Huddersfield v Reading: Powell’s double aim as Royals return

HAD things worked out differently in the third round, Huddersfield Town and not Reading could be gearing up for an FA Cup quarter-final showdown against Bradford City next month.
Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell (
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell (
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).
Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell ( Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).

The Terriers lost 1-0 at home to the Royals in a tie that was distinctly short on entertainment before being settled by a late strike from Nick Blackman.

Since then, Reading have negotiated two more ties on the road against Championship opposition in Cardiff City and Derby County to stand potentially just 90 minutes from Wembley.

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Valley Parade is heading for a sell-out on March 7 after the Berkshire club yesterday took up a second allocation of tickets after the initial 2,709 had been snapped up and surely Town fans could be forgiven for wondering ‘what if?’ as the last-eight tie edges closer.

Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell (
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell (
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).
Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell ( Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).

Manager Chris Powell, however, insists this is not the case for either himself or the Huddersfield squad as Reading tonight head to the John Smith’s Stadium for a second time this season.

“There isn’t really any thought of ‘what if?’ or anything like that,” said Powell in response to The Yorkshire Post’s enquiry.

“You just don’t know if that would have been our route. I understand that we are part of their journey to the quarter-finals, but you can’t get hung up on that.

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“Fair play to Reading, they won the game and we shook hands. It was a game where we changed the team.

“One or two players needed to get some minutes so this is a different game with a different personnel for both ourselves and Reading.

“Of course, they are now in the quarter-finals and preparing to face another Yorkshire side 
after getting a couple of favourable draws.

“I have experienced that in the past and it is a great lift for the team. It never happened for us and we have to move on. We have to look at what we can do better in the rest of the campaign.

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“But we have both moved on since then and played plenty of games. We have got some points on the board since then and our only concern is dealing with this league game.”

Powell reached the last eight of the Cup last season when in charge of Charlton Athletic. A fifth-round replay win at Sheffield Wednesday famously led to the former England international swinging from the Hillsborough crossbar in celebration.

Hopes of reaching Wembley, however, were then ended by Sheffield United in the next round at Bramall Lane.

A year on and Powell’s focus is solely on the league and continuing Town’s move away from trouble at the wrong end of the Championship.

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Victory for Reading tonight would be a big boost to those attempts, but it will have to come on a pitch that had deteriorated badly ahead of Saturday’s dour goalless draw with Cardiff City.

In that respect, Steve Clark’s Royals will be given a useful ‘practice’ for the Cup quarter-final on a Valley Parade surface that has been heavily criticised since the turn of the year.

On Huddersfield’s own problems, Powell added: “The pitch isn’t great, which is an understatement. I didn’t realise what it was like until the Cardiff game was developing. I could see why the players were taking an extra touch.

“It was quite bobbly under foot and although that was the same for both teams, the onus is always on the home side to push on and make things happen.

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“That is not an excuse and we do have to deal with it. We have to create chances, regardless of the pitch. We have to adapt to it in our remaining home games and carry on playing our football.”

A hectic week will culminate on Saturday with what will be an emotional return to The Valley for Powell.

His sacking shortly after last March’s Cup defeat at Bramall Lane brought to an end an association that had begun 10 years earlier.

Charlton fans plan to applaud the Huddersfield manager during Saturday’s game for the entire third minute – a time chosen to mark the number he wore as a player at The Valley.

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As emotional as Saturday’s return is likely to be, however, Powell insists his only focus ahead of tonight’s game is completing a second league double of the season by beating Reading.

He said: “Charlton is not in the thought process, definitely not. My thoughts since Saturday night and Sunday have entirely been on getting us ready for Reading.

“That is all I am thinking about. Once that game is out of the way, we move on and the focus is all about Charlton along with the preparation.

“I know everyone will be speaking to me about it, but there is another game for us first.”

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Jack Robinson and Mark Hudson are carrying knocks sustained in the draw with Cardiff.

Last six games: Huddersfield Town WLWLDD, Reading WWLWLW

Referee: J Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Last time: Huddersfield Town 0 Reading 1; January 3, 2015; FA Cup.