Huddersfield 1-1 QPR: Martyn Waghorn earns point for Terriers

Huddersfield and QPR's winless runs continued as two of the Championship's out-of-form sides drew 1-1.

Jamal Lowe handed the visiting Hoops an early advantage when he pounced on a Matthew Lowton mistake to head home.

A nervy Terriers outfit gradually grew in confidence and Martyn Waghorn marked his first start with a tap-in before the half-time whistle.

With both clubs yet to record their first victory of 2023, a frenetic second period followed but neither side could score a winner.

Huddersfield saw their winless run stretch to five games in all competitions as they remained in the relegation zone.

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Meanwhile, QPR have failed to win since Neil Critchley's first game in charge - a run of nine matches without victory.

After a busy January window in which seven players were recruited at the John Smith's Stadium, boss Mark Fotheringham switched to a new 4-3-3 system.

And, after five changes and a tactical tweak, the hosts started brightly with Jack Rudoni delivering a teasing cross from a set-piece.

However, the Terriers soon saw their positive start undone.

A misjudged Lowton back-pass sold debutant keeper Tomas Vaclik short, with an alert Lowe on hand to poke his header home inside 13 minutes.

The Jamaica international continues his impressive start for the Rs, notching his second goal in four games since arriving on loan from Bournemouth last month.

Huddersfield responded positively and they were rewarded shortly before the interval.

As the visitors looked destined to go into the break with a slender lead, the Terriers levelled thanks to two of their winter recruits.

An accurate Joseph Hungbo free-kick was saved well by Seny Dieng, but only into the path of the returning Ollie Turton, who teed up Waghorn for a tap-in.

The 33-year-old forward, who joined on loan from Coventry in January, will not have had many easier goals in his career as he opened his Huddersfield account.

After the restart, both sides rallied in pursuit of their first victories of 2023 in a high-tempo and end-to-end second half.

Fotheringham looked to the bench for inspiration with a triple substitution on the hour mark, as Anthony Knockaert made his bow after a loan move from Fulham.

And Critchley responded in the opposing dugout, with Albert Adomah and Sinclair Armstrong tasked with finding a late winner.

It was the hosts who looked the likelier source of a winner with Jordan Rhodes denied at point-blank range by Dieng after David Kasumu's weaving solo run.

Ultimately, neither team could find the decider as the two strugglers were forced to settle for a point.

The managers

Huddersfield's Mark Fotheringham:

"I thought we started the game well. It was a really disappointing goal to concede, and the confidence drained from us. We were really negative and weren't playing on the front foot, but we showed good character to come back and perform better in the second half. There's a real nervousness around the club and the team at the moment but the squad's really strong now and we're going to utilise them moving forward.

"Including today, we've got five big games in 15 days so it's relentless and we're going to have to use the full squad. The squad's become really strong and our next three or four games could really define our season now. The way the fans got behind our team when we made those substitutions was incredible and they gave the whole squad a real lift."

QPR's Neil Critchley:

"It was two teams not in a great moment. I felt we could have really gone and tried to kill the game after the first goal, but we didn't make use of those chances and missed that opportunity. We could have played better football, but over a 46-game season, you have to fight and scrap it out sometimes and we've done that today.

"It's been frustrating - we've drawn quite a few games and we could have quite easily won a lot of our games. It's fine margins in this division and you must take those opportunities when you have a chance to win. I've seen enough in the group to know that if we stay calm and together, we can win games and there's plenty of points still to play for. A couple of quick wins changes it very quickly as momentum's a big thing in this division. Most teams have a sticky spell and ours is now; it's just up to us to stick together."

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