| Pos. 22nd (10pts) | WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2019 | Pos. 21st (11pts) | ||
| Huddersfield | 0-0 | Boro | ||
| 57% 10(2) 4 12 |
POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS |
43% 13(2) 3 14 |
||
Stalemate under Sky
Boro made the relatively short trip down and across the M62 in what is almost a derby for Boro these days after Leeds and Barnsley distance wise apart from the fact that neither set of fans have any level of particular animosity towards the other. This season both sets of fans have had to settle for a series of underwhelming performances but a Terrier supporting ex-work colleague of mine informed me that there is now renewed optimism since Danny Cowley arrived in Kirklees or a “degree of confident assuredness” as he described it.
Boro had the usual suspects injured plus a worrying rumour about Darren Randolph which would be a massive blow for Boro, just as well than that we have two goalkeeping coaches in our management set up so hopefully there was nothing to fear but fear itself. That concern aside, prior to tonight’s Kick Off the Terriers were top of October’s Championship form table and Boro rooted at the bottom.
In reality the very recent form of both sides would indicate that the home side should have enjoyed a comfortable win. Huddersfield had seen two draws and two victories in their last four games picking up eight points versus Boro’s, three defeats and draw and with it a solitary point. Defeat tonight however would see Boro in their worst league position for a very long time and for many of us of a certain vintage we associate that with very painful memories.
Ironically the Team news saw that Huddersfield had to award a debut to 19 year old Keeper Ryan Schofield in place of regular Keeper Kamil Grabara who had become unexpectedly ill. Boro as we suspected had to award a debut in between the sticks themselves to Aynsley Pears. Of perhaps more interest to some Boro fans was that Britt had finally been dropped to the bench with Ashley Fletcher given his chance to lead the attack. It looked very much that Woodgate was sticking to the same structure that functioned credibly against West Brom with three at the back and once again Howson and Johnson operating as the wing backs. Of further note was that Coulson returned to the bench in place of Bola.
Boro entered the field with their traditional red and white shirts and red socks but with those bizarre blue shorts just looked wrong on so many levels. If things are that tight perhaps, we can have a go fund me page for some red shorts. Psychology plays a big part in many things and that kit just looks wrong and perhaps is indicative of the messed up thinking inside the club at the moment.
Boro kicked off with a hoof to nowhere and put themselves under immediate pressure in the first three seconds leading to an opening minute corner. Fortunately, an offside flag in the next phase allowed Boro to calm down. Pears was busy in the opening minutes clearing balls upfield as Boro struggled to deal with the intensity of Huddersfield’s early pressure. A free kick for a foul on Tav in the sixth minute saw Paddy McNair deliver a in superbly curling ball around the Huddersfield defence for Ayala to miss a golden opportunity. An excellent set piece delivery but poorly met by Ayala.
Two minutes later a Boro attack involving Tav went out for a corner as Boro looked to be clearing their heads. On ten minutes a Shotton fluffed clearance came straight back in for Grant to head just over Pears’ crossbar. Marvin Johnson then forced a corner off a defender on 12 minutes which looked like it was cleared directly off the line as the Terriers Keeper Schofield completely misread the trajectory from MacNair’s delivery. As play went on Shotton went down after an awkward landing approaching the quarter hour mark and seemed to be in great discomfort. As he gingerly resumed his duties Fry dithered instead of clearing his lines and collected a yellow for his being caught in two minds.
The resultant free kick cleared the Boro wall but straight into Pears’ arms but his poor clearance put Boro immediately back on the defence conceding a corner for the inexperience. A twentieth minute break from Huddersfield youngster Lewis O’Brien was headed clear by Shotton then came back in via Diakhaby back to O’Brien but his effort sailed over the crossbar. A brilliant cross field switch to Johnson was cut back across the Terriers box to McNair whose effort just went wide. On twenty-eight minutes Pears was forced into his first real dilemma when he had to come for a looping cross to catch cleanly. A wicked O’Brien shot from twenty yards out then had Pears scrambling to collect the quick strike but he was equal to it as the tempo had noticeably started to increase.
Dani Ayala battled his way past three Terriers to set up an attack and after a throw-in and a desperate Huddersfield clearance the ball came central to Fletcher to force a shot, which went just past the upright on thirty-seven minutes. A minute later and as Wing miscued a challenge in midfield Paddy McNair had to break up an attack and take a Yellow card for his troubles. An over enthusiastic striker’s challenge from Fletcher gave away a free kick 20 yards out with three minutes of the half remaining. A Daikhaby curled free kick cleared the wall as Pears just about got a glove close to his upright but the ball went inches wide. A well worked opening then came to nothing as Boro over passed and over played things and McNair’s effort went over the crossbar Assombalonga style. The whistle went with Boro clearing their lines again to end 0-0.
Boro had looked laboured and leggy in possession. Too often Red shirts were on top of each other instead of looking for space, angles and openings. A sure sign of a lack of confidence and belief. Huddersfield weren’t exactly much better but they at least had a crispness and fluidity to their movement. The best that can be said about Boro’s first half is that it was functional but they needed to release the ball quicker and move forward with more pace and movement if they were to get anything from this game. Two touches in defence nearly cost us, two touches in midfield invited interceptions and two touches in attack broke down before they gained momentum.
Both sides came out as you were as the Terriers kicked off by passing it back to Schofield in goal. The opening minutes from Boro simply saw a lack of control and more nervy miss-hit passes and less than convincing build up play. Huddersfield’s wide men had swapped flanks but other than that it was very much more of the same. A 49th minute Johnson free kick was drilled in low and hard as Schofield somehow got down to it but it squirmed out to Fetcher four yards out with the keeper at his mercy and he somehow managed to hit it over when all it needed was a gentle toe poke. An incredible miss but so very typical of our Jaffa Strikers all season. That one would have been put in by my previously suggested tea lady using her hostess trolley.
Tavernier was full of running but when in an offensive position he just ran into trouble whilst Fletcher would never have an easier opportunity to score in his entire career. Cowley meanwhile brought Chalobah off for Juninho Bacuna on 55 minutes in an effort to tip the balance in his sides favour. Shotton came out of defence and battled through three or four opponents to find Saville who picked out Tavernier who swivelled and shot but it was well wide of the target on 62 minutes from the edge of the ‘D’. Diakhaby was then brought off for Frazier Campbell for Huddersfield while Fletcher went off for Assombalonga.
As sixty-five minutes ticked over it really was poor fayre by both sides as there was no mistaking that this was a clash between the bottom feeders. A great cross from Johnson found Assombalonga at the far post but his knock back was headed out by O’Brien. The corner was well delivered but dropped at Schofield’s feet with nobody in a red shirt alert to it which just emphasised the lack of class in both teams in defending and attack.
A fierce cross fired in by Johnson was cleared but delivered back in from the opposite side by McNair but Britt got under his header as it looped harmlessly to Schofield. Britt was then hauled down by Schindler for Johnson to repeat his earlier free kick but he passed it to Tavernier who made a mess of things and a Huddersfield breakout fortunately went over the bar in an attempt more akin to the different posts regularly used at this ground. Johnson then went off for Coulson who made a lively start.
Britt found himself clean through after a perfectly weighted Saville ball played him in on a one on one with the keeper but Britt had his shirt pulled off his back by Brown in full view of the Referee and the chance was gone. What the referee was seeing throughout this game versus what was actually going on was a mystery. He whistled and carded for minor events then seemingly ignored nailed on infringements. How a Strikers shirt can be hauled off his back to the point where his entire number has virtually disappeared yet not be deemed a foul beggared belief.
Huddersfield then had another mini Keeper crisis as Schofield went down seemingly injured with ten minutes of the ninety remaining with third choice Keeper Coleman warming up. Coulson was body checked but the Ref waved away Boro protests for a booking and it was Saville who entered the book for offering his informed opinion. Howson under pressure then gave away a free kick out on our right which was headed clear by Ayala and then again by Shotton for Coulson to break but he was brought down by O’Brien who in turn was taken out by Tavernier as the game opened up with “anxiety” clearly showing on both sides.
A last-minute corner of the regulation ninety for Boro was won by Tav as six added minutes were announced. McNair’s delivery was good again but Kachunga stood firm blocking off Britt. Clayton then came on for Saville for what reason I’m not sure as Saville had a decent game and looked to be injury free. Ayala was then wrestled to the ground by Campbell courtesy of an introductory forearm around the neck but the ref saw nothing and likewise just a second later McNair was cleaned out with both offences on the edge of the Huddersfield box. A last-minute booking for Bacuna on a breaking Howson ended proceedings with the whistle blown as soon as the free kick was taken.
Man of the match could only be Dani Ayala, as bad as that miss was he at least got on the end of it and was immense in his steadfast defensive duties all evening, leading by example. There was little to get excited about tonight for either set of fans with Boro perhaps slightly more relieved to have avoided the ignominy of being in a relegation spot. Looking for positives the structure of the Boro defence in keeping a clean sheet was believable plus of course the return of Coulson who looked lively and alert when he came on.