Huddersfield Town 0 Reading 1: Town’s strike pairing need better service

Jamie Mackie was taken off after being booked and the man who replaced him at the break provided the only goal.

A good combination between Danny Williams and Hal Robson-Kanu in the 69th minute left Nick Blackman through on goal and his cool finish into the bottom corner sealed victory.

Huddersfield fielded much-heralded strike duo James Vaughan and Nahki Wells but they, like the team, failed to fire.

Vaughan headed high and wide when unmarked and Wells went close with a backheel from a corner – but they had little service.

Huddersfield had midfielder Jonathan Hogg sent off in the 90th minute after a clash with Williams.

Hogg, booked in the 56th minute, saw red after trying to grab the ball off Williams, who was delaying a free-kick.

“It was a flat game with no real quality,” said Powell. “It’s a shame because we took it seriously and didn’t make wholesale changes.

“I put out an attacking side but we never got ourselves or the game going. The only shot on target was a goal.”

On his strike duo, Powell added: “People wanted to see them together as both can score at this level. They need service, of course, and that’s why we had wide players, but they have to be involved.

“It was a tough day for the whole team, and to have Hogg sent off as well was disappointing.”

Huddersfield Town: Smithies, Smith (Lolley 86), Hudson; Wallace (Gerrard 46), Robinson, Hammill (Scannell 66), Coady, Hogg; Bunn, Vaughan, Wells. Unused substitutes: Butterfield, Gobern, Allinson, Peltier.

Reading: Andersen, Gunter, Pearce, Hector, Obita; Guthrie (Samuel 77), Norwood, Williams, Mackie (Blackman 46); Cox (Cooper 90), Robson-Kanu. Unused substitutes: Federici, Stephen Kelly, Karacan, Cummings.

Referee: P Gibbs (West Midlands).

Man of the match: Nick Blackman.