Huddersfield 3 Reading 0: Powell’s demands are quickly met

A TWEET urging football fans in Huddersfield to get down to Town’s Canalside training complex last night “to watch Man City v Barcelona” on TV always seemed a strange one due to Chris Powell’s men being in action just a few hundred yards down Leeds Road.
Harry Bunn heads home Huddersfield Town's opening goal in their 3-0 win against Reading (
Picture: Graham Crowther).Harry Bunn heads home Huddersfield Town's opening goal in their 3-0 win against Reading (
Picture: Graham Crowther).
Harry Bunn heads home Huddersfield Town's opening goal in their 3-0 win against Reading ( Picture: Graham Crowther).

By full-time, however, the message had been made to look even more nonsensical after an entertaining contest at the John Smith’s Stadium ended with the Terriers having claimed all three points.

Strikes from Harry Bunn, Nahki Wells and Ishmael Miller settled matters in the favour of the hosts, but the night was not without its drama, Alex Smithies needing to be in fine form during a first half that saw Reading take the game to the Yorkshire side.

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It ensured there was plenty to warm a 10,280 crowd that had braved a freezing night to enjoy a live fix of football.

The home supporters were also able to savour Huddersfield moving into the top half of the Championship table for the first time in three months.

Plenty to rue, therefore, for those who did opt for the television – and another predictable win for Barcelona – rather than the John Smith’s Stadium.

The tone for the evening was set in the early exchanges, as Town heeded the call of boss Powell to up their tempo from the weekend bore draw at home to Cardiff City that had been almost as devoid of entertainment as it had been goals.

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He got his wish and Huddersfield were ahead inside 10 minutes.

A floated free-kick by Jacob Butterfield, awarded for a push on Wells, created the opening for the unmarked Bunn to power a header past Adam Federeci.

It was the perfect start for the hosts, who went close to adding a second when Mark Hudson met Butterfield’s corner with a flicked header that bounced just wide of a post.

The near miss seemed to spark the Royals into life and it took the agility of Smithies to ensure Powell’s men reached the interval with their clean sheet still intact.

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First, the Town goalkeeper pulled off a stunning reflex save to deny Hope Akpan after the striker had flicked Oliver Norwood’s free-kick goalwards.

Then, after the former Huddersfield midfielder had attempted an audacious shot from 40 yards, Smithies was sufficiently aware to race back to his line before tipping the ball over at full stretch.

David Edgar also had to be alert to avert the danger after Gareth McCleary and Jake Taylor combined delightfully down the Town left before Smithies held a low drive from Michael Hector comfortably and then tipped a Jake Taylor header over in stoppage time.

This, though, was not the final act of the first half with there still being time for Wells to crash a shot against a post after Bunn had latched on to a mix-up between Federici and Jordan Obita.

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It was a miss made all the more disappointing by having just two defenders in the six-yard box to beat, but Wells made amends 10 minutes into the second half after Federici had made a hash of collecting a stinging low drive from Butterfield.

Wells, quick as a flash, was on to the bouncing ball as he nipped ahead of Alex Pearce to tap into an empty net.

It proved to be the Bermuda international’s last involvement, James Vaughan having been waiting patiently for a break in play alongside the fourth official when Wells netted his 12th goal of the season.

The loss of the club’s top scorer failed to affect Town, though, as Reading, who will be hoping to fare better on their next visit to West Yorkshire against Bradford City in next month’s FA Cup quarter-finals, joined Millwall in succumbing to a league double..

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Federici had to be at his best to keep out a 20-yard shot from Miller, preferred to Vaughan in the starting line-up by Powell.

The Royals goalkeeper had to be similarly agile to keep out another shot from distance, this time from Bunn, before Miller’s centre was cut out by Pearce.

Vaughan was the next to warm Federici’s hands with a stinging drive before Miller headed a corner just wide.

The best, though, was yet to come as a sweeping move that involved a cross-field pass from Jonathan Hogg and a first-time lobbed pass by Vaughan set Miller free and the loanee made no mistake by delightfully lifting his shot over the stranded Federici.

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Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Edgar, Hudson, Wallace; Smith, Hogg Butterfield, Robinson; Bunn (Boyle 90); Miller (Lolley 81), Wells (Vaughan 56). Substitutes (not used): Murphy, Vaughan, Gobern, Wright, Majewski.

Reading: Federici; Kelly (Robson-Kanu 71), Obita, Pearce, Hector; Akpan, Norwood, Guthrie (Blackman 59), McCleary; Taylor (Mackie 59), Yakubu. Substitutes (not used): Andersen, Gunter, Chalobah, Cooper.

Referee: J Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Last night’s results and 
latest tables: Page 24.