Doncaster Rovers 2 Huddersfield Town 1: Terriers end barren statistic at Rovers' home, but the frustration continues

Back on New Year’s Day 2007, the Terriers were the opponents for Rovers’ first ever game at the formerly-named Keepmoat Stadium. They lost 3-0.

Ahead of this latest meeting, Town had not so much as scored in three competitive fixtures here, even if the previous visit was some while ago - try March 2014.

They ended that statistic here at least, but it did not provide much consolation by the end.

Available to play with his weekend dismissal in the league at Rotherham not counting in trophy fixtures - Danny Ward cancelled out Ephraim Yeboah’s 37th-minute opener early in the second half.

But in a second half which saw Jonathan Hogg, Ben Wiles, Antony Evans and Lasse Sorensen enter the field, the major development provided by a senior Town replacement was an unwanted one.

It came on 82 minutes when Wiles rashly brought down Jack Senior and Joe Ironside’s penalty was as emphatic as it gets. It extended Rovers’ unbeaten sequence against their West Yorkshire opponents to nine matches.

In the present, it represented a third straight loss in all competitions for Town, who might be glad of the break in their schedule this weekend in order to address one or two things on the training ground.

On a pleasant enough evening at the start of autumn, Huddersfield followers came over to South Yorkshire in healthy numbers - 658 in total.

It constituted a fair part of the 2,319 crowd in what was Town’s first appearance in this competition in almost 13 years.

There may have been nine changes from the weekend, but there was still some plenty of seniority on view in the visiting ranks and the bench was pretty stacked. In contrast, some of Rovers’ big guns were given the night off.

Matty Pearson wore the captain’s armband for Town and was a vocal presence throughout and resolute in his defensive work in the first half. He had to be at times.

The eye was drawn to three names on parade for the visitors on debut.

They included forward Peter Thomas, with the one-time Rochdale player, now 20, remaining the competition’s younger player after making his bow at the tender age of 15 years and 22 days against Manchester City under-21s in 2019.

He really should have secured another milestone in Town colours by virtue of his maiden goal on 18 minutes.

After cashing in on an error from Rovers’ defender Jay McGrath, he raced clear and only had Ian Lawlor to beat, but inexplicably fired it wide of the deserted Black Bank.

Two other debutants lined up in midfield for Town in teenagers Dan Vost, formerly of Everton and Cam Ashia, who did himself no harm in pre-season after linking up with the club after a spell at Derby County.

The Terriers had the big chance in the opening 45 minutes but most of the combinations in possession came from Rovers, with number ten Joe Sbarra and Ben Close, in his first appearance since featuring in this competition at Bradford on January 30, looking tidy alongside Jamie Sterry down the right.

With a focal point up top in a pretty strong, albeit much-changed starting line-up in captain-for-the-night Ironside, the hosts posed issues and the chance they had hankered for arrived.

While Thomas spurned his own milestone opportunity, Yeboah was not so charitable.

The teenager, on a season-long loan from Bristol City, reacted the quickest to a long ball over the top from Kyle Hurst and beat the advancing Jacob Chapman, with defender Josh Ruffels not covering himself in glory in the build-up.

It was a first half in which Rovers were bright. Town, a bit too safe in possession, were a bit sharper ahead of the break, but certainly needed to up it a bit on the restart.

They did just that and conjured their most assertive and dynamic move of the game which ended in Ward tucking the ball home, low at the far post, following Ollie Turton’s pinpoint cross after earlier driving play by Tom Iorpenda.

Attacking the goal where their supporters were housed, Town’s intensity was certainly more pronounced.

They had the initiative, but just needed that touch of polish. Some senior players also came on, while Rovers’ golden boy in Luke Molyneux was another entrant.

Town were better, but there were still pockets of frustration. In one attacking move where the visitors were in a promising position, Duff shouted ‘forward’, echoed by those in blue and white behind the goal. Town went lateral and the chance was lost.

Evans had the best chance to win it, but found Lawlor instead of the net.

The twist arrived at the other end and while Town pushed for a leveller.

Pearson went close, but it’s not quite happening for them at the minute.