All right is fine as Huddersfield Town show their strength is their strength - final word on League One win over Charlton Athletic

Sometimes, a six-and-a-half-to-seven out of ten is just fine and does the job, particularly on days like Saturday.

Stadium announcer Paul Ramsden described it beforehand, with tongue firmly in cheek, as ‘a beautiful winter’s afternoon in Huddersfield’ ahead of kick-off as the rain belted down relentlessly.

Beauty was ultimately in the eye of the beholder. Matty Pearson’s early header was a beauty in the circumstances, as was David Kasumu’s match-winner. On an all right afternoon, this was more than all right.

With his manager’s hat on, Duff wants more - as they all do. But he should also be inwardly content at this stage of proceedings.

Over the course of league seasons, as he has regularly opined, teams play well for a half or dozen or so games and play badly over the same number, roughly. It is the other 30-odd league matches when you are just plain okay and must find a way that defines campaigns and Saturday was a case example, in truth.

So far this season, Huddersfield haven’t really found a way up top, aside from a couple of flashes from Josh Koroma and Callum Marshall.

All told, Town strikers have contributed a far-from-earth-shattering eight league goals between them in 24-25. Injuries and availability haven’t helped in fairness - not to mention form - and it wouldn’t be Huddersfield Town without another issue cropping up in that regard from Saturday.

The luckless Rhys Healey popped his calf just before half-time and is set for another spell on the sidelines. When will it end?

Fortunately, Duff’s midfielders and defenders are taking up the strain in the scoring stakes. His players in the middle area of the pitch have mustered a collective total of 11 league goals so far this term, while at the back, Pearson has managed a very presentable four already by himself. Without consistently hitting their straps this season, Town are doing all right. They have won as many home league games - six - as they managed in the whole of last season and the Christmas songs haven’t really started yet. While they are devoid of a superstar or two, their strength is their strength.

They are sharing things around and should they find a striker in January who is capable of hitting double figures by May, they could be in serious business. Until then, you plough on.

Against a Charlton side who don’t score a lot, but don’t let in too many either, it always had the makings of a bit of an arm-wrestle, especially with the lousy weather.

Huddersfield had their win and also managed to annoy the abrasive Nathan Jones by the end, not that it usually takes much. It constituted an added bonus from the perspective of Terriers supporters who remember those play-off games with his Luton side a few years back.

It was one of his former Hatters players who got the ball rolling for Town on Saturday.

Pearson has had a fun time of it since returning to the side in late September and plundered his fourth goal in eight league starts with a superbly guided and deft header from Mickel Miller’s cross from the right.

The ‘Keighley Cannavaro’ cries were in evidence and there could - and probably should - have been an encore not long after when Pearson, in splendid isolation once again, smacked a header against the crossbar following another pinpoint Miller cross, this time from the left.

Pearson’s eventful afternoon was not finished. Unfortunately, he left the fray a few minutes past the half-hour mark with an ankle issue. When Pearson goes off, there’s invariably a problem.

Town had another problem when Charlton managed to level and it was a gift after poor decision-making from Brodie Spencer was penalised after he stuck out a lazy leg to catch ex-Terriers player Rarmani Edmonds-Green in the area. The experienced Matty Godden is not one to pass up opportunities from 12 yards and didn’t.

Then things swung back into Town’s direction again when former Hull City player Greg Docherty caught Nigel Lonwijk with a reckless challenge. Off he went.

Charlton, with ten men, actually hinted at things in the second half. Town didn’t panic and some cute play from Herbie Kane - starting to come into his own - set up Kasumu’s winner, a thumping low drive.

With the ink still drying on his new contract, it was a nice moment.

Huddersfield Town: Chapman; Pearson (Helik 32), Lees, Lonwijk; Spencer (Turton 64), Kasumu, Kane, Wiles, Miller; Healey (Radulovic 45+4), Koroma (Marshall 64). Substitutes unused: Maxwell, Hogg, Iorpenda.

Charlton Athletic: Maynard-Brewer; Edmonds-Green (T Campbell 66), A Mitchell, Gilesphey; Small; Docherty, Coventry, Edwards; Anderson (Berry 80); Leaburn (Hylton 80), Godden (Ahadme 73). Substitutes unused: Reid, A Campbell, Laquertabua.

Referee: S Mather (Lancs).