Report - Huddersfield Town 2-1 Millwall

Huddersfield Town story posted by Sean Makin on 28/09/2014
A brace from Nahki Wells gave Chris Powell his first win as Huddersfield Town boss as the Terriers battled to victory against Millwall at the John Smith's Stadium.Report - Huddersfield Town 2-1 Millwall

Wells scored in either half to give Town their first home win in 12 attempts.

The talk before the match was the signing of Wigan Athletic striker Grant Holt on loan until November, who was on the bench for the Terriers.

Powell had opted for a 3-5-2 system with Tommy Smith in for Sean Scannell which was the only change to the side that lost to Leeds United at Elland Road a week prior.

Millwall, who had only taken one point from the last three matches, made three changes with boss Ian Holloway recalling midfielders Ed Upson and Nicky Bailey and striker Ricardo Fuller to the starting XI as Carlos Edwards, Mathias Ranegie and Jermaine Easter were dropped.

It took a while for both sides to get going in the first half although Wells had the ball in the back of the net but it was ruled out for offside and the striker received a yellow card for kicking the ball away.

The best chance of the opening half hour fell to Millwall's Upson, who hit the crossbar with a curling shot from the left side of the penalty area.

The breakthrough came on 37 minutes when Harry Bunn flicked on Joel Lynch's high ball upfield and Wells pounced to lash the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the area.

But the visitors were level within five minutes as a neat Millwall build up saw Upson react first to Scott McDonald's cross to fire in a well-struck volley.

Town tried to hit back immediately but David Forde parried Wells' shot to keep the two sides level at the break.

The start of the second 45 was same as the first but the match sparked into life on 57 minutes when Bunn was brought down in the box by Nicky Bailey after a jinxing run down the left wing. Wells made no mistake from the penalty box to notch his second goal of the game and put Town in front.

Bunn was causing Jimmy Abdou problems all afternoon down that left flank and the former Manchester City youngster was unlucky to score, dragging his shot just past the post after a Town corner.

Holt made an appearance in place of captain Lee Peltier, who went off with a groin injury, on 64 minutes and the former Norwich City striker immediately began to give the Millwall defence problems.

Town goalkeeper Alex Smithies pulled off a fine save to stop Mark Beevers grabbing an equaliser after the defender got away from his marker at a Millwall corner.

Ian Holloway made a triple substitution in the 74th minute but the changes had little affect as Town continued to have the momentum.

Defender Murray Wallace was brought on late in the game as Millwall threw everything but the kitchen sink at Town but the home side held firm to grab a deserved victory.

Sean's Star Man - Harry Bunn

Teams:

Huddersfield Town: Smithies, Lynch, Peltier (Holt 64), Hudson, Smith, Robinson, Hogg (Scannell 85), Coady, Butterfield, Bunn, Wells (Wallace 92).
Subs not used: Murphy, Dixon, Ward, Stead.

Millwall: Forde, Abdou, Beevers, Dunne, Malone, Bailey (Ranegie 74), Williams, Upson (Hoyte 74), Woolford (Gueye 74), McDonald, Fuller.
Subs not used: King, Webster, Chaplow, Gregory.

Referee: Carl Boyeson

Attendance: 11,712.

This report written by the author also appears on footballleagueworld.com.

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