Huddersfield Town player ratings as lead blown in dead rubber defeat at Exeter
Josh Koroma gave the Terriers the lead in the first half but Exeter hit back to claim a 3-1 win
Jacob Chapman - 5
Back into the starting line-up after his positive spell earlier in the season. Helpless on the first goal, may be a bit disappointed to be beaten from a narrow angle as Exeter went ahead. Good save to deny Tom Dean shortly after, and to deny Joel Colwill late on, but caught out by Andrew Oluwabori’s close-range header.
Neo Eccleston - 5
Made his first senior start for the club, playing on the right of the back three off the ball but shifting over to right-back in possession. Unable to reach the Exeter cross that Ilmari Niskanen finished off to make it 1-1.
Matty Pearson - 6
Wore the captain’s armband. Put in a solid first half and hit the bar in the second half with a bouncing header.
Brodie Spencer - 5
Generally won his battles but was caught out of position as Exeter equalised shortly before half time, pushing into the opposition half to leave Town a man down at the back. Departed at the break having only recently come back from injury.
Ollie Turton - 6
Operated as Town’s left-back in all phases of play. Early cross left with him no chance of reaching Jack McMillan on the way to Exeter’s first-half equaliser. Moved over to centre-back at the break. Couldn’t quite stop Angus MacDonald from winning the flick-on to set up Exeter’s second, but twice got in the way to deflect other Exeter strikes wide. Took a yellow card for the team with a foul just outside the box.
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Joe Hodge - 4
Started brightly with some promising forward balls, but lost influence as the game went on and ended up with a pretty anonymous showing.
Herbie Kane - 8
Played a couple of excellent swift forward passes in the early stages, including the oen that put Josh Koroma in to score on 20 minutes. We keep saying it, we know, but Town have really really missed him and his passing range. Volleyed home a brilliant effort straight off an Antony Evans corner, only for it to be harshly disallowed for an offside against a non-interfering Dion Charles. We’re marking him as though it had stood — would have been a strong contender for Town’s goal of the season if it had.
David Kasumu - 4
Switched between right wing in the attacking 4-2-3-1 and right-back in a back five out of possession in the first half. Did not prove especially effective in either role with only a handful of bright moments, though we do have sympathy as both roles are out of position for him. Harder to excuse letting Oluwabori get a free header for Exeter’s third.
Antony Evans - 7
Chased back to win the ball superbly to put Town on the attack for their opener, and a perfect delivery for both Kane’s disallowed goal and Pearson’s header against the crossbar.
Dion Charles - 5
Irritated the Exeter fans after hitting the deck three times in the first half. Didn’t look to have been interfering with play as he stood behind the keeper for Kane’s disallowed goal, at least from the angles we saw. Decent with his hold-up play and put Koroma clean through just before that.
Josh Koroma - 6
Took his opener really well with a strike to the far bottom corner. Had the confidence to knock the ball around his man onto space knowing he would win the race for it on the way to that goal. Should have either finished it off or found a teammate after Charles put him through to round the keeper early in the second half. Kept making good runs and forced Joe Whitworth to make a really good save with a curling effort after a clever interplay with Joe Taylor. Frustrating at times. though, several times getting into the box but then not really making a decision about what to do with it and finding his final ball blocked.
Substitutes
Lasse Sorensen (for Spencer 46) - Took over at left-back with Turton moving inside. Scruffy with the ball. 4
Joe Taylor (for Charles 65) - Timed his runs well and formed a neat little partnership with Koroma at times. 6
Ben Wiles (for Evans 75) - Came on and worked hard but just couldn’t find his touch. n/a
Unused substitutes: Lee Nicholls, Loick Ayina, Jonathan Hogg, Tom Iorpenda.
Terry the Terrier: Ran the five-way box-to-box mascot race at half time and absolutely blitzed the competition with a dominant showing. Thrived on sticking it to the Exeter support. 10
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