Practice finally makes perfect for Llera as pace of Owls proves too hot for Town

He looks like the very reason “no-nonsense” became a standard precursor to defenders of a certain ilk.

So it was quite surprising when Sheffield Wednesday colleague Jermaine Johnson, the traditionally flashy winger, dared to try wrestle the ball from the big Spaniard’s grasp when a free-kick opportunity arose in Saturday’s Yorkshire derby at Huddersfield Town.

Briefly, it seemed like the situation could develop into a Mario Balotelli moment. Fortunately, the pugnacious Johnson saw sense – it was a hopeless contest – and the Jamaican slid away, leaving Llera to prove he is not just a useful defender.

Curling in a wonderful left-footed shot from long range, he scored his first goal in Wednesday colours and helped put his promotion-chasing club on the way to a crucial victory over League One rivals, who had hoped to leap-frog them into third place.

Lewis Buxton, who lined up alongside Llera in a commanding Owls defence rarely troubled by their subdued hosts, was not surprised by the stunning outcome.

“Everyone knows Miguel’s got quality,” said the right-back, about the former Blackpool and Charlton player.

“All the lads here know that as he practices them every day and it was just a matter of time before he put one in the net.

“He’d almost scored before that as well. Miguel has got quality which is surprising for a centre-half.

“I don’t know what JJ was doing. There was no chance he was ever getting the ball!

“He never takes free-kicks anyway so I don’t know why he was arguing or getting involved.”

Johnson did get involved more productively elsewhere, however, with a series of penetrating runs which were simply too quick for the back-tracking Terriers defence to deal with.

Linking regularly with the similarly rapid Michail Antonio and Nile Ranger – the excellent loan acquisitions from Reading and Newcastle, respectively – their swift counter-attacking frightened the life out of Town’s defence.

That was especially so after Llera’s 54th-minute opener meant Huddersfield had to press for an equaliser.

With the hosts lacking creativity to furnish opportunities for Jordan Rhodes, or anyone else for that matter, it came as no surprise that Ranger finished them off in the 72nd minute.

In between, Town goalkeeper Alex Smithies produced a stunning double save to deny Antonio and Ranger in quick succession before Chris Lines’s marvellous clipped pass put Ranger clear once more.

He lobbed Smithies but hit the bar and Antonio then somehow fired the rebound wide with the net gaping.

However, Johnson’s perfect delivery then dissected the Town defence through the middle once more and, with space and time, Ranger crisply finished.

It means red-hot Wednesday remain unbeaten in the seven games since Dave Jones took over, drawing only once and winning the rest to stay just two points adrift of second-placed Sheffield United as they eye that all-important automatic promotion spot.

With just five games remaining, they could rise above their Steel City rivals this afternoon when they entertain Oldham, turning up the heat once more before United visit Rochdale tomorrow evening.

Buxton claimed: “The pressure is back with United again now.

“We’re flying and we play before them again on Monday.

“We’ve just got to win every game and hope they slip up.

“United have gone from five or six points clear to two, so the pressure is on, and all we can do is keep winning games.”

This win could have been greater still as Smithies had tipped a header from the excellent Gary Madine onto the bar inside two minutes and Llera went close with another dangerous free-kick before that vital quality strike.

Confidence is clearly rampant in the Owls squad, which secured a first win at Huddersfield since 1984, and Buxton added: “There’s no reason not to be confident.

“We’re playing Oldham on Monday and don’t want to be complacent going into games but you have to be confident after what’s happened since the manager’s come in. He just seems to have given everyone the lift they needed and we’re controlling games.”

Danny Batth brilliantly marshalled 38-goal Rhodes at the heart of the Owls defence.

Huddersfield had a sustained period of pressure in the first half forcing a succession of corners but struggled for any incisiveness with their only real threat coming from the occasional dart by winger Danny Ward. He flashed one effort wide in the first half when he also saw a sharp free-kick just dip over the bar during a period where they dominated possession but Town largely disappointed their season best home attendance of 18,646.

Having lost two of their last three fixtures, Simon Grayson’s team are eight points off the automatic promotion pace and seem destined for the play-offs again.