Powell relieved after ‘priceless’ win for Huddersfield

Powell was back on familiar ground on Tuesday and it was a happy Valley for the Londoner, who was able to hail his side’s first win since April 11 in a 2-1 verdict.

Despite Town heading into the game on a downer following a worrying start to the season, with the exit of the trio of Jacob Butterfield, Conor Coady and Alex Smithies exacerbating matters, Powell says that witnessing his side go close to a win on several occasions previously this term had given him heart that a three-pointer was not far away.

Powell – who insisted that he has not been in fear of losing his job despite a winless start – said: “It’s been a tough period. We lost three major players from last season and brought in loans and it’s been a tough time for them to get to know one and other.

“Results do dictate lots of things; confidence and your future as a player, manager and staff.

“But if you know you are close and not far away, you have something to work with and we have been doing that.

“I have always known we have been close and I understand how football works and how fans react and want the best for their team.

“(But) I think sometimes people don’t realise how big the changes have been here.

“As a manager, if you lose your head when all of that is happening, you are going to be in trouble. What you have to do is show the players you believe in them.”

Meanwhile, frustration was the order of the day for Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal after his side spurned a string of chances for a second away game running to blight an otherwise impressive away performance in a 0-0 draw at Bolton.

But despite seeing his side draw a blank to extend their winless league streak to six matches, Carvalhal is backing his side to make that final step up by finishing chances in Saturday’s game against Fulham at Hillsborough.

He said: “I hope on Saturday we can take another step up because with the dynamic we are showing, we will win more times than we lose.

“I still think we are in a good way because we are creating chances.”