Huddersfield Town: Hurting Levi Colwill determined to pick himself up quickly after Wembley heartache

LEVI COLWILL’S return to the capital was a gut-wrenching one.

The Chelsea loanee, outstanding during a breakthrough season which he will never forget at Huddersfield Town, was cast into the spotlight for reasons he would certainly not have chosen when he diverted James Garner’s cross past Lee Nicholls in the decisive moment of yesterday’s play-off final against Nottingham Forest.

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It was a measure of the strong mentality of the young defender that he summoned up the courage to speak after the game and did not hide away.

TOUGH DAY: Huddersfield Town's Levi Colwill applauds the Terriers' fans after losing to Nottingham Forest at Wembley Picture: John Early/Getty ImagesTOUGH DAY: Huddersfield Town's Levi Colwill applauds the Terriers' fans after losing to Nottingham Forest at Wembley Picture: John Early/Getty Images
TOUGH DAY: Huddersfield Town's Levi Colwill applauds the Terriers' fans after losing to Nottingham Forest at Wembley Picture: John Early/Getty Images
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There was understandable disappointment, but also anger at a couple of huge moments of refereeing controversy when two big shouts for penalties were rebuffed in the second half.

First, Harry Toffolo was booked for diving in the area by referee Jon Moss, officiating for the final time before retiring, and although replays suggested Forest’s Jack Colback had made some contact, it was not overturned by VAR.

UNLUCKY: Huddersfield Town's Levi Colwill (centre) scores an own goal to put Nottingham Forest ahead in Championship play-off final at Wembley Picture: John Walton/PAUNLUCKY: Huddersfield Town's Levi Colwill (centre) scores an own goal to put Nottingham Forest ahead in Championship play-off final at Wembley Picture: John Walton/PA
UNLUCKY: Huddersfield Town's Levi Colwill (centre) scores an own goal to put Nottingham Forest ahead in Championship play-off final at Wembley Picture: John Walton/PA
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Moss was also unmoved later on in the half after Lewis O’Brien, who had an excellent game in the heart of midfield for Huddersfield, went down following a clumsy-looking challenge from Forest substitute Max Lowe.

On his unfortunate own goal, Colwill, in his last game for the club before returning to Chelsea, said: “There was not much I could do. I just went to block it and I went to kick the ball and it hit my knee. I don’t know what to say and I have got to keep my head.

“We did everything correctly and defended well and gave them no chances and they were shouting at each other and didn’t know what to do. Then there was that one chance that went in and it was so unfortunate.

PICK ME UP: Levi Colwill consoles Huddersfield Town team-mate Sorba Thomas after losing the Championship Play-Off Final against Nottingham Forest at Wembley Picture: John Early/Getty ImagesPICK ME UP: Levi Colwill consoles Huddersfield Town team-mate Sorba Thomas after losing the Championship Play-Off Final against Nottingham Forest at Wembley Picture: John Early/Getty Images
PICK ME UP: Levi Colwill consoles Huddersfield Town team-mate Sorba Thomas after losing the Championship Play-Off Final against Nottingham Forest at Wembley Picture: John Early/Getty Images
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“There was not much I could do or much that anyone could do. It’s football, anything happens. It was just my luck. It is not going to stop me and I am not going to get my head down and I will focus on the (England Under-21) internationals.

“I thought they had more of the ball, but we defended well and we did not give them any chances. And when we did get the ball, we did not make as many chances as we’d like to.

“Although maybe that was the game plan, to sit off a bit more and counter-attack.

“I thought we did everything right. There was one chance, apart from the goal, they had nothing else on.

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“Apart from that (goal), I thought we were the better team and with the two penalties, I can’t lie, you look back at them and they were very, very weird how any one of them were not given. It’s one of those things. It’s a bit s***.

“We must all keep our heads up as we did well this year and everyone was predicting up to get relegated, so it shows that they know nothing.

“This year, we have done brilliant and got to the final and were the better team.”

MORE – Carlos Corberan accepts Huddersfield Town’s fate as VAR decisions prove decisive in Championship play-off final

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On the penalty controversy, he continued: “I don’t know why the referee didn’t give it. It’s terrible, it was his last game..

“I don’t know what to say as they were both penalties and there is nothing much more we can do. The game is done.

“It’s one of those things and we have got to keep our heads up as we have done well.”

Meanwhile, Town head coach Carlos Corberan felt sympathy for Colwill for his unlucky part in the only goal of the game.

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He refused to level any blame at the youngster at all for the decisive moment in the game when he diverted the ball into his own net, with Forest midfielder Ryan Yates in close proximity following Garner’s probing cross from the left-hand side.

Corberan commented: “I think if he doesn’t put his foot there maybe the midfielder would have scored the goal too, so I don’t think it was an easy action for him to defend better.

“I think he was doing what he had to do.

“Unfortunately it’s true that we could have balanced the last line a little bit better, but these things happen in football.

“It happened to him when he’s 19 years old because he’s playing in a final when he’s 19 years old, because he deserves to be in a final at his age.”

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