Now, with BBC Radio Sheffield live at Hillsborough and the Chelsea v Juventus match muted on TV, I was all set for an evening of football bliss and to top it off, the takeaway arrived just before kick off!
Tonights captain is the new signing in defence, Martin Taylor - as an interview with Dave Jones after the game revealed that Jose Semedo voiced his concern at being the captain and wanted to focus on his own game. The first 2mins of the game is steady as both teams start cautiously, but barely 3mins hit the watch when a trademark Michail Antonio surge upfield raises the tempo and his infield ball to Ross Barkley is followed by a fantastic defence-splitting pass from the Everton loanee to Gary Madine, who then sees his shot cleared for the first corner of the game. The ball in is by Barkley and Huddersfield again scramble it clear for another corner that comes to nothing with shouts of a handball thrown in. The away side don't seem very confident at the back and an Antonio run ends with yet another corner awarded to the Owls. The near-post cross is converted by Mark Beevers who see's his header hit the crossbar much to Alex Smithies relief and the follow-up shot flies wide. As expected, talk then reverts to ex-Terriers hitman Jordan Rhodes - now plying his trade at Championship pace setters Blackburn Rovers. Michail Antonio is turning Huddersfield defender Paul Dixon inside out and after 7mins the Wednesday wide-man forces another corner off of his opponent. Another poor delivery see's Huddersfield have the chance of a counter attack, but instead the away teams former Leeds United midfield play maker Adam Clayton tries to take the sting out of the game and calm things down. The midfielder and his partner, Joel Lynch then do well to do just that, keeping possession and slowing the pace of the Yorkshire derby. After a spate of free-kicks and the game not going either way, Lee Novak squanders a great chance for Town, as an effort from deep inside the area gets fired over Chris Kirklands goal. Almost immediately afterwards, a break from Hunt and a direct pass to Dixon has the Wednesday defence on their toes but his cross is cleared. A good chance for the Owls to take the lead slips by as a Jay Bothroyd flick on to Gary Madine gathers too much pace and a grateful Smithies collects the ball - much to the annoyance of Bothroyd who vents his displeasure at Madine not connecting. Jermaine Johnson starts a great run and beats 3 men, just as he is progressing well upfield he fouls Oliver Norwood and the move is killed and the free kick is taken by Smithies. On the 14th minute, James Vaughan fires a left-footed 20 yard shot and the followup sees Daniel Ward break into the box only to be fouled by JJ, penalty! (After the game I saw the 'challenge' on Sky Sports News and how a penalty was awarded is beyond me). The resulting penalty sees Kirkland make the save but as the Wednesday players are static, Oliver Norwood picks up his own rebound and slots past the helpless keeper, 0-1 Huddersfield. The match then picks up pace again as an end-to-end session starts and its the visitors who capitalise, as Lee Novak meets a Ward cross with a diving-header in front of Reda Johnson and into the net, putting the Terriers 0-2 up in 17mins. As chins drop for the home side, the away are energised as suddenly every Wednesday player is closed down by 2 or 3 Huddersfield players. The Owls manage to force a corner after Barkley played a good ball inside to JJ who lashed a 25 yard shot, saved by the keeper. Another poor corner from Barkley see's his near post cross cleared by Dixon. The away side force their own corner when Semedo blocks a Daniel Ward effort but that is also cleared - by a towering Reda Johnson header. Town still look like they can add to their tally and a rising shot from Ward goes flying over the bar. When Wednesday force yet another corner, Barkleys ball in sees Reda head wide, letting Huddersfield off yet again. A good chance goes begging when an Antonio long range (25 yard) thunderbolt is saved by Smithies again and the resulting corner sees a Bothroyd shot saved by the keeper and Antonios follow-up blocked by Clarke. On the 36th minute, long throw specialist Antonio launches a ball into the box and the header on is tucked away by Reda Johnson for a Wednesday goal - his 3rd of the season. Just what the Owls needed and the energy returns to the blue & white wearing team, just as Antonio starts one of his lung-busting runs again. After turning his marker and accelerating away, the wing wizard is hacked down by Joel Lynch and the result is a straight red card to the Huddersfield man. There's a long stop in play as the referee speaks to police and stewards right in front of the home supporters (later reported as coin-throwing incidents- idiots!) Only a minute later and the referee has a yellow card out, in bizzare fashion. Huddersfield replace Lee Novak with Anthony Gerrard and the latter is yellow carded for entering the field too early! A wild JJ shot that nearly reaches the corner flag is followed by the added time being announced as 5 minutes. A spate of free-kicks follows as Huddersfield try to run down the clock to the half time whistle and as they attempt a quick break, Joe Mattock fouls Ward out wide and the full-back sees his second yellow card and a red to close the half with 10-a-side.
HT. Well I for one am glad to hear that whistle - what a 45mins!! I can have a breather and finish off the left-over onion bhajis (washed down with a Dr Pepper). Madine is replaced at the break by Nejc Pecnik.
Straight from the whistle the Slovenian substitute makes his intentions clear as he rattles in a 25 yard shot that inches wide. Huddersfield quickly learn to close him down but as he wriggles free from 2 men he is only just denied a chance on goal as Peter Clarke shuffles the ball back to Smithies, who launches it away from danger. For some reason, Wednesday start to stand off and not pressure any Huddersfield player in posession - this sees a content away side keep the ball with no threat and prompts manager Dave Jones to go irate at the touchline. After a Barkley cross is cleared, the Terriers have the opportunity to launch a counter attack but this is quickly halted with excellent tracking back by JJ, slide tackling the ball clear. The resulting throw sees a quick thinking move down the wing stopped by Pecnik tracking into defence, then letting his team mates know they need to wake up! Adam Clayton is having a very good game for Town, involved in the majority of moves put together - but he can't do anything about a route one ball from Antonio that lands at Bothroyds feet. He inturn plays a one-two with Pecnik and the QPR loanee squirms a shot away - easily dealt with by Smithies. As the visitors are moving up the field with a good passing move, Reda Johnson intercepts the ball and powers forward, releasing JJ and on to Antonio, but the move crashes to an end as Antonio gets fouled. The free kick is delivered by Barkley and Beevers jumps highest to send a tame header wide. Another Owls opportunity sees Reda then head a ball across goal after a pinpoint cross by Bothroyd, but nobody is there to score. Wednesday are applying the pressure now and Nejc Pecnik pulls down a fantastic ball from Bothroyd, turns his defender and fires a shot inches wide with his left foot. Substitution for Wednesday as Rhys McCabe makes his entrance, replacing Semedo after 63 minutes. It seems Huddersfield are happy with the scoreline and already start taking their time with throw-ins, goal kicks and free-kicks, much to the frustration of the home crowd. On a break from that mentality, the Terriers break with Hunt down the right, his attempted cross is fired against McCabe from 2 yards but the linesman flags for handball. The referee shakes his head - no penalty, but wait! The linesman is adamant it was a deliberate handball, Sky Sports News say otherwise and so does Reda who is booked for dissent. Penalty finally awarded - madness! Adam Clayton has no problem converting the spot-kick and Huddersfield now lead 1-3 with 70mins on the clock. The game then becomes scrappy and cheap free kicks are conceded by both sides and the home side can do nothing about the opposition running the clock down at every chance they get. This includes a SWFC throw - but Dixon preventing any home player getting the ball back, resulting in a shove by JJ and Dixon hitting the deck in comical fashion. As the visting away fans are in full voice, Bothroyd gets replaced by Chris O'Grady, who is quickly into the action - battling away to get a corner from Gerrard, leaving the Huddersfield player bruised. The corner is again wasted, not beating the first man to the fans disgust. An amazing 60 yard pass from McCabe gets perfectly controlled by Antonio who feeds Reda Johnson but the Benin defender misses the open goal from 4 yards out. As the heavens open a rendition of the chant 'The City is Ours' comes from the stands and Huddersfield are doing well to pressurise any home player as soon as they get the ball. Pecnik picks up a yellow card for punching the ball after conceding a free kick as frustration boils over. Wednesday forward Chris O'Grady gets a turn and snapshot away which is blocked by Dixon and the resulting corner sees Reda head over the bar. The impressive Peter Clarke concedes another corner which gets cleared and Barkleys follow-up shot goes wide. Alex Smithies launches the goalkick high into the cold,wet Hillsborough night sky and the final whistle is blown for Huddersfield to pick up their first away win of the season, condemning the Owls to their third straight defeat.
Attendance: 25,230
Owls Man of the Match: Michail Antonio
*I fully expected 3 points tonight but this wake-up call seems to be lasting longer than expected. Is it wrong to expect us to beat a team that finished below us in League One last season and who lost their prolific top goalscrorer before this seaon started? It says a lot when our most attacking player (except Antonio) was Reda Johnson!
No comments:
Post a Comment