Huddersfield Town 0 AFC Bournemouth: On-loan Bruce happy to make Huddersfield stay a permanent one

Debutant Bruce, on loan from Leeds United, was the only outfield player to emerge with credit as the Terriers lost at home for the first time since last Boxing Day.

Bruce got a mixed reception from fans before the game given his Elland Road links and the fact that he is the son of former Town manager Steve Bruce.

Town supporters also remember how they got Bruce junior sent off at the Galpharm Stadium in 2005 when he was on loan at Sheffield Wednesday.

Yet gutsy Bruce was undaunted and said after his first match in 10 months: “I’ve come here with my eyes wide open and if it leads to a permanent deal than great.

“But I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I don’t really know what the situation is at Leeds. So I’ve come here to play games and I’ll take it from there.”

Goalkeeper Ian Bennett, also ex-Leeds, made several good saves to keep Town in the match. The pick was his tip-over of a goal-bound Scott Malone header on half-time.

But there was nothing he could have done to prevent Harry Arter lashing into the roof of the net what proved to be the winner on 19 minutes.

It took until the 67th minute for Town to get a shot on target through Jordan Rhodes. The only other one came deep into stoppage time.

The result means Town have suffered back-to-back defeats after Charlton ended their record-breaking 43-match unbeaten league run two weeks ago.

And they now are four adrift of second-placed Sheffield Wednesday, who they play at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett; Hunt (Naysmith 50), Clarke, Bruce, Woods; Ward, Johnson, Robinson (Roberts 63), Arfield; Parkin (Novak 55), Rhodes. Unused substitutes: Colgan, Miller.

AFC Bournemouth: Flahavan; Francis, Cook, Barrett, Daniels; Cooper; Pugh, Arter (Purches 71), Gregory, Malone (Fogden 67); Thomas (Symes 79). Unused substitutes: Jalal, Sheringham.

Referee: T Bates (Staffs)

Man of the match: Ian Bennett.