Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Huddersfield Town: Terriers pick up valuable point

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Fraizer CampbellImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Huddersfield are three points above the drop zone with two games to play

Huddersfield Town picked up what could be a valuable point in their bid for Championship survival as they drew at Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

The Terriers had keeper Jonas Lossl to thank for the draw, as the Dane made good saves from Moses Odubajo, Kadeem Harris and Massimo Luongo.

Karlan Grant came close to putting the visitors ahead after the break but sent a low shot narrowly wide of the Owls goal, while Fraizer Campbell wasted a glorious chance from a dangerous Harry Toffolo cross.

Huddersfield move three points clear of the relegation zone but are now four games without a win - a run during which Danny Cowley's side have also failed to score.

The Terriers, who are aiming to avoid back-to-back relegations, could be two points ahead of the bottom three again if bottom club Barnsley win at leaders Leeds United on Thursday (17:00 BST).

Huddersfield need five more points to secure their place in the second tier next season, but face a West Bromwich Albion side chasing automatic promotion on Friday and then play-off hopefuls Millwall in their final game of the campaign.

Lossl stars as Owls remember Charlton

There was a minute's silence before kick-off for Jack Charlton, part of England's World Cup-winning side in 1966 and a former Wednesday manager.

Charlton, who died on Friday aged 85, spent almost six years in charge at Hillsborough, leading the Owls to promotion to the old Second Division in 1979-80 and the FA Cup semi-finals in 1982-83.

Both sides wore black armbands in his memory.

On-loan Huddersfield midfielder Emile Smith Rowe had the first real chance of the game, sending a curling effort narrowly wide of Joe Wildsmith's upright from inside the area.

Odubajo tested Lossl with a fierce shot from 20 yards, and Harris drew the visiting keeper into a fine diving fingertip save in first-half stoppage time with an effort which was heading into the bottom right-hand corner.

Grant latched onto a ball over the top from Jonathan Hogg after the break but fired off target and, after Lossl denied Luongo, Campbell should have done better from Toffolo's centre but kneed over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

Lossl did spill a low shot from Adam Reach with five minutes left - but Alessio Da Cruz sent the rebound off target, although the offside flag was up.

Wednesday have won just one of their past five games and Garry Monk's men are heading for a mid-table finish, although the South Yorkshire club are still awaiting a verdict on an English Football League misconduct charge relating to the sale of their stadium to owner Dejphon Chansiri.

The Owls, who were charged in November, could be deducted points if found guilty - but both the club and the EFL would have 14 days to appeal any verdict.

Reaction

Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk:

"It was a tough game, they came with a really solid shape and made it hard for us.

"We had three good opportunities in the first half, and it was an unbelievable save from the keeper from Kadeem.

"We needed one of those opportunities to go in, as that would have changed their game plan.

"We kept concentrated and solid all the way until the end, but it became tougher to break them down as we got tired."

Huddersfield Town boss Danny Cowley:

"I thought it was a really committed performance. I felt we had the best chances in the game, while the chances they had were all from distance.

"If we took one of those chances we are probably talking about a perfect away performance. But we have lacked that clinical edge in the final third.

"We have never been worried about scoring goals but at this moment we have tightened up in the final action.

"None of us have a crystal ball to know what the points tally [to survive] is going to be."

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