Huddersfield Town boss Lee Grant frustrated over 'missed moments' at Cardiff City
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN manager Lee Grant was left frustrated with his side’s first-half showing after their 3-2 defeat at League One leaders Cardiff City.
A goal in each half from Danish forward Yousef Salech was accompanied by an Isaak Davies strike in the 86th minute.
It held off a spirited Huddersfield effort, with Leo Castledine equalising before a late tap-in from Joe Taylor.
A neat counter-attacking move resulted in the overlapping Joel Bagan crossing for Salech to head home in the sixth minute in a first half where the hosts were in control.
Castledine finished off brilliantly from a short corner delivery by Marcus Harness to equalise in the 51st minute, his effort powering past goalkeeper Nathan Trott.
A triple substitute from Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy changed things on the hour mark, with Cian Ashford’s run and cross finding Salech who headed home for his second two minutes later before the goalscorer turned provider to set up Davies with four minutes left.
The late Taylor goal added some nervousness but the Terriers are now winless in three in the league.
“It’s the game we prepared for and they gave us and the game we expected," said Terriers boss, Grant. “The frustrating thing from my perspective is we didn’t do better in the big moments.
“I feel as though the goals we conceded are really poor and that is the difference in the game, we have to be better with our individual defending.
“From front to back, I felt like in the first 10 to 15 minutes, we were too passive and allowed them too much of a foothold in the game and I really didn’t enjoy the level of respect we showed them and how far off we were.
“We found some moments we expected to see, where we regained the ball high and we go and cause our own threat, and those moments were there for us more so than I think what the group understood in that first stage of the game.
“So I’m frustrated because it was a game that was there for us.”
Cardiff City: Trott, Ng (Kpakio 83), Fish, Lawlor, Bagan, Wintle, Turnbull (Robertson 59), Ashford (Robinson 88), Kellyman (Joel Colwill 59), Willock (Isaak Davies 60), Salech. Unused substitutes: Turner, Chambers.
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls, Sorensen, Low, Balker (Wallace 78), Roosken, Harness (Kasumu 87), Ledson, Wiles, Charles (Taylor 65), Castledine (Ashia 65), Radulovic (May 78). Unused substitutes: Goodman, Roughan.
Referee: Elliot Bell (Merseyside).