Debutants find remedy for Huddersfield Town chief’s ills

In truth, the sight of his Huddersfield Town side producing a revived display, in terms of defensive resolution and organisation at least, would have felt just as soothing.

Cowley’s relief will have been further enhanced by the fact that two of his back four were making their debuts in Richard Stearman and Harry Toffolo and more especially given the standard of the high-ranking opposition who Huddersfield lined up against.

Make no mistake, the pragmatist in Cowley would have gladly accepted a point ahead of kick-off, with memories of Town’s painful derby loss at Barnsley also fresh in the memory.

The warm and genuine applause from the home faithful at the final whistle, who appreciated the effort and battling traits put in by those in blue and white – even though it was an afternoon low on offensive quality – should have further restored spirits.

It was a far cry from the rancour at Oakwell a week earlier.

For Cowley’s opposite number in Thomas Frank, there was more reason for frustration following an occasion when victory would have seen Brentford move within three points of second-placed Leeds United.

As far as the Bees and Frank were concerned, it was a game where they failed to motor for once with the BMW kept in the garage.

In their previous Championship game against QPR on the previous weekend, the BMW – the collective nickname of star forwards Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins – had been running on full power, with the trio netting in the 3-1 win.

The trio have amassed 34 league goals between them in 2019-20. But against a side who had conceded five times in their last home match, they made few inroads.

The main bulwark was Stearman, whose positional sense and decision-making stood out.

His display was described as ‘flawless’ by Town chief Cowley and it was no exaggeration.

Signed from Lincoln City on Friday, left-back Toffolo was also entitled to a sense of personal well-being at his own steady debut, more especially given that his preparation time with his new team-mates amounted to just half a training session.

On a rewarding first full day at the office, Toffolo said: “You look at the three other players in the back four who I am working with and I could lean on them with all their experience.

“I will sit down with all of them and if I can build relationships with the players in front of me as well, we can gain on that.

“I am new and have to integrate in the group as quickly as possible and I feel like I did (on Saturday).”

As for linking up again with Cowley, who helped revitalise his career at Sincil Bank, the former Norwich City player added: “He is a manager who cares about me as a person. As a footballer as well, but as a person.

“When someone puts their arm around you like that, it is quite special. If I continue to repay his trust, then that is all I can do and keep putting in performances.

“I had two children and I had to knuckle down and it is the reason I had the 18 months I did (at Lincoln).

“I gave it my all and playing here is special and very satisfying for myself and my family.”

The first half may have brought little to get excited about from a offensive perspective for Huddersfield, but the fact that they limited a free-flowing side to comparative scraps was an obvious plus point.

Brentford gorged on possession – 61.5 per cent in the first period – but did little with it.

Apart from one or two flashes of ingenuity from Benrahma, whose own personal footballing sobriquet of the ‘Algerian Messi’ is a grand one, there was nothing to truly write home apart.

After the solidity of the first half, Town grew in confidence and adventure and for a 15-minute spell at the start of the second period, their hopes of following up their autumnal victory at Griffin Park with another marquee win looked plausible.

It was a time when Town’s other full debutant in Emile Smith-Rowe came to the party.

The Arsenal loanee set up a gilt-edged chance that simply begged to be converted by Karlan Grant – whose finish was high and not so handsome – and also forced David Raya into a full-stretch save.

In the round, he produced enough moments to suggest that he might just produce some telling quality between now and season’s end.

Town’s zip eventually faded, but their concentration levels at the back did not wane, inspired by the on-message Stearman, who played as if he has been part of the furniture at the John Smith’s Stadium for a good while.

Given the absence of Town’s heartbeat in Jonathan Hogg, it was a welcome reappearance of a characteristic vital in any successful survival battle – leadership.

There was a late heart-in-mouth moment, when Josh Dasilva’s effort hit the post, but the onslaught many may have expected from Brentford never transpired.