Huddersfield Town 2-1 Queens Park Rangers: Harratt and Rudoni goals give Terriers win

Huddersfield Town's Jack RudoniImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Of Jack Rudoni's three Championship goals this season, two have been winners

Early goals by Kian Harratt and Jack Rudoni earned Huddersfield their first win under Darren Moore as they held off struggling QPR.

Harratt, who was recalled to the starting line-up, put Town ahead and Rudoni doubled their advantage inside the first 15 minutes.

Rangers struck back late in the first half as Jake Clarke-Salter headed home Andre Dozzell's corner, but were unable to find a way through after the break.

Although Clarke-Salter went close again with a shot that struck the post, the R's slid to their fourth straight Championship defeat.

Harratt was handed his first start in a month - one of three changes made by Moore - and the young striker repaid his manager's faith, giving the Terriers an early lead as he collected Rudoni's pass and fired beyond Asmir Begovic.

The home side went 2-0 up when Sorba Thomas raced clear on the right flank and crossed for Rudoni, who capitalised on slack Rangers marking to sweep home a first-time finish for his third goal of the campaign.

Although Kenneth Paal and Sinclair Armstrong both had attempts deflected behind, QPR rarely threatened a response and Moore's men looked comfortable until they conceded just before the break.

Dozzell whipped a corner to the far post and Clarke-Salter rose to meet it with a firm header that reduced the deficit - the defender's first goal for the Londoners and his first in any colours for almost four years.

Clarke-Salter very nearly doubled that tally early in the second period, with another effort rattling the woodwork before Huddersfield's Michal Helik somehow scrambled the loose ball off the line.

That proved Rangers' best opportunity to salvage a point, although Jimmy Dunne headed over from another Dozzell corner.

Huddersfield did enough to hang on, with Begovic denying Yuta Nakayama a third late on, and they climb a place to 18th in the table, while QPR remain third from bottom.

Huddersfield manager Darren Moore told BBC Radio Leeds:

"I'm absolutely delighted to get the three points today, in front of the home fans as well. The first 20 minutes were excellent, really on the front foot and taking the game to QPR.

"There was almost a pause button from our perspective and that allowed QPR to build momentum into the game, instead of us really going for them.

"They grew in confidence and scored just before half-time from a set-play and it meant the second half was more of a battle and a harder game than it needed to be.

"We'll look at where we need to learn from that going forward, but I'm trying not to let that overshadow what's been a magnificent three points - credit to the players."

QPR head coach Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Radio London:

"We started the game too sloppy, like we were expecting Huddersfield to score against us before we've kicked ourselves into action.

"You can't start games like that. We've opened the door too easily to them in that first 20 minutes and we've got to be better than that.

"Huddersfield were better in our box than we were in theirs. We didn't get the clinical touches or the final moment that would have rescued a point or maybe even got three because I really thought we were the better team second half.

"At 2-0 down you give yourself a mountain to climb and it's a mountain we almost climbed. Jake's volley that hit the post and almost got tapped in on the line is the way it's going at the moment."

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