HUDDERSFIELD 2 FOXES 3
If anyone needed convincing that good times appear to have at long last returned to Filbert Way, surely the second half of today’s game was proof enough. At what point in the last 5 years would Leicester have, having just surrendered a two goal lead, shown the intent and belief to try and win the game all over again? And at what point in the last 5 years has scoring, rather than conceding, late goals become our forte? And when did lady luck last decide to smile on us with a SPAWNY last minute goal?!
Welcome signs of players and fans full of confidence were clear from the start. Its hard to describe how good singing "we are top of the league" feels, its one chant you can never really tire of. I used to live in Blackpool and went to a few of their away games with mates from there two years ago when they got promoted and the atmosphere today took me back to then, surely a good sign. And what’s this, another unchanged side from Pearson, surely we should have used 30 players so far this season, it is October after all.
Straight from the kick-off we were on the attack, Adams and Gilbert linking down the right with the latter sending in a dangerous cross. On the left, Dyer’s jinking movement to create space for crosses was Guppy-esque, but with pace as well, while Fryatt was a constant threat, and King assured in midfield. However, after this bright start, Town edged the first half without creating too many chances. Morrison must join Henderson in wondering how they are on the bench without putting a foot, head or hand wrong, but the centre half partnership of Hobbs and Tunchev were always there when it mattered, whilst the handling of Martin (and kicking in windy conditions) was immaculate.
I’ll gloss over the first half because the second half was so action packed that you could easily rack up about £200 in your next ticket prices before you get as much excitement as in that 45 minutes. Things looked rosy when City went two up within 20 minutes of the restart. First up, Adams intercepted the ball on the right and it was finally looped forward to Fryatt, who drove his shot from the right side of the area into the net with the assurance of a striker right on top of his game. Double celebration for me having put a fiver on him for first goalscorer after he nailed every shot in the warm up…..
King then played Dyer in on the left and his driven cross from the touchline was blocked by the raised arm of a defender, and Matty gently rolled in the resulting penalty, possibly having done the keeper with the old eyes routine.
For a couple of minutes it looked like we might absolutely shred Town, but the Terriers mounted a comeback completely out of the blue. There had been an alarm when slack marking led to Martin making a smart save with his legs, but moments later another strike from the same position took a deflection and left him with no chance.
At 2-1 and 20 minutes left there was a definite feeling that there was another goal in the game, not that many of our fans seemed too concerned, joining in with dancing to the home goal celebration music in a crazy display of complacency! This came back to bit them when we shortly conceded two goals in a league game for the first time this season, Dickinson (who was playing semi-pro non-league with a mate from work in Manchester three years ago) beating two defenders to a high ball and getting unexpected power in his header to level the scores.
What to do now? We had clearly been the better side in the second half, indeed Howard had celebrated long and hard when he followed up King’s long-range blockbuster that was parried to make it 3-1 until the linesman flagged him offside. I still felt we could win it, and clearly Pearson did too, bringing on the skill and pace of Gradel for Adams, who had a good game other than for poor dead ball delivery.
This set the tone for a frantic final ten minutes, with Town resorting to fouls around the box to stop Dyer and Gradel. We were into injury time when the great moment came. After a bit of a scramble the ball was laid off at short range to Dyer, who must have been slightly off balance as he could only spoon up a shot like a golfer playing out of a bunker. Our instinctive groans stopped when we saw the keeper desperately back-pedalling, and when it looped pathetically yet gloriously under the bar and over the line, mayhem erupted amongst fans and players alike.
The final memorable image of the day was Chris Powell remaining on the pitch to give the biggest fist pumping salutes to the fans since Stuart Peace scored that penner in Euro 96 – what a contrast with some of the players at the end of their careers who have stolen a living from us in recent years.
A great day out – and well done to the lad next to me in the bookies queue afterwards who’d put a fiver on 3-2 – that really was inspired.
Player ratings: Martin 8, Gilbert 8, Powell 7, Hobbs 7, Tunchev 7, Adams 7, Oakley 6, King 8, Dyer 9, Fryatt 9, Howard 6
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation