Big Match Verdict – Huddersfield Town given second chance by long-suffering fans

Maybe, though, the underlying message of a song whose original version was written for Doris Day is one that more fittingly applies to Huddersfield Town right now.

‘What will be, will be’ has had to be the de facto mindset at the John Smith’s Stadium since the defeats started to pile up during the depths of winter.

Relegation may have been on the cards since the turn of the year and confirmed last month at a record earliest juncture of a Premier League season. But, beyond that return to the Championship come August, no-one truly knows what will happen next.

Whether a summer clearout, allied with some astute recruitment by a club flush with the first chunk of parachute payments, is enough to spark a turnaround in fortunes remains to be seen.

What seems certain, however, is that there will be a maintaining of the stoicism that has been evident this term among supporters so committed to the cause that 17,500 season tickets have already been snapped up for 2019-2020.

How else to explain such impressive numbers? Or, indeed, how loud and proud the atmosphere continues to be at the John Smith’s Stadium, even during the dying embers of this most brutal of campaigns.

This latest defeat was the 27th suffered by Huddersfield since the start of August and their 20th in the last 22 games.

Karlan Grant did bring brief late cheer via a stoppage-time consolation. But Town have still only scored 10 times in 23 home matches stretching back to February last year.

It is a woeful return and one that will have to improve quickly if one all-time record is to be avoided.

In 131 years of top-flight football, only Manchester City in 2006-07 have managed to score just 10 times on home soil in a season.

Huddersfield have nine to their name with just one game to go against a Manchester United side still chasing Champions League qualification. They are likely to be a tough nut to crack, suggesting ignominy awaits Jan Siewert’s men come May 5.

Avoiding another trio of unwanted Premier League records may also be a tall order, considering Town must also travel to Liverpool and Southampton before the curtain comes down on their two-year stay among the elite.

Namely, the highest number of home defeats (14), the lowest number of goals in a season (20) and the highest number of defeats (29). Huddersfield are already level with Sunderland and Derby County respectively in terms of those first two records, while two more losses will see the Yorkshire club level with the Black Cats, the Rams and Ipswich Town in the hall of Premier League ignominy.

Effort and endeavour will not be a problem during this final trio of matches. Quality, however, is another story entirely with this latest loss to Watford underlining how Siewert’s side simply do not possess the craft or calmness of mind to prosper at this level.

There were several promising moments against a Hornets side who had Gerard Deulofeu’s double to thank for keeping them firmly on course for a seventh place finish.

But, when Town needed that little bit extra to capitalise, they were found badly wanting.

Witness how Steve Mounie, with the unmarked Matty Daly racing into the penalty area in yards of space, chose to turn his back on the teenage debutant and instead try his own luck with a shot that was blocked.

Or the moment when Juninho Bacuna produced arguably the pass of the game to send Tommy Smith clear down the right flank.

Watford were suddenly there for the taking but, as Smith looked up, the only blue and white shirt in his eyeline belonged to Aaron Mooy – and he was stood 40 or so yards away, towards the back corner of the area.

Smith duly found the Australian but his shot through a sea of bodies was easily saved by Ben Foster.

Watford, in contrast, had no such problems. Jonathan Hogg’s poor pass in the fifth minute was ruthlessly exploited by an exquisite curled finish from Deulofeu.

The hero of the Hornets’ Cup semi-final victory was at it again 10 minutes from time, tapping in after Jonas Lossl had parried Abdoulaye Doucoure’s initial shot.

Town did net at the death, Grant nodding in from close range after Chris Lowe had set the striker up with his own deft header.

But Grant’s fourth goal since joining in January could not deflect from the shortcomings that have left fans with little option but to hope things will have improved markedly come August.

Huddersfield Town: Lossl; Smith, Schindler, Kongolo, Durm; Mooy, Hogg (Daly 42), Bacuna; Kachunga, Mounie (Grant 65), Mbenza (Lowe 81). Unused substitutes: Coleman, Pritchard, Stankovic, Hadergjonaj.

Watford: Foster; Femenia, Mariappa, Cathcart, Masina; Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes (Navarra 90), Sema; Deulofeu (Chalobah 83), Gray (Success 72). Unused substitutes: Gomes, Janmaat, Britos, Kabasele.

Referee: R East (Wiltshire).