo seeing him beat a host of visiting defenders, to face up Ingram, the Luton stopper making a big one-handed save.

The hosts were hit by an injury five minutes before the break, top scorer Ward forced off and the Rhodes replacing him.

Luton still couldn't get the goal their first half display totally deserved, Bree sending one in from 20 yards, but yet again, it was straight at Nicholls who had no trouble in gathering.

The final action of the first period saw Sinani curl a free kick wastefully wide as a goal for the hosts at that juncture would have been bitterly undeserved.

As expected, the Terriers, no doubt having been given a rocket by manager Carlos Corbwean started at a lively pace, winning an early corner, Bell getting in the way of one header, the next nodded over by Tom Lees.

Now looking a difference side, Sinani had a pop from range, Ingram saving low down as the home fans responded to what they were seeing, Town having to stand firm in the face of some severe pressure.

Jones' men did just that though and got a foothold themselves once more, a good move on the right seeing Campbell stretch to cross and Bell's header, which looked to have come off a defender, inches wide of the target.

With Clark and Naismith booked in quick succession, the latter gave away a free kick that the Terriers thought they had broken the deadlock from, Tom Lees guiding his header into the bottom corner, but thankfully for Luton, the whistle had already gone for a foul on Bradley, and the goal was chalked off.

And end to end encounter saw Cornick's curler bounce off the head of a covering defender and go wide, while as he had done in the first leg, Naismith was almost the provider again, delivering another terrific set-piece that Jerome, now on for Hylton, directed the wrong side of the post.

Cornick had yet another opening on 72 minutes, set free by Jerome, as his shot was parried by Nicholls, Bree unable to turn the rebound in and Clark's fizzing follow up blocked.

Huddersfield transferred play up the other end and Sorba Thomas low shot was saved by Ingram, who then got across his line to prevent a follow up cross headed in.

However, the keeper spilt the ball in the process and clearly fouled the lurking Toffolo, extremely unlucky not to give away a penalty, referee Peter Bankes somehow waving the appeals away, much to the chagrin of the majority of the John Smith's Stadium.

Ingram was then more positive with his next action, off his line to punch clear, but with Luton initially looked to run the ball away from danger, Bree then clipped his man for a free kick that was to prove crucial.

Thomas took it and and Rhodes got clear at the back post from the attentions of Bell to slide in at the far post and break Town hearts.

In the closing stages, Carlos Mendes Gomes came on for a late cameo, as Pipa's blast was over the top, while a clearly unfit Adebayo had the final seconds, but the Terriers saw out the final moments, with the full time whistle sparking a pitch invasion as the Hatters were beaten.

Terriers: Lee Nicholls, Harry Toffolo, Jonathan Hogg ©, Lewis O'Brien, Duane Holmes (Naby Sarr 85), Pipa, Danel Sinani (Sorba Thomas 61), Danny Ward (Jordan Rhodes 41), Levi Colwill, Tom Lees, Jon Russell.

Subs not used: Tino Anjorin, Jamal Blackman, Carel Eiting, Naby Sarr, Josh Ruffels.

Hatters: Matt Ingram, James Bree, Reece Burke (Carlos Mendes Gomes 86), Sonny Bradley ©, Kal Nasmith, Amari'i Bell, Robert Snodgrass, Allan Campbell, Jordan Clark, Danny Hylton (Cameron Jerome 65), Harry Cornick (Elijah Adebayo 89).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Dan Potts, Tom Lockyer, Peter Kioso.

Bookings: Clark 59, Naismith 65, Jerome 81.

Referee: Peter Bankes.

'Gutted' Hatters boss felt Town were the 'better side' in Terriers loss

Reaction from Luton chief to play-off defeat

Town boss Nathan Jones felt his side were the better team during their play-off second leg exit at the hands of Huddersfield Town this evening.

Following a game in which the Hatters had the best chances, the more shots, more efforts on target and the most corners, they paid a heavy price for not taking them, Jordan Rhodes alert to turn in Sorba Thomas’s free kick with just nine minutes remaining.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “I’m really proud, I’m gutted and disappointed as we were the better team tonight.

“We were outstanding, the performance we put on, we had more opportunities, more clear-cut opportunities, more corners, it’s just one thing we switch off from.

“We should have cleared it, we didn’t, we give the foul away, then they score, they do it well, fair play to them and credit to them, but we were the better side tonight and we were outstanding.

“I’m really proud of my group, proud of how we’ve gone about everything, it’s just a tinge of disappointment, but that’s masked with masses of pride.

“Apart from a goal, it’s a top performance.

“They’re a difficult side to play against, they’re tactically very aware, the manager gets lauded for being outstanding tactically, we were better tonight, all over the pitch we were better.

“We created more, more set-plays, it’s just they provided one bit of quality which we didn’t and in terms of manager, in terms of tactically, in terms of everything, we were outstanding, and we’ve had to contend with so, so much.

“We’ve had eight players out, pace, power, game-changers, they bring Sorba Thomas on and to be fair, he makes the difference.

"I we have Fred Onyedinma, if we have Elijah (Adebayo) fit, if we have Luke Berry, if we have Pelly-Ruddock (Mpanzu), Gabe Osho, you’re talking about top end athletes there.

“Maybe we could have overpowered them, but that’s the thing we’ve had, but so proud of the group.”