Huddersfield Town vs Sunderland. Sky Bet Championship.
The John Smith's StadiumAttendance19,550.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Huddersfield Town and Sunderland at the John Smith's Stadium on Wednesday | Matty Pearson's first-half strike steers Terriers to victory.
Wednesday 14 February 2024 23:11, UK
Matty Pearson's first-half goal pulled Huddersfield five points clear of the Championship relegation places with a 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the John Smith's Stadium.
Huddersfield were 5-3 beaten by promotion-chasing Southampton at the weekend and their confidence in front of goal showed when Pearson put them in front eight minutes before the break.
The Terriers have not lost on their own patch this year and were good value for a second successive home win - they could have had more than the solitary goal but for the woodwork and a goal-line clearance - but needed goalkeeper Lee Nicholls' heroics to secure three points.
Huddersfield's first chance came when Sorba Thomas dispossessed Daniel Ballard on the last line of defence and Luke O'Nien's challenge recycled the ball out to a waiting David Kasumu who sliced wide of the target.
O'Nien brought Kasumu down outside the area which presented Huddersfield with a good set-piece opportunity on the edge of the area.
Jack Rudoni's vicious strike from the free-kick was palmed by Anthony Patterson into the path of Pearson who bundled home from close range.
Huddersfield held their breath on the stroke of half-time when a short corner was worked out to Dan Neil, who fired an effort on target which looked to be a routine save for Nicholls, only for it to slip through his grasp out for a corner.
Sunderland were making a habit of giving Huddersfield dangerous free-kicks, this time Trai Hume brought Koroma down and the Huddersfield striker picked himself up and curled the resulting free-kick onto the near post.
Sunderland went in search of an equaliser and their first effort on target of the half came when Jobe Bellingham drilled into the gloves of Nicholls.
Huddersfield came within the width of the goal-line of doubling their advantage when Rudoni's glancing header was cleared by Bellingham before appeals for handball were swiftly waved away by referee Gavin Ward.
Michael Beale rolled the dice with his substitutions in search of a leveller and Patrick Roberts' strike from outside the box looked to be heading in before it was deflected over the bar.
The visitors thought they had earned a last-gasp equaliser when Hume was put through on goal only to be denied by the outstretched Nicholls as he magnificently tipped behind.
Nicholls was once again the hero in the final minute of added time when O'Nien's cross was diverted towards his own goal by Tom Lees but the Huddersfield keeper sprung well to tip over the bar and earn another vital home win.
Huddersfield's interim manager Jon Worthington:
"Another game I really enjoyed - a committed performance from the lads. We had to go again from Saturday's performance, in terms of the result, and I was happy with the desire the lads showed.
"I think it was a real squad effort to make sure we all dug in together to get over the line and the result.
"From the first minute we were on the front foot, wanting to run forward and support each other. "
Sunderland's Michael Beale:
"To concede off a set-piece away from home is not good enough is it?
"It's a pretty standard set-piece we've conceded from before half-time. We had our moments, but it's a bad night.
"It's a disappointing night. I thought Huddersfield made it a physical game and there was a point in the first half when we needed to roll our sleeves up and give a bit back, and I'm not sure we did that.
"On our best day we are slightly better than teams in this league, but I don't think we are going to blow anyone away. We don't score enough goals to blow teams away."
