HUDDERSFIELD Town manager Lee Grant said that his side’s collective mentality was the aspect which pleased him the most in an impressive first league outing in charge of the club – an excellent 3-0 opening-day victory over Leyton Orient at the Accu Stadium.

Joe Low and Alfie May netted on their competitive debuts for Town, who handed full debuts to eight new signings.

Low headed Town on seven minutes and May struck from the spot early in the second half to make it 2-0 as the hosts converted a penalty in front of their own supporters for the first time in 1,984 days since February 2020.

A goal from substitute Ruben Roosken provided late gloss against an O's side who triumphed 4-1 almost exactly three months earlier on the final day of the 2024-25 regular season.

Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant barks out the orders against Leyton Orient. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

placeholder image — Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant barks out the orders against Leyton Orient. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Asked what he was most satisfied about, Grant said: "In general, I felt the group were really together and hopefully, everyone leaving the stadium felt: 'that group really fought for each other and worked incredibly hard for each other.'

"There were guys playing their first 90 minutes and there were eight (full) debuts on the pitch and there was a lot of energy spilling out over the edge for a lot of guys today and I am really pleased that people managed to contain that and stayed focused on their jobs and roles and that was excellent.

"There were bits in the games that I would have liked us to perhaps recognise quicker. For example, their (Orient's) transition threat was excellent and we had to be guarded against that and once or twice, we got ahead of ourselves.

"There was lots in there we need to be better with and need to learn from. But of course, the result for the supporters and group in general is lovely. But it's important we are measured and not get too far ahead of us."

Huddersfield Town's Alfie May celebrates scoring from the penalty spot against Leyton Orient. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Town's late third goal was something that Grant was also happy about.

He added: "In the second half, I could see a field of guys with more belief and energy and I was really pleased we managed to finish the game with the energy we did.

"Full credit to the group as a whole as if you take the last goal for example, it was Lasse Sorensen to Dion Charles to Joe Taylor to Ruben Roosken.

"That's a chain of four people who started the game on the bench who were wired into their jobs. I am really pleased the group see the importance of that already as that will be what defines us, the group as a whole."

The main downers on the day were the sight of Sean Roughan and Marcus Harness exiting the fray with injury issues.

Roughan's knee issue looked the more concerning, with the left-back making way after initially playing off following a fair amount of treatment.

Grant said: "Obviously, it's really early. But you are talking about contact injuries and not muscular ones, which is always a relief as a coach. "When somebody says: 'I got this bang or this knock on my leg, knee, hip or whatever', they are always 'wait and see' ones. How much bruising or swelling or how sore is it, is what we need to find out, post weekend.

"I am not concerned to the point where we are missing guys for weeks and weeks. It really is a case of 'let's see.'