Huddersfield Town's final home outing was a wretched one - but this is why Jon Stead sees 'potential'
A deeper dive into Huddersfield Town’s 4-1 home defeat to Mansfield Town with reflections from co-interim boss Jon Stead
As Huddersfield Town trudged their way through the final home game of a wasted League One season, fans were left to wonder what could have been had their club remained in the promotion picture.
The long-suffering supporters had to watch Mansfield fans revel in their League One status, something the Terriers desperately want to rid themselves of.
It was a party in the away end as a sea of yellow basked in the sunshine, but a sparse home crowd were back doing what they have grown accustomed to - watching a collapse through their hands.
Jon Stead on long-suffering fans
“I feel sorry for them (fans),” said co-interim boss Jon Stead. “I feel sorry that they've had to endure what they've had to endure.
"They've endured a hell of a lot this season and remember I'm a fan as well, so I can understand exactly how they're feeling.
"I'm distraught that it's got to that point (the stadium emptying), but I still managed to walk around the pitch and give my appreciation and the players gave their appreciation to anybody that was there, because there is that appreciation, because we know it's been tough and they have stuck with us.”
The tale of the game
The first blow was delivered after just 15 minutes, when Huddersfield academy product Lucas Akins was allowed to drift between blue and white bodies unmarked to prod home a Rhys Oates cross. With half-time just around the corner, Murray Wallace turned a Tyler Roberts cross into his own net.
Mansfield’s party was kept alive and bouncing six minutes after the restart, when Regan Hendry was given all the time in the world to line up a rocket from distance that found the top corner.
Marcus Harness pulled one back for the Terriers but the damage had been done. The damage had in fact been done long before kick-off, across many painful months in which decisions on and off the pitch have more often than not been wrong.
It got worse for the hapless hosts, who allowed Oliver Irow to race in behind and somehow beat Nik Tzanev from the tightest of angles to make it 4-1.
"We needed to compete to put the game on our terms,” said Stead. “I think you saw from the first minute we didn't do that, we didn't compete, and that's where the disappointment and the frustration comes from.”
Huddersfield Town in need of another revamp
When the whistle blows on this wretched campaign, it will be a mercy. Many clubs endure seasons of hardship but few are given quite so much hope beforehand.
It has been another false dawn for the Terriers supporters, who will not be quite as quick to believe in the project when a new blueprint is presented in the summer.
Huddersfield simply cannot afford another season of League One mediocrity. Further disillusionment and apathy could lock the club into a downards spiral, one from which ambitious owner Kevin Nagle may not recover.
“These last two weeks is when you learn a lot about people,” said Stead. “I still think there's a really good core group of players there.
"I think the potential at this club is enormous.”
Huddersfield Town: Alnwick (Tzanev 45), Low (Alves 45), Roughan, Wallace; Sorensen, Ledson, Humphreys, Mumba; Harness (McGuane 80), Kasumu; Sebine (Evans 60).
Unused substitutes: Wales, Charles.
Mansfield Town: L. Roberts, Knoyle, Sweeney, Blake-Tracy (Hewitt 45); Akins, Reed, Hendry, McLaughlin (Hartman 85); Russell, T. Roberts (Irow 57); Oates (Evans 68).
Unused substitutes: Taylor, Gardner.
Referee: Ross Joyce (Teesside)