MX23RW : Monday, April 29 07:31:16| >> :120:54422:54422:
[monks data]
Attendance: 22,859
Huddersfield logo
Championship | Gameweek 25
Dec 29, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
Blackburn logo

2-1

FT(HT: 1-1)
Graham (7')

Steve Mounie scores stunner as Huddersfield edge out Blackburn

Steve Mounie scores stunner as Huddersfield edge out Blackburn
© Reuters
The Terriers beat Blackburn at home for the first time in 20 years.

Steve Mounie was Huddersfield's hero as they came from behind to claim a fine 2-1 win and beat promotion-chasing Blackburn at home for the first time in 20 years.

The Benin striker grabbed a 71st-minute winner for the Terriers as they bravely fought back to end Rovers' eight-game unbeaten league run at the John Smith's Stadium.

It was Huddersfield's first home league win since victory over Rovers back in August 1999.

Experienced striker Danny Graham headed the visitors into a seventh-minute lead with his second goal in four games.

But Slovenian centre-back Jon Stankovic equalised with a splendid diving header for his first goal since August 2018.

Mounie then took centre stage as he won it with a thunderous strike from distance to delight the home supporters.

Terriers boss Danny Cowley made two changes to his side, with the injured Jonathan Hogg replaced by Lewis O'Brien in the middle of the park, while full-back Florent Hadergjonaj dropped to the bench and Jaden Brown returned from an ankle injury.

And there were five changes for Rovers as manager Tony Mowbray shuffled his pack after Boxing Day's 1-1 draw at home to Birmingham.

Injured midfielder Lewis Holtby and defenders Derrick Williams and Ryan Nyambe all missed out, while Adam Armstrong and Amari'i Bell dropped to the bench.

In came Joe Rothwell, Stewart Downing, Lewis Travis, Tosin Adarabioyo and Graham as Rovers looked to make it four unbeaten on the road.

The visitors started brightly and Huddersfield goalkeeper Kamil Grabara pulled off a fine point-blank save to deny Sam Gallagher an opening goal after only five minutes.

But the opener was just around the corner when, two minutes later, Travis picked out an unmarked Graham and the striker headed into the bottom-left corner beyond Grabara.

Midfielder O'Brien rifled well wide as the hosts looked for an immediate response, before leading scorer Karlan Grant struck the frame of the goal with a chipped crossed that almost resulted in an equaliser.

Moments later referee Andy Woolmer turned down calls for a penalty after Grant went down in the box after a lunging tackle from Darragh Lenihan.

However, an equaliser came when midfielder Juninho Bacuna fizzed in a dangerous free-kick and the onrushing Stankovic lost his marker to head into the left corner.

O'Brien had a powerful shot charged down in the box by John Buckley as the Yorkshire outfit pushed for a second goal, while at the other end Buckley had a shot of his own blocked by Terriers skipper Christopher Schindler, only just back on the pitch after a head injury.

Rovers goalkeeper Christian Walton thwarted Grant with a superb one-handed fingertip save just before the break.

Grant also had a shot deflected inches wide in first-half stoppage-time as the home side came within a whisker of talking a lead in with them at the interval.

There were no chances in the opening 20 minutes of the second half but eventually Grant went close, his deflected header from a Bacuna header flying agonisingly wide of the back post.

And the game lit up when Mounie lashed a stunning right-foot shot into the top-right corner from distance.

Grabara denied Adarabioyo late on with a fine block from close range, but Huddersfield could have scored themselves.

Grant was thwarted by Walton at his near post and substitute Fraizer Campbell dragged a left-foot shot beyond the far post.

Rovers had nine minutes of time added on to try and snatch an equaliser, but the hosts comfortably held out for three vital points in their battle to avoid relegation.

ID:384427: cacheID:384427:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:7532:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
West Brom biss Slaven Bilic pictured on November 9, 2019
Read Next:
Slaven Bilic urges West Brom squad to fight festive fatigue
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
2Leeds UnitedLeeds45279980413990
3Ipswich TownIpswich442612688563290
4Southampton452591185622384
5Norwich CityNorwich4521101479631673
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4520121367472072
7Hull City451913136859970
8Middlesbrough45199176861766
9Coventry CityCoventry4417131468551364
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Bristol City451711175347662
12Cardiff CityCardiff45195215165-1462
13Swansea CitySwansea451512185964-557
14Watford451317156058256
15Sunderland45168215252056
16Millwall451511194455-1156
17Queens Park RangersQPR451411204557-1253
18Stoke CityStoke451411204560-1553
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn451311215874-1650
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds45148234268-2650
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth451212215870-1248
22Birmingham CityBirmingham451211224965-1647
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield45918184875-2745
RRotherham UnitedRotherham45412293287-5524


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!