Huddersfield Town 1 Charlton 1: Terriers are fully behind Lillis, says Smithies

PROUD Mark Lillis will continue in charge of Huddersfield Town this week, much to the delight of the players and fans.
Nahki Wells celebrates after putting Town 1-0 up. (Picture: Gordon Clayton)Nahki Wells celebrates after putting Town 1-0 up. (Picture: Gordon Clayton)
Nahki Wells celebrates after putting Town 1-0 up. (Picture: Gordon Clayton)

The Town board will convene to whittle down a short list of five to two before holding second and final interviews for the managerial vacancy caused by the first day exit of Mark Robins.

Academy chief Lillis, therefore, will select the side for tomorrow’s League Cup visit of Nottingham Forest and possibly Saturday’s Championship trip to Watford.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The former Town striker of the late 70s and early 80s is in no doubt, however, that whoever takes over will be inheriting a fine, youthful squad.

Lillis would have been celebrating Town’s first home win since March had Igor Vetokele not slid in unbeaten Charlton’s equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time after central defender Andre Bikey, pushed up in a desperate attempt to salvage a point, had headed down a long punt forward.

Even visiting manager Belgian Bob Peeters admitted it was rough luck on 10-man Town, who will appeal the red card dished out to Murray Wallace in first-half stoppage time.

Fellow central defender Joel Lynch was certainly covering Wallace as he foolishly pulled back Angolan international Vetokele but inconsistent referee Tim Robinson brandished the red as Tal Ben Haim and Bikey charged up to him in protest, claiming the Town man was the last defender.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lillis regrouped at the break, captain Lee Peltier – in for calf victim Jonathan Hogg – dropping back to partner the outstanding Lynch and Jacob Butterfield moving into central midfield from a position behind striker Nahki Wells.

Town were soon rewarded as the ball came out to Sean Scannell on the right and his deft back-heel inside allowed right-back Tommy Smith to burst through and hold off Jordan Cousins before drilling the ball across to allow Wells to tap home his first league goal of the season from close range.

The drama did not end as Peltier suffered a recurrence of the groin injury he was just returning from, leaving Lynch with a third partner in Conor Coady – who fitted in with aplomb – and Wells departed with an ankle knock.

That allowed James Vaughan to make his first appearance of the campaign after calf problems and he soon disrupted the Charlton back line, producing a stinging drive which brought the best out of former York loanee Nick Pope before being denied a penalty in the 89th-minute when he cut inside the area only to be blocked by Ben Haim.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The sense of injustice doubled with Charlton’s late equaliser but there was no denying Lillis had transformed the Town side from the opening day 4-0 debacle against Bournemouth.

He has gone back to a flat back four and not been afraid to give youth its head, exemplified by the performances of Harry Bunn on the left in the last two games.

Bunn and Wells had both tested Pope in the first period when Charlton had looked menacing with balls down the middle, which were generally cut out until Smithies tipped over a shot from Vetokele.

The Town goalkeeper generally received great protection and he enthused about the impact Lillis has made after the game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We have shown the spirit in the last two games and that is what Mark Lillis is all about,” said Smithies. “Everyone knows the passion Mark has for the club and it certainly rubs off on the players and we are all in it together.

“The change has brought us all together a bit and people have been coming into training with smiles on their faces and wanting to win for each other.

“If Mark doesn’t want the job full time then he doesn’t want it but the players would be very happy to see him get it.

“I can speak on behalf of all the players when I say we all love Lills and wish him well. He has certainly done a great job as caretaker twice.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For his part Lillis said: “It was a kick in the teeth but I feel so proud about the way the lads responded to going down to 10 men.

“I thought we were in an FA Cup final when their goal went in the way they celebrated in their dugout.

“The place was bouncing at one stage and it makes you feel so proud as a manager to listen to that. One of the big things I have learned is getting the team spirit right. One of the young lads, Conor Coady, said at half-time today ‘We stick together’ and that just typifies me.”

Of the vacancy, he continued: “Whoever comes in will inherit a good set of young players who all want to play well. He may need to add one or two experienced guys in there but overall if he can get everyone fit he will have players who can handle the Championship.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They are definitely a team worth managing. I am so proud that the players have responded to what I am about and it has given the board a bit of time as well.

“If we can add one or two we should be looking to finish higher than we did last season because that would show we are improving in our third season in the Championship. We have to keep raising the bar and that will be the challenge for the guy that comes in.”

Huddersfield Town: Smithies, Smith, Wallace, Lynch, Dixon; Scannell (Hammill 86), Peltier (Majewski 60), Coady, Bunn; Butterfield; Wells (Vaughan 64). Unused substitutes: Murphy, Ward, Stead, Crooks.

Charlton Athletic: Pope, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins (Church 67); Gudmundsson, Buyens, Jackson, Cousins (Harriott 73); Tucudean (Moussa 56), Vetokele. Unused substitutes: Mitov, Wilson, Gomez, Fox.

Referee: T Robinson (West Sussex).

Related topics: