New trio provide the positives for Huddersfield Town manager Lee Grant
FOR the second time in three years, Huddersfield Town started a home season against old rivals Burnley in July - with a new face in the dug-out.
Back in 2022, the short-lived Danny Schofield era started as it was destined to go on. Town barely laid a glove on the Clarets in their opening Championship fixture of the season on a flat Friday night in front of the Sky cameras and went down to a lame defeat.
On Saturday, it was a bit different, even if the hosts suffered another reverse.
For a start, there will be two divisions between Town and Burnley in 2025-26 and – certainly in the second half – it showed a bit as the hosts started out life on home soil under a former Claret in Lee Grant, handed some nice applause ahead of kick-off in front of a crowd approaching 5,000.
Thankfully, points weren’t at stake and there were at least some vestiges of encouragement in the first half in particular.
The Terriers lost 2-0 but results are not the be-all and end-all in pre-season, which is primarily a time for boosting fitness, starting to establish on-pitch relationships and generally ingratiating yourself with a set of supporters if you are a newbie.
Town’s loan goalkeeper Owen Goodman certainly did that, while Lynden Gooch and Joe Low also made a handy first impression.
Signed on a season-long loan from Crystal Palace, Goodman showed why he was coveted by a number of lower-division sides earlier this summer.
He may have been beaten twice, but had previously got his angles right to make two textbook saves.
He also showed his instinctive reactions and one flying save late on was particularly eye-catching.
Goodman looks a good one, for sure.
Gooch also looked the part too before exiting the fray at the interval.
Committed, experienced and positionally-savvy, he displayed more than enough to suggest he will be a reassuring constant down the right this season, fitness permitting.
A mighty oak of a centre-half, Low also caught the eye at the back, even if he should have put Town in front with the hosts' best chance on the day in the first half.
What was it all about for Alfie? Well, another new face in Alfie May was handed a tough gig in fairness.
Up against arugably the standout Championship defender from last season in Maxime Esteve, May couldn't make an impression.
Better to judge him against League One opponents, starting next weekend.
Burnley – who included a certain Kyle Walker in their ranks who captained the side – were doubling up, having sent a first-team side to Shrewsbury alongside Huddersfield, with manager Scott Parker electing to station himself in West Yorkshire.
He will have been pleased by what he saw, more especially in the second half as the visitors dominated and Town beat a retreat.
A 63rd-minute header from Tom McDermott, not long after coming on, opened the Clarets' account.
A second arrived late on through fellow replacement Joe Westley. Saturday is when it matters for Town when they are assigned with displaying their progress since their previous home league meeting, coincidently against their opening weekend opponents in Leyton Orient.