Huddersfield Town vs Luton Town FC (7th Nov 2020)

Match Report | Huddersfield Town 1-1 Luton Town

Moncur scores his first of the season but the points are shared...

The Hatters picked up a point in a 1-1 draw against Huddersfield Town in the Sky Bet Championship this afternoon.

George Moncur had given Town the lead in the 21st minute with a volley inside the area but Carel Eiting levelled for Huddersfield in the second period.

The Hatters now head into the two-week international break in 10th position, having accrued 17 points from 11 matches thus far.

Manager Nathan Jones made two changes following Wednesday’s 1-0 victory against Rotherham United, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall coming back into the starting line-up.

The Hatters started well, and Harry Cornick tested Ben Hamer from distance early on, but his left-footed strike was easily gathered.

The next meaningful attempt resulted in the opening goal, courtesy of Moncur. Dewsbury-Hall directed his free-kick towards Sonny Bradley, who headed the ball across the box and Moncur steered his volley into the back of the net.

It was a smart finish from the former Barnsley man – who scored his first goal of the season and eighth goal in just his 12th start since joining in January 2019.

Huddersfield had a couple of chances to get themselves back into the contest, first Josh Koroma shot straight at Simon Sluga but a minute later had the ball in the back of the net, before it was ruled out for offside.

Adama Diakhaby went close just before half-time as his shot deflected off Martin Cranie and the Croatian international reacted quickly to turn the ball behind for a corner.

Huddersfield continued their forward momentum in the second period and equalised on the hour mark.

Harry Toffolo crossed high into the box and Eiting, unmarked, directed a header into the top corner to level proceedings.

James Bree made his first appearance following an injury sustained against Derby County in September and he crossed well for James Collins, but the balled eluded him and Kazenga LuaLua as Town aimed to re-gain the lead.

Neither side could muster up a meaningful chance on goal, despite six minutes being added on at the end of the 90.

The result means Town are unbeaten in their last three Championship away matches and unbeaten in Yorkshire in 15 months, after the draw this afternoon extended that feat to eight matches.

Town: Sluga, Pearson, Rea, Bradley (C), Cranie; Mpanzu, Dewsbury-Hall, Cornick (LuaLua 73), Berry (Tunnicliffe 77), Moncur (Bree 60); Collins.

Subs not used: Shea, Hylton, Lee, Norrington-Davies.

Goals: Moncur (21)

Yellows: Bradley, Rea, Cranie, Collins, LuaLua

Huddersfield: Hamer, Pipa (Duhaney 90), Stearman, Sarr, Toffolo; Hogg (C), O’Brien, Eiting; Diakhaby (Schindler 67), Koroma (Ward 82), Campbell

Subs not used: Pereira, Mbenza, Brown, Daly.

Goals: Eiting (60)

Yellows: Koroma

Referee: Oliver Langford

Nathan Jones' reaction to draw against Huddersfield Town

The gaffer reflects on a good four-point week for the Hatters...

Manager Nathan Jones reflected on today’s 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town in a positive manner after picking up four points on the road this week.

Town led in the 21st minute courtesy of George Moncur’s first goal of the season in just his second start of the campaign, before Carel Eiting levelled for the hosts in the second period.

The Hatters now head into the two-week international break in 10th position and the gaffer was happy with what he saw from his players this afternoon.

“Definitely a good point, to come here, two years they were a Premier League side, we come up against teams like these week-in, week-out. Not only that, they had an extra day's rest which is a vital factor and I think second half we just ran out of steam a little bit.

“We looked a little bit tired second half but four points on the road, that’s what you have to remember. It is not just the point we had today but four points on the road and I would have taken that at the beginning of the week.

“Really delighted, proud of the work rate, proud of the desire to get a result and as I said, ideally would have loved three points but we always do.

“People are putting in massive shifts, people like Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley, Martin Cranie. They’ve played so many 90 minutes, Pelly-Ruddock, it has taken its toll and then it waters down.

“We would have loved to have had a real sharpness about us second half, but we are just repeating games, games and games. We needed to get to this point.

"If someone had said to me after Saturday’s game you are going to get four points on the road, be where you are in this international break, we would have taken that all day long.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fASomWX7P5Q – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz2yC7UzDY8 – match highlights

Moncur nets his first goal in almost a year as Hatters hold Terriers

Championship: Huddersfield Town 1 Luton Town 1

George Moncur's first goal for the club in almost a year saw Luton Town pick up a hard-fought and battling point against Huddersfield Town this afternoon.

It had looked like the visitors were on their way to a fourth 1-0 win out of four in Yorkshire this season, Moncur's strike separating the sides at half time, but the Terriers hit back in the second period to equalise, no more than their efforts deserved.

Town boss Nathan Jones made two changes, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu coming back into the side after his impressive second half display during Wednesday night's 1-0 win at Rotherham United, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall returning too.

They replaced Ryan Tunnicliffe, who dropped to the bench, where he was joined by Danny Hylton and the fit-again Rhys Norrington-Davies, Joe Morrell missing out completely.

Moncur also kept his place, starting a second successive league game for only the second time since signing for the club back in January 2019.

The visitors looked to carry on from where they left off in midweek, as a crossfield surge by Moncur found Harry Cornick out on the right, who cut on to his left foot and fired at Ben Hamer from the edge of the box.

Huddersfield attacker Josh Koroma had a sighter after being picked out from a corner, his volley well blocked by the recalled Mpanzu.

Koroma was then lucky to stay on as after being booked for fouling Cornick, he slid in recklessly on Mpanzu, but official Oliver Langford, who has proved he isn't afraid to dish out a yellow, kept his cards in his pocket.

Luton took the lead on 21 minutes though, when Dewsbury-Hall swung a free kick into the box, Sonny Bradley meetting it at the far post, with Moncur timing his run perfectly to expertly dispatch a volley beyond Hamer for his first goal since scoring the last-minute winner against Wigan on December 7, 2019.

The hosts started to threaten a leveller as the half progressed, Lewis O'Brien dispossessing Bradley and after bursting into the area, sliced wildly and waywardly off target.

Terriers went close once more on 36 minutes, Matty Pearson losing his footing, and Koroma's sidefooted attempt from 10 yards too close to Sluga.

Huddersfield's leading scorer did have the ball in the net moments later, but a linesman's flag saw the goal chalked out for offside.

Adama Diakhaby's effort was put behind by a combination of Martin Cranie and Sluga, as Town were being pegged back, the hosts' forwards beginning to find pockets of space in and around the area.

They couldn't find a way through through, meaning Luton swapped ends with their noses in front, despite stats revealing they had just 29 per cent possession in the opening period.

After the break, Koroma, who was the hosts danger man, had two glimpses of goal, heading over at the far post when Diakhaby's cross reached him, and then shooting against Glen Rea after getting the better of Pearson.

Terriers had shouts for a penalty when Naby Sarr went over when sandwiched by Pearson and Cranie, although there was nothing doing for official Langford.

With an hour gone, Huddersfield had the equaliser they deserved on the hour mark after a good move on the left saw Harry Toffolo dink a cross into the box where an unmarked Eiting directed his header back across Sluga and into the corner of the net.

As the half wore on, Jones brought on James Bree for his first league outing since mid-September, replacing goalscorer Moncur as Luton look to gain a foothold in the encounter once more, the full back looking to have lost none of his form during his time out injured, also importantly keeping Toffolo from being an attacking threat as well.

Kazenga LuaLua also entered the fray for the tiring Cornick in a bid to keep the Terriers' back-line on their toes, while a head injury forced Luke Berry off for Tunnicliffe in the final 12 minutes.

In stoppage time, the visitors almost nicked a winner, LuaLua spinning his man on the left hand side, sending over a cross that Collins could only divert over the bar.

Even later, Frazier Campbell found some space in the area, but his shot that was heading wide, was smothered by Sluga.

Although the result ended Town's complete dominance in Yorkshire this term, it still kept up their impressive showings in the county, now with seven wins, two draws and just one defeat since returning to the Championship.

Hatters did actually drop a place in the table though, now 10th, but still just two points off the play-off places, ahead of a welcome fortnight off before hosting Blackburn Rovers after the international break.

Terriers: Ben Hamer, Pipa (Demeaco Duhaney 90), Harry Toffolo, Jonathan Hogg ©, Lewis O'Brien, Adama Diakhaby (Christopher Schindler 66), Richard Stearman, Carel Eiting, Josh Koroma (Danny Ward 82), Fraizer Campbell, Naby Sarr.

Subs not used: Joel Pereira, Isaac Mbenza, Jaden Brown, Matt Daly.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Matty Pearson, Martin Cranie, Glen Rea, Sonny Bradley ©, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Luke Berry (Ryan Tunnicliffe 76), George Moncur (James Bree 60), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Harry Cornick (Kazenga LuaLua 72), James Collins.

Subs not used: James Shea, Elliot Lee, Danny Hylton, Rhys Norrington-Davies.

Booked: Bradley 10, Koroma 15, Rea 28, Cranie 39, Collins 84, LuaLua 89.

Referee: Oliver Langford.

Luton boss felt Terriers striker Koroma should have been sent off in 1-1 draw

Jones thought Huddersfield attacker deserved a second yellow card

Hatters chief Nathan Jones felt Huddersfield attacker Josh Koroma should have ‘a hundred per cent’ been sent off during his side's 1-1 draw at the John Smith's Stadium this afternoon.

The Terriers’ leading scorer had already been booked by referee Oliver Langford for a foul on Harry Cornick after 15 minutes, before he slid in recklessly to catch midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu soon afterwards.

It looked a nailed on yellow, but Langford, who cautioned six players in total during the 90 minutes, five of them from Luton, kept his cards in his pocket on this occasion, with Koroma staying on, and the hosts somehow retaining a full complement of players.

When asked if he should have been on the field, Jones said: “A hundred per cent no, a hundred per cent no.

“It’s a massive, massive decision in the game, he got booked and the second one is a stonewall, unequivocal, unarguable yellow, so he should have been (sent off).

“But that's what happens and that might have changed the game.

"I wouldn't say we'd have gone on and won the game, but that is a decision we were not happy with and we spoke to the ref about it.

“We didn't go in vociferously with him, but we expect him to do that.

“If he hadn't been booked prior to it, it would have been a 100 per cent yellow.

“I’m not sure how much you can comment on referees, the referee was good to be fair, but that was a decision we felt he got wrong.”

Jones left 'kicking' himself for not bringing Bree on earlier during Huddersfield draw

Hatters manager wishes he had made substitution in time

Luton boss Nathan Jones admitted he was left kicking himself after failing to make a substitution that might have prevented his side conceding an equaliser during their 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town this afternoon.

Just before the hour mark and with Town 1-0 to the good, the Hatters chief had fit-again right back James Bree stripped and ready to come on the sidelines for his first appearance since mid-September, with the Terriers beginning to get some real joy on their left flank.

Before he could enter the fray though, Jones’ fears came true, Harry Toffolo escaping to dink over a cross that on-loan Ajax midfielder Carel Eiting headed past Simon Sluga and into the net for the leveller.

It was ultimately enough to earn the hosts a share of the spoils, but a frustrated Jones said: “I’m kicking myself as I tried to get the sub done really early and it just took me a minute longer than I would have liked, then they've scored through that, scored through exactly how we wanted to combat that.

"it's one of those things, I'm kicking myself for not doing it earlier, but it’s great to see Breesy back, (Rhys) Norrington-Davies as well."

On the whole though, Jones declared himself extremely satisfied with the result, as Luton followed up their 1-0 win at Rotherham on Wednesday evening to make it four points from a possible six on the road this week.

He added: "Definitely, considering we’ve come here and two years ago these were a Premier League side and we’re coming up against these week in week out.

"They’ve had an extra days rest, which is a big, vital factor and I think second half we just ran out of steam a little bit, we looked a bit tired second half.

"But four points on the road and that’s what we have to remember, it’s not just the point we had today, it's four points.

"I would have taken that at the beginning of the week so I'm really delighted.

"I'm proud of them, proud of the work-rate, proud of the desire to get a result and ideally we'd have loved three points, but we always do."