Huddersfield Town 1 Middlesbrough 2: Boro triumph in crazy finish as impressive Terriers suffer in cruel fashion

Boro’s last five visits to Yorkshire clubs in the league had been winless and featured four losses, including a sore one three days earlier at Rotherham.

After defeats to the Millers, Leeds and Hull also this month – two away and one at home - this success was relieving against Broad Acres opponents.

It was a night for a proud Yorkshiremen in Jonny Howson. After seeing his penalty saved on 83 minutes by Jacob Chapman on his full Terriers debut, the former Leeds United captain then scored from the resultant corner in a thrilling cameo of action lasting 35 seconds

His shot struck the turf and bounced off the crossbar before nestling in the net. The normally quiet midfielder celebrated with gusto as did the Boro bench. They were repeated at the end.

It was cruel on Town, who were excellent, especially in the second half. It was particularly galling for Sorba Thomas, who turned in a brilliant performance and did not deserve to be on the losing side.

Boro had taken the lead on 53 minutes through substitute Josh Coburn, less than five minutes after coming on, with Michael Carrick profiting after bringing on a recognised forward.

Town deservedly levelled through Michal Helik six minutes later, but it was Boro’s night on an evening which had also seen Isaiah Jones produce a contender for miss of the season.

Despite the loss and a failure to register back-to-back wins for the first time since September, there was plenty to admire about Town, who are starting to display a positive identity under Darren Moore, even if it won’t feel like much consolation in the immediate aftermath of the final whistle.

The pattern of the game that many expected was set early on. While many across the country have gorged on Christmas food and drink, Boro have afforded themselves a surfeit of festive possession and knocked the ball around with prettiness as they did at Rotherham three days earlier.

Town were fairly happy at that and waited for their times to pounce and force a turnover and looked more convincing in their work, with Boro’s lack of sting at the top end again markedly apparent.

The hosts’ decision-making as to when to press was also good.

Carrick resisted the urge to make changes, despite his side having 19 attempts on goal against the Millers and failing to score one. Across the border in West Yorkshire, Boro suffered in front of goal.

Coburn, their only recognised centre-forward, remained on the bench, while another option in Matt Crooks was also missing, alongside top-scorer Emmanuel Latte-Lath.

Boro painted some nice pictures - they boasted 63 per cent of possession - but had no focal point in the first period.

That said, they did produce a contender for the season’s worst miss in front of goal, which outstripped any of their wastefulness at Rotherham.

It came when Jones was played in, in a central position. Chapman saved his initial effort, with the ball spinning in front of goal. Somehow, inexplicably, the Boro winger produced a fresh-air shot in front of the empty net and Town cleared. It was an incredulous, scarcely believable moment.

Town had the chance to punish them when Alex Bangura ran into traffic in the centre of the pitch after an arching run. Thomas, having another strong game, found Josh Koroma, who almost extended his liking for home games against Boro by rounding advancing keeper Tom Glover.

After doing that, his rising shot smacked against the crossbar just after the half-hour mark.

Koroma had earlier gone close after being supplied by Thomas and the pair looked like they fancied it for the hosts, who did suffer a blow when Boro lad Jonathan Hogg departed after feeling the effects of illness after being dosed up with medication to play.

At the other end, Town – who were without 11 players ahead of the game - had some close shaves, with Boro’s intricate play finding some gaps in the final third, but there was no clinical edge in front of goal.

On the restart, the feeling that the hosts had more attacking threat was soon conveyed before Boro – without nine players themselves - finally hit them where it hurts.

Koroma first threatened when he cut inside on the left and forced Glover into an excellent one-handed save to keep out his curler before Tom Lees saw his header hit Rav van den Berg whose clearance hit the arm of Dael Fry. Town fans bayed for a penalty, but the contact was accidental.

And then it finally happened for Boro when Coburn finished with aplomb from a tight angle, nipping past Yuta Nakayama and beating Chapman to the ball before dinking the ball home.

To their credit, Town’s response was terrific and they were soon level, thanks to Helik’s precision finish off the post.

The momentum was with Town, with Thomas and Koroma having the mojo.

Thomas netted with a brilliant long-ranger, but the offside flag rightly ruled it out before Bangura deservedly saw yellow for theatrics in the box after wriggling past Kasumu.

A madcap finish that ensured, with Howson going from villain to hero in less than sixty seconds.

Town still persevered and almost got the leveller they would have merited when Kyle Hudlin just failed to turn in Thomas’s centre.

Huddersfield Town: Chapman; Lees, Helik, Nakayama (Hudlin 87); Kasumu, Wiles, Hogg (Edmonds-Green 38), Rudoni, Headley; Thomas, Koroma. Unused substitutes: Bellagambi, Diarra, Austerfield, Ayina, Iorpenda, Stone, Falls.

Middlesbrough: Glover; Dijksteel (Coburn 49), van den Berg, Fry, Bangura (Engel 78); Howson, Barlaser; I Jones, Rogers, Greenwood (Clarke 65); Silvera (McGree 78). Unused substitutes: J Jones, Gilbert, Coulson, Kavanagh, Bridge.

Referee: B Toner (Blackburn).