Huddersfield Town 2, Stevenage 1
Josh Koroma opened the scoring and Ben Wiles doubled the Town lead in the second half as Town survived a scare when Elliot List missed an open goal for Stevenage before Harvey White scored an injury time consolation from the penalty spot for a soft foul.
Town would have remained top of the league after two games but for mistakes that in the Championship would surely have been punished more heavily – instead they are second under Stockport County on goal difference.
One of the promotion favourites this season, Huddersfield Town had already enjoyed two wins so far this season – a 2-0 victory at Peterborough followed by a 3-0 drubbing of a poor League Two Morecambe side on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup.
And the Terriers enjoyed a good start, pressing Stevenage into errors and creating half chances.
Town were certainly not afraid of getting physical either and Jonathan Hogg was penalised for following through on a tackle with ex-Town forward Tyreece Simpson.
They got close through Ben Wiles and Josh Koroma – who had a deflected effort cleared off the line – before the Town forward was rewarded for his direct running with a goal served up on a plate from the right by Lasse Sorensen – his first headed goal for the Terriers was served up on a plate by the Dane.
Tom Lees headed Mickel Miller’s corner wide as Town looked to double their lead.
Huddersfield Town double their lead before Stevenage get consolation penalty at the end
Stevenage made a double change at the break with Simpson and Charlie Goode replaced by Louis Appere and Dan Kemp.
And Appere soon set up Elliot List with a square pass but the Stevenage winger screwed his shot wide with just Lee Nicholls to beat shortly after the restart.
Town’s reply was just as bad as Koroma beat the offside trap and squared for Danny Ward only for the veteran striker to balloon his effort over the bar.
The Terriers soon sped things up and Antony Evans started a move which ended with Sorensen cutting the ball back to Ben Wiles who turned it inside the back post after 53 minutes.
Stevenage had Cooper to thank for a block from Koroma to keep the score down soon afterwards while Nicholls had to save from the lively Appere.
Jordan Roberts fired well wide after 63 minutes to remind Town that the job was not done.
Town made a triple substitution after 64 minutes with Evans, Miller, and Koroma making way for Jaheim Headley, Herbie Kane, and Callum Marshall.
Stevenage responded by bringing off Dan Phillips and Elliot List off for Harvey White and Kane Smith.
Town gave Danny Ward and Ben Wiles a rest after 78 minutes, bringing on Kian Harratt and David Kasumu in their place.
And although things got scrappy in the final minutes as Stevenage tried to get a goal back and won a penalty in the last minute of stoppage time when Luther James-Wildin was being held back in the area.
Harvey white stepped up and hit the ball into the roof of the net – an undeserved consolation for a side that had been ruthlessly outplayed by the Terriers for much of the game.
GOALS – Huddersfield Town 2, Stevenage 1
Huddersfield Town 1, Stevenage 0: 25. Lasse Sorensen’s cross was headed in from 6 yards out by Josh Koroma.
Huddersfield Town 2, Stevenage 0: 53. Lasse Sorensen cut the ball back from the right and Ben Wiles was there to divert it inside the back post to double Town’s lead.
Huddersfield Town 2, Stevenage 1: 90+4. Harvey White struck a penalty into the roof of the net after the spot kick was awarded following a foul on Luther James-Wildin.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 2, Stevenage 1
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls, Lees, Helik, Spencer, Hogg (C), Sorensen, Evans (Kane 65), Wiles (Kasumu 78), Miller (Headley 64), Koroma (Marshall 65), Ward (Harratt 78)
Huddersfield Town Subs: Maxwell, Pearson
Bookings: Evans 9; Nicholls 84 (time wasting), Helik 85 (foul on Dan Kemp)
Goals: Koroma 25, Wiles 53
Stevenage: Cooper, James-Wildin, Sweeney, Piegianni (C), Butler, Louis Thompson, Goode (Kemp 46), Phillips (White 75), List (Smith 75), Simpson (Appere 46), Roberts
Stevenage Subs not used: Bouzanis, Nathan Thompson, Freestone
Bookings: Piergianni 27; Phillips (foul on Jonathan Hogg)
Goal: White 90+4 pen
Referee: Andy Davies
Attendance: 18,529