Five conclusions as Huddersfield Town hit back at Barnsley to stay in top six

It was shaping up to be another miserable afternoon for the Terriers, but a Ryan Hardie-inspired second-half comeback helped them claim three important points

1. Still work to do, but the win was the main thing

For a while, it looked like it might be the most miserable day of the season yet for Huddersfield Town.

Reading were winning away to Port Vale, and the Terriers were behind. The as-it-stands table showed Huddersfield down in seventh place, a point behind the Royals, who had a game in hand. Luton were winning and making up ground. Wycombe had won earlier in the day, too, which, given that Stevenage have an extra game in hand, was a curse in disguise.

Just to rub salt in the wounds, Bradford, Stockport and Bolton were all on course to drop points. Realistically that’s good for Town either way, but at the time only made the fact that they were losing feel like even more of a wasted opportunity.

So pretty decent, then, that injury time goals meant Reading blew it late on at Port Vale while Luton were held by Burton. The upshot is that Town now have a four-point gap to Reading and Stevenage — and while Boro’s extra game in hand means Town can’t feel too secure in that position, it’s a lot better than the alternative.

The word we’re looking for is ‘fine’ — especially after seeing Town play so poorly over the previous two games (to say nothing of the 2-2 draw with Blackpool or the Vertu Trophy exit to Doncaster), and double-especially after a poor first-half performance in this game. They got the win they needed. You can’t argue with that.

It’s also worth chucking some credit Town’s way for winning from behind for only the second time this season (and, indeed, only the fourth time in three seasons)…although if we were being a bit snide then we’d also add that they are going to have to do that plenty more if they continue to concede first, as they have in each of their past five games.

Whether this marks the beginning of a true upturn in form — the kind Town need to hold on to that top-six place — remains to be seen. Here’s why.