Huddersfield Town 1, Bournemouth 2
Promotion chasing Bournemouth beat Huddersfield Town with goals by ex-Terrier Phil Billing and Dominic Solanke to enter the play off places.
Jonathan Hogg pulled one back with a 76th minute header from a late corner and the Terriers threw everything at the visitors for a nailbiting finale.
Both sides were adventurous and were able to create chances but the relegation threatened and tired Terriers were undone by the visitors’ clinical finishing with Aaron Rowe their best outlet but finishing not on their side.
The Cherries deserved the win in the end but defeat left Town still looking over their shoulder at the clubs beneath them.
Town made two changes from the side that drew at home to relegation rivals Rotherham on Saturday, with Pipa and Yaya Sanogo dropped for Aaron Rowe and Isaac Mbenza.
Sanogo missed out with a lacerated foot while Pipa was only fit enough for the bench.
Bournemouth fielded ex Terrier Phil Billing in their side which also included former City youth player David Brooks.
There was a one minute silence during the period of mourning to mark the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, followed by the customary taking of the knee to mark solidarity with the message of anti racism which has been in the headlines recently.
And Ryan Schofield was quickly in action as the visitors tested him early on with a shot by Lloyd Kelly.
The Cherries were very good on the ball but wasteful with their set pieces, Aaron Rowe struck the side netting for Town who could not convert the loose ball on a later set piece.
But they could not keep Bournemouth out, they counter attacked and saw Arnaut Danjuma’s shot saved by Schofield only for Billing’s diving header to turn the rebound into the empty net after 15 minutes.
4 minutes later Billing chanced his arm again after turning Duane Holmes inside out but shot wide.
Rowe produced another shot off the side netting but Danjuma blazed over from close range and Solanke could have done better when a second goal looked inevitable for the visitors.
Town couldn’t create any clear chances from a period of possession only to see Solanke send a shot wide on the break just before half time.
But Town were quickly punished when he turned and curled a second for the Cherries past the despairing dive of Schofield after Ben Pearson was given plenty of space to find the lively striker.
Huddersfield Town leave it too late to start playing against Bournemouth after early changes
Rolando Aarons was brought on for Mbenza at the break and provided Lewis O’Brien with the ball for a shot that hit the crossbar with Asmir Begovic beaten.
David Brooks’ shot was blocked but Danjuma’s corner was cleared.
Danny Ward and Sorba Thomas replaced Fraizer Campbell and Rarmani Edmonds-Green made way as Carlos Corberan made early changes and changed shape in the 54th minute.
The Cherries were able to break more often after the break as the Terriers had to risk more to get into the game.
Brooks, who was coming back from injury, was replaced by Jack Stacey in David Bournemouth’s first change of the game after 63 minutes and Solanke had a shot blocked after Danjuma cut the ball back from the touch line.their
Town responded by introducing Scott High to the action with 19 minutes to go, and he replaced Juninho Bacuna.
Lerma headed wide before Danjuma was replaced by Junior Stanislas a minute later.
Town looked doomed with time running out but skipper Jonathan Hogg came up with a goal from a corner with 14 minutes to go after getting on the end of Duane Holmes’ ball into the box.
Stanlislas was denied by a brave block by Sarr as the Terriers chased an unlikely equaliser while Solanke also went close.
Jaden Brown was Town’s final change, with 5 minutes to go, for Holmes, and there was a penalty shout after High’s ball into Aarons saw the winger go down but there was no penalty given.
And ex-Oldham Athletic loanee Sam Surridge saw his shot tipped over by Schofield after coming as a sub for Solanke as the Cherries saw out a nervous finale to take the points.
GOALS – Huddersfield Town 1, Bournemouth 2
Huddersfield Town 0, Bournemouth 1: 15. Phil Billing opened the scoring with a diving header to turn a parried Arnaut Danjuma effort past Ryan Schofield in the Town goal.
Huddersfield Town 0, Bournemouth 2: 45. Dominic Solanke doubled the Bournemouth lead with a curling strike from the edge of the box after being allowed to turn after Ben Pearson found him with a through ball.
Huddersfield Town 1, Bournemouth 2: 76. Jonathan Hogg pulled a goal back at the near post from Duane Holmes’ corner.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 1, Bournemouth 2
Huddersfield Town: Schofield, Edmonds-Green (Thomas 54), Keogh, Sarr, Holmes (Brown 85), Bacuna (High 71), Hogg, O’Brien, Rowe, Mbenza (Aarons 46), Campbell (Ward 54)
Huddersfield Town subs not used: Pereira, Pipa, Pritchard, Stearman
Goal: Hogg 76
Bournemouth: Begovic, Adam Smith, Carter-Vickers, Steve Cook, Kelly, Pearson, Lerma, Brooks (Stacey 63), Billing, Danjuma (Stanislas 72), Solanke (Surridge 88)
Bournemouth Subs not used: Travers, Mepham, Wilshere, Riquelme, Rico, Anthony
Booking: Pearson 12 (shirt pull on Lewis O’Brien)
Goals: Billing 15; Solanke 45
Referee: Jeremy Simpson