Huddersfield 1-2 Boro

Duncan Watmore was the headline grabber in what was a star studded performance where Boro barely put a foot wrong all afternoon and were clinical when it mattered.

The two teams felt each other out in the opening stages of the game and with both rearguards not giving much away. However, it was clear to see that the Chris Wilder project was in full flow as Boro kept the ball really well and showed their quality.

Boro did have an early scare when a strong curling corner dropped to the front post for Huddersfield. Boro managed to scramble it away but only as far as Harry Toffolo who carved out an opening inside the box and fired wide.

Boro responded to the chance in emphatic fashion and just like they did in the previous two games since Wilder has been in charge, they took the lead in and around the 15 minute mark.

Jonny Howson started the move by advancing into the Huddersfield half and threading a defence cutting through ball to Isaiah Jones who burned Toffolo for pace. Duncan Watmore was keeping level with the wing-back and Jones supplied the opportunity for Watmore to sweep the ball home passed Lee Nichols. A great team goal that put a smile on the face of Chris Wilder as the away end blasted out the EIOs.

The away side continued to monopolise possession as the home crowd got restless. It was a good start by Boro that got even better with another sumptuous move to double their lead.

This time, it was the turn of Matt Crooks to play the incisive pass in behind the defence as he dinked the ball through to Watmore. He showed outstanding composure to catch the keeper off his line with an audacious lob that Eric Cantona would have been chuffed about. He’s looked brilliant under Wilder so far but those finishes will have done his confidence the world of good.

The Terriers were forced into early substitution shortly after when Matty Pearson was forced to come off injured and was replaced by Ollie Turton. It looked like the chips were down for Huddersfield before the after really got going for them.

They couldn’t get near Boro in possession as they stretched the play and continued to play incisive passes. But as we saw in the previous two games, we’d been here before. With Boro leading, they needed to ensure that a second half collapse wasn’t on the cards.

But two minutes into the second period, they picked up where they left off as Jones found Crooks on from the right and the tall midfielder played a lovely reverse pass to the onrushing Tavernier in the box. Once he got the ball out his feet, his bending shot was well saved by Nicholls. The Terriers crowd were really getting on the back of the home side and while the win looked comfortably in Boro’s hands, there was a chance to punish the home side.

Andraz Sporar came within inches of doing that when Watmore was releasing down the left as Boro broke free. His cutback was slightly behind the Slovenian as he managed to diverted the ball just wide of the right hand post.

Boro started to tire as Huddersfield found a bit more joy with the ball but the away side were still in complete control as Watmore came close to his hat-trick. After some good hold up play, he turned his man and bent a shot come cross that just evaded the head of Jones and the right hand post.

Wilder’s impact on the side was clear to see as Boro continued to make inroads in the final third. Tavernier found some room inside the box and claimed for a penalty when his bending effort appeared to strike the hand of Tom Lees but referee Keith Stroud ignored the appeals.

The Terriers provided a late consolation when Lewis O’Brien took the ball to the byline and cross low. The ball deflected off Dijksteel, off the post and off the back of keeper Luke Daniels as the ball crept over the line for an own goal.

But the inevitable result came to it’s conclusion and Boro broke the second half curse to hang onto all three points.

For Chris Wilder, it’s third time lucky as the Boro boss grabbed his first win charge.