Huddersfield Town 3 Oxford United 1: Two-goal Joe Taylor gets standing ovation as Terriers move top of League One

Huddersfield Town were more bothered about ensuring this particular night - when clubs across the land found themselves in the thoroughly bizarre situation of having to navigate a full EFL programme on the same evening as the summer window ended - did not belong to the yellows of Oxford United.

The U’s have had their travails this summer. They are subject to temporary transfer restrictions after failing to comply with the Salary Cost Management Protocol rules.

Town have no such issues. They have recruited pretty well by League One standards and welcomed another ‘newcomer’ ahead of the game after deadline-day signing Cameron Humphreys - back for a second loan spell from Ipswich Town - was re-introduced to the crowd.

For all Huddersfield’s transactions, their best business is surely keeping hold of Joe Taylor.

The striker, whose future was uncertain earlier this summer, looks like a player simply reborn.

He has now scored five goals for the season - and his second successive double in the space of three second half minutes in the final quarter was deadly. He received a standing ovation when he came off late on.

It was the first league meeting between these two sides in Huddersfield since December 2003 and Taylor made it memorable on a night when Town moved to the League One summit.

The match which promised a fair bit between two footballing sides and while there was no breakthrough at the break, there was enough for the discerning eye - even if it by no means a classic.

Town had marginally the better of it. But Oxford also came to play and had a threat out wide in Siriki Dembele in particular, while Tyler Goodrham also had the odd moment.

Town, who handed a first start to Archie Collins in the midfield with Bojan Radulovic also starting, had verve in the shape of Derensli Sanches Fernandes and Taylor looked a player emboldened after a run of three goals in his last two league games (it should have been four).

Home supporters, pleased with what they have seen or heard about at the start of the campaign, were also behind those in blue and white and it was good to see.

One or two combinations were particularly slick and the hosts produced the best chance of the half in that fashion on 33 minutes.

A neat move ended in Ibane Bowat cutting the ball back to Fernandes, whose low shot on the turn was blocked in the nick of time by U’s keeper Simon Eastwood, starting against his former club alongside Brodie Spencer.

A third in ex-Terriers defensive favourite Michal Helik was on the bench.

At the other end, Town, aside from the odd nervy moment in possession, were relatively safe and secure and Matty Young did not have much to field.

The goalmouth action stepped up a notch or two on the restart.

Bowat’s low drive flashed wide after Illas Bronkhorst’s cross from the right wasn’t cleared before Young stayed alert to deny Mark Harris following Collins’ initial error.

Fernandes then cursed his luck after firing a good chance off target following Brannagan’s weak header put the U’s in trouble, but Town’s flying dad talented winger was feeling a bit better about himself soon after.

He supplied the killer pass to send Radulovic away and his low finish was inch-perfect. It was the forward’s second goal in successive home matches.

Soon after, Taylor, never too far away from the action, blasted over when well placed and then produced a huge miss at the far post, firing wide with the goal at his mercy following a low deflected cross from Collins.

That miss was exposed when the U’s drew level.

Patient, probing work down the right saw Spencer spot a gap and find substitute Leo Snowden and he teed up fellow replacement Gatlin O’Donkor from close range for a neat leveller, although Drury will have been more concerned at how easily Town were opened up.

He was happier soon after.

Town did not feel sorry for themselves. Anything but.

Taylor raced clear, with Eastwood getting a touch to his cheeky dink. The loose ball bounced invitingly, but fine last-ditch defending from Sam Long kept out his follow-up header.

The U’s were powerless to stop Town’s go-to man soon after.

Ryan Ledson flicked on a corner and Taylor showed real striker’s instinct to head home in predatory style at the far post.

The best was yet to come. Fernandes’ impudent flick found him in space and with confidence coursing through veins, he finished clinically and brilliantly.

Ledson went close to a fourth as did Radinio Balker from an overhead kick in a crowded box. Oxford were increasingly all at sea at the back.

Huddersfield Town: Young, Bronkhorst, Balker, Wallace, Bowat; Ledson, Collins (Kasumu 63), Fernandes, Taylor (Sebine 88) Harness (Sway 78); Radulovic (Fletcher 63). Substitutes unused: Tzanev, Sorensen, Low.

Oxford United: Eastwood; Spencer (Kioso 73), Long, Brown, Currie; McDonnell (Andrews 63), Brannagan, Missanga (Snowden 63), Goodrham (O’Donkor 62), Dembele; Harris. Substitutes unused: Marriott, Helik, Sibley.

Referee: B Speedie (Merseyside).