Five conclusions as Huddersfield Town do convincing job on unbeaten Stevenage

Alfie May's goal was the difference in a subdued but ultimately comfortable 1-0 victory

1. ‘Professional’ is the word, finally replacing ‘Grease’ after 47 long years

This game was never going to be a free-flowing masterpiece. Both sides have started the season well and had good reason to be respectful towards one another. However, neither showed the other too much respect on the day.

While there were moments of positive football on display from Huddersfield Town in the first half, they were a little pedestrian at times. But at this stage of the season, and given Town’s struggles in the first half of every other league game so far, we didn’t really mind that.

Town were firmly in control throughout the first period. They created several chances for Alfie May to put them ahead, all of which were repelled. It felt like all they needed was to up the intensity after the break and the game would be won.

That’s exactly what happened. The gearstick shifted into third when Town came out for the second half, then into fourth upon the introduction of Sean Roughan, Cameron Ashia and Joe Taylor before the hour. They never needed to push it all the way to fifth or sixth gear, with Roughan’s cutback eventually finished by May after being cleared off the line.

We would have liked to see Town kill the game off with a second goal, but Stevenage had other ideas. Before long, the priority was simply to see out the result. Town did so without Owen Goodman being tested, apart from a last-minute save from a deflected strike.

We’ll probably never think about this game again, except when we talk about it on the podcast, and even that might be a push. That said, it was three points banked thanks to everyone doing their jobs as expected.

We learned last season that doing so consistently gets teams promoted. If Town can make this kind of performance their baseline, and exceed it when required, things are going to be A-OK.

2. Lee Grant’s Terriers continue to answer criticisms