Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0
Two second half goals by Elias Kachunga and Steve Mounie gave Huddersfield Town a vital win at the bottom of the Championship to keep them six points clear of the drop zone.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Terriers struck after a poor first half full of endeavour but few clear chances, converting good build-up into shots on goal in the second half and making QPR pay for their own wastefulness as on-loan Jonas Lossl made a couple of saves to preserve Town’s clean sheet.
Town boss Danny Cowley made three changes to the side after the defeat at Fulham.
Popular goalkeeper Jonas Lossl was handed the gloves following his loan move back to the club from Everton who he joined from the Terriers in the summer – he replaced Joel Coleman and was applauded by the crowd at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Fellow loan signing Chris Willock was named on the bench after his deadline day move from Benfica.
Danny Simpson and Jonathan Hogg also returned to the starting lineup as Coleman, Trevoh Chalobah, and the injured Karlan Grant were the ones to step down.
QPR were unchanged following their home defeat to Bristol City.
There was a minute’s silence before kick off to mark the passing of former Terriers’ Academy graduate Jordan Sinnott, son of former Terriers’ player Lee Sinnott.
Town could have scored twice through early chances by Lewis O’Brien and Juninho Bacuna but although they worked hard to create chances the visitors could have scored first when Jordan Hugill volleyed into the side netting after Town were caught out by an early cross by Eberechi Eze.
The Terriers were living dangerously for a while, perhaps guilty of overplaying in their own half when Danny Simpson conceded a free kick on the edge of his own area while Eze forced the first save by Lossl with a speculative shot just before a minute’s applause for Jordan Sinnott in the 25th minute.
Lossl tipped over a rising shot by Luke Amos after a cross by Eze was dummied while Grant Hall’s header from the resulting corner by Eze came back off the post as QPR threatened to score.
Town were just not creating much end product despite their efforts, and a comical free kick gifting possession straight to a QPR player in space by Danny Simpson underlined just how off the boil the Terriers had gone since their bright start.
Terriers improve after shaky start against QPR
Having been forced back for much of the game, in-form Steve Mounie finally got some service and forced a fine save from Liam Kelly low to his left just before half time when he met Bacuna’s cross with firm header from the left.
Richard Stearman’s volley from Elias Kachunga’s knockdown of a free kick was caught by Kelly as Town looked to improve on a poor first half.
And Town took the lead after 57 minutes when they raided own the left through Harry Toffolo who was brought down by Grant Hall in the box. The left back got up amidst calls for a penalty and crossed the ball for Elias Kachunga to nod in unmarked from 3 yards out – only his second goal of the season.
Three minutes later the Terriers had a penalty after Kachunga was tripped by Lee Wallace after the broke to him when Emile Smith Rowe’s shot was deflected.
Steve Mounie took the ball fired it in beyond Kelly’s grasp to the right to hit his 6th goal in 9 games.
QPR made a double substitution, bringing on Jack Clarke and Marc Pugh for Luke Amos and Ilias Chair.
Kachunga saw a point blank turn and shot smothered by Kelly after Mounie sent in Bacuna’s corner into the goalmouth.
Town responded by bringing on Frazier Campbell and Andy King for Bacuna and Mounie.
King saw a curling shot tipped away by Kelly after Smith Rowe set him up and had another attempt go just wide of the back post while Toffolo chipped the ball over the bar.
Town finished strongly – handing a debut to Chris Willock in the last minute of normal time before seeing out the game.
GOALS – Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0
Huddersfield Town 1, QPR 0: 57. Harry Toffolo crossed from the left and Elias Kachunga was free to nod in from 3 yards out after the left back got up following a challenge in the box by Grant Hall to deliver the killer pass.
Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0: 64. Steve Mounie made no mistake from the spot, firing in beyond Liam Kelly from the penalty spot after Elias Kunchunga was brought down by Lee Wallace after Emile Smith Rowe’s shot had been blocked.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 2, QPR 0
Huddersfield Town: Lossl, Simpson, Stearman, Schindler, Toffolo, Bacuna (King 74), Hogg, Kachunga (Willock 90), Smith Rowe, O’Brien, Mounie (Campbell 72)
Huddersfield Town Subs not used: Coleman, Chalobah, Pyke, Stankovic
Goals: Kachunga 57; Mounie 64 pen
QPR: Kelly, Kane, Hall, Masterson, Wallace, Ball, Amos (Clarke 67), Osayi-Samuel (Oteh 87), Chair (Pugh 67), Eze, Hugill
QPR Subs not used: Lumley, Manning, Rangel, Barbet
Booked: Hugill 27 (foul on Harry Toffolo); Amos 41 (trip on Lewis O’Brien); Ball 82 (foul on Lewis O’Brien)
Referee: David Webb
Attendance: 21,083 (702 Away fans)