Huddersfield Town 1 Derby County 0 - Improving Huddersfield see off Rams thanks to Bacuna

GLIMPSES of sunshine can be fleeting at this time of year and you make the most of them when they come along.
On target: Juninho Bacuna strikes home Huddersfield's winner. Picture Bruce RollinsonOn target: Juninho Bacuna strikes home Huddersfield's winner. Picture Bruce Rollinson
On target: Juninho Bacuna strikes home Huddersfield's winner. Picture Bruce Rollinson

The quiet hope of everyone connected with Huddersfield Town is that the weather may just be showing signs of changing over a longer period of time after being stalked by dark clouds for the past few years in a footballing sense.

A four-match unbeaten spell – and return of ten points from the last 12 available – is something that will be grasped positively as head coach Carlos Corberan presides over a style make-over and attempts to usher in a brave new footballing world at the John Smith’s Stadium.

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Twenty-five days on from the arrival of another ailing East Midlands outfit suffering from the equivalent of respiratory problems at the start of 2020-21 in Nottingham Forest, Derby were to head home similarly disappointed with their under-fire manager also feeling hot under the collar.

Victory dance: Juninho Bacuna celebrates his goal with Isaac Mbenza. Picture Bruce RollinsonVictory dance: Juninho Bacuna celebrates his goal with Isaac Mbenza. Picture Bruce Rollinson
Victory dance: Juninho Bacuna celebrates his goal with Isaac Mbenza. Picture Bruce Rollinson

Forest were downed by a virtuoso goal early in the second half.

Juninho Bacuna, who scored some eye-catching goals last term, arrived on cue to steer the ball home following a flowing move on an evening when Town’s evolution continued at apace.

Chairman Phil Hodkingson recently spoke about the decision to persuade Corberan to come to the club as an ‘unbelievable one’ for the Terriers and also referenced his desire to ‘enjoy watching football again’.

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On a crisp autumnal evening, there was plenty to admire for the Town supremo, more especially in the second half.

Push and shove: Juninho Bacuna and Max Bird chase the ball.
 Picture Bruce RollinsonPush and shove: Juninho Bacuna and Max Bird chase the ball.
 Picture Bruce Rollinson
Push and shove: Juninho Bacuna and Max Bird chase the ball. Picture Bruce Rollinson

Across the pitch, the work-rate and energy levels were superb, with Corberan pacing animatedly around his technical area with all the intensity he expects from his players in a non-stop performance.

After successfully matching up with Swansea to smother their midfield strength on Saturday, Corberan replicated Derby’s system three days on with Isaac Mbenza and Josh Koroma operating either side of Campbell in a three-pronged attack.

It was a half high on shape and structure, without too much goalmouth incident, although the more polished passages of play on view were displayed by Derby, reeling somewhat after a pretty indifferent start to the season.

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With Wayne Rooney stuck at home – having voiced his anger at having to self-isolate after testing negative for coronavirus – and Martyn Waghorn and Colin Kazim-Richards being short of fitness, Derby effectively started the game without a traditional centre-forward.

Man with a plan: Town boss Carlos Corberan.
Picture Bruce RollinsonMan with a plan: Town boss Carlos Corberan.
Picture Bruce Rollinson
Man with a plan: Town boss Carlos Corberan. Picture Bruce Rollinson

A well-constructed Rams’ move ended in Kamil Jozwiak’s curler flying wide, with their best moment fortunately arriving at the feet of Andre Wisdom, with the Yorkshireman shooting at Ben Hamer with plenty of the goal to aim at on a rare occasion that the hosts were opened up.

Town’s best opportunities also came to a defender, with Pipa again displaying his penchant for bombing forward and not needing any party invites to fire shots on goal – just a shame no supporters can currently appreciate it in the flesh.

His best moment arrived midway through the half when his scorching shot was tipped over by David Marshall and he also chanced his arm on two other 
occasions and was not too far away.

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Going forward, Corberan will have been wanting more and an opener was agonisingly close in coming on the restart when Campbell, under pressure from Lee Buchanan, was inches away from turning in Harry Toffolo’s fine low cross.

Toffolo was involved in the next move, sent away by a clever pass from Campbell, Toffolo picked out Bacuna who coolly slotted the ball home.

With Derby showing signs of losing their way, Waghorn and ex-Terriers midfielder Duane Holmes came on, but they struggled to wrestle back the initiative as Town grew more confident and forceful.

Gaps arrived as Derby were forced to push forward as a hitherto technical contest where shape had ruled suddenly opened up.

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On a night when he had little to do, former Rams loanee Hamer earned his keep with an excellent instinctive save low down to keep out an effort from Holmes at his near post before Marshall tipped over Naby Sarr’s header as the hosts sought to establish a two-goal cushion. Matt Clarke’s header, which hit the outside of the post, went desperately close to a leveller from Waghorn’s cross.

But Town withstood the pressure on a night when the Corberan era again took another stride forward.

Huddersfield Town: Hamer; Pipa (Duhaney 79), Stearman, Sarr, Toffolo; Eiting (O’Brien 65), Hogg, Bacuna; Koroma, Campbell, Mbenza (Schindler 55). Unused substitutes: Pereira, Jaden Brown, Pritchard, Diakhaby.

Derby: Marshall; Wisdom, Davies, Clarke; Byrne, Shinnie (Waghorn 62), Bird, Buchanan (Kazim-Richards 79); Jozwiak, Knight, Lawrence (Holmes 62). Unused substitutes: Roos, Forsyth, te Wierik, Hector-Ingram.

Referee: D Webb (Co.Durham).

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Thank you

James Mitchinson

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