Huddersfield Town player verdicts as Ben Wiles shines in 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin
Matty Pearson gave the Terriers an early lead before German second tier side equalised in the first half - then Wiles struck to win the game for Town
Lee Nicholls: Forced into action almost immediately but was off his line sharply to close down Gustav Christensen and make the save. Turned a close-range effort over the bar soon after with an excellent reflex stop, and able to stop Michal Helik from putting into his own goal with half time approaching. Really good outing.
Matty Pearson: Headed home well early on from an in-swinging corner from the left. Again out in what amounted to a right-back role out of possession, and was given an early scare as Hertha got in behind to one-on-one with Nicholls. Solid enough after that and made some well-read interceptions and blocks.
Michal Helik: Unable to stop Luca Schuler from getting in to score Hertha’s first-half equaliser. Held his ground well thereafter. Wrongly attributed with Pearson’s goal by us, apologies!
Brodie Spencer: Had to resist the temptation to drift wide from his centre-back berth, and ending up chasing the same player as Jaheim Headley on one dangerous Hertha attack. Strong in the air and calm on the floor, though.
Sorba Thomas: Got back well on on occasion or two to make sure his man didn’t get onto switches of play. Needed better service in to him in attack. Departed at the break
Herbie Kane: Excellent ball for Josh Koroma early on that got the forward in behind the Hertha defence — exactly the kind of quality Town have signed him for. Continued to look robust off the ball.
David Kasumu: Good in the early going both at breaking up Hertha attacks and playing forward balls in to the attack, but lost his way on the ball as the first half went on and into the second period — a little leggy perhaps.
Ben Wiles: Good delivery on his corner for Helik to nod past the goalkeeper with five minutes on the clock, and beat a couple of men impressively to get up the left. Looked dangerous in the second half with Hertha resorting to fouling him to stop his forward runs before he could play the final ball. Stayed undeterred and deserved his goal for a very positive performance.
Jaheim Headley: Held his place in a back four until Town approached halfway, which seemed to be the trigger for him to start getting forward. Little impact on the game in another quiet performance before being replaced at half time.
Josh Koroma: Playing on the right of the front two, contrary to his usual berth on the left. Made a lively start, twice getting to the byline in the first five minutes and earning corners for Town, the second of which they scored. Worked hard but unable to maintain that level of influence for the rest of the half, but pleasingly came back into his own after the break with some good work in the build-up, capped by a good cutback assist from the byline for Wiles to score.
Danny Ward: Made the right runs on the rare occasions Town got towards the Hertha box but unable to be found. Hit the post in the second half off a quickly-taken free kick.
Substitutes:
Lasse Sorensen (for Thomas, 45): More involved in the game from the moment of his introduction, and mixed things up nicely with a combination of going outside and inside. Had the right ideas with his through balls into the box but just slightly overhit them.
Mickel Miller (for Headley, 45): Again, instantly more involved after coming on, playing a part in several of Town’s better attacks as they grew into the game in the second period.
Tom Lees (for Helik, 63): Another valuable half hour or so to get into his legs.
Tom Iorpenda (for Kane, 63): Good work rate and drifted wide well to help out his wing-backs.
Neo Eccleston (for Pearson 75), Josh Ruffels (for Spencer 75), Antony Evans (for Wiles 75), Jonathan Hogg (for Kasumu 75), Rhys Healey (for Ward 75), Kian Harratt (for Koroma 75): Saw out the game professionally with Town taking the lead just before their introduction.
Unused substitutes: Chris Maxwell, Jacob Chapman, Ben Jackson, Pat Jones.
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