Huddersfield Town 4, Charlton Athletic 0
Huddersfield Town forward Karlan Grant scored twice against his old club as the Terriers beat Charlton 4-0 to win consecutive games for the first time since November.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe visitors had held on for 75 minutes after conceding a 25th minute goal but their well documented leakiness late in the game cost them again as they conceded two more 90th minute goals this season to lose heavily with the result lifting Town five points clear of the relegation zone.
Slack defending cost the Addicks dearly as Grant scored either side of a Steve Mounie goal before Juninho Bacuna’s rocket sent the visitors home with their tail between their legs having recorded manager Danny Cowley’s biggest win for the Terriers.
Town manager Danny Cowley made just one change from the side that beat Bristol City on Tuesday with Trevoh Chalobah keeping his place in the side after replacing the injured Jonathan Hogg (knee) in the first half.
Charlton boss Lee Bowyer made three changes to his side with George Lapslie, Andre Green, and Aiden McGeady starting. Macauley Bonne, David Davis, and Jonny Williams stepped down following the Addicks’ injury time defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
Town dominated the early play with the excellent Harry Toffolo forcing the first save of the game out of Dillion Phillips as they racked up the corner count against the narrow Addicks.
Erhun Oztumer had a shot against the run of play while Lyle Taylor shot wide a neat build up broke down for the Terriers.
The Terriers took a deserved lead after a massive error by Deji Oshijala whose sloppy clearance came off Karlan Grant after Frazier Campbell’s ball into the area looked under control.
The ex-Charlton forward controlled the ball, rounded Oshijala and fired in his 15th Championship goal of the season in the 25th minute.
Chris Willock sent a 20 yard shot wide of the target while Aiden McGeady was similarly wayward in the blustery conditions.
Town had chances to double their lead before half time when Emile Smith Rowe was first to Josh Cullen’s headed clearance but his turn and disguised shot was parried by Phillips low to his left and Grant could only hit the woodwork from an acute angle as the ball fell for him.
Danny Simpson’s superb cross deserved a better finish, skimming off the top of Grant’s head with the goal gaping while Charlton’s only response was a Taylor deflected shot which went into the side netting but from the resulting corner Oshijala’s header was saved by Jonas Lossl.
Smith Rowe’s 47th minute shot was blocked by Jason Pearce as the Terriers continued where they left off in the first half.
Andre Green’s deflected header didn’t trouble Lossl as Charlton continued to struggle against the Terriers’ press while Toffolo twice blocked efforts by Adam Matthews.
But while the Addicks overcommitted, Town caught them on the break, with Willock exchanging passes with Smith Row before having his shot blocked.
And there was a brief altercation between Campbell and Phillips after Town claimed for a penalty after Toffolo’s cut back went into the box and Campbell went down after colliding with Pearce.
And Pearce’s headed chance was cleared off the line by Lewis O’Brien and Josh Cullen blazed over after receiving a cutback from Oshilaja as the Addicks continued to attack.
Town made changes to freshen up their attack, with Juninho Bacuna and Alex Pritchard, making his first appearance since November, and Steve Mounie coming on for Willock, Smith Rowe, and Campbell.
And Town finally got their second goal after a slip by Oshilaja allowed Pritchard to slip in Toffolo whose left wing cross was chested into the net by Mounie after coming off a Pearce’s boot as he tried to make the clearance in the 75th minute.
Town kept the pressure up and were rewarded with a third goal in the 90th minute as Grant doubled the pain when Bacuna won the ball off Oshilaja and slipped in Grant who cut inside and fired home from 7 yards out
And in the 94th minute Bacuna launched a 25 yard screamer after Mounie gave him the ball to comprehensively send Charlton home with their tails between their legs.
GOALS – Huddersfield Town 4, Charlton Athletic 0
Huddersfield Town 1, Charlton Athletic 0: 25. Deji Oshijala’s poor clearance came off Karlan Grant who controlled the ball, rounded the hapless Charlton defender, and fired past Dillion Phillips.
Huddersfield Town 2, Charlton Athletic 0: 75. Harry Toffolo’s cross came up off Jason Pearce’s boot and went in off Steve Mounie’s boot from close range with Dillion Phillips stranded.
Huddersfield Town 3, Charlton Athletic 0: 90. Karlan Grant cut inside from the left to slot home from 7 yards out after Bacuna won the loose ball from Deji Oshilaja.
Huddersfield Town 4, Charlton Athletic 0: 90+4. Juninho Bacuna’s rocket from 25 yards put the icing on the cake after Steve Mounie gave him the ball with the demoralised Charlton players backing off.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 4, Charlton Athletic 0
Huddersfield Town: Lossl, Simpson, Stearman, Schindler (C), Toffolo, Chalobah, O’Brien, Willock (Bacuna 66), Smith Rowe (Pritchard 70), Grant, Campbell (Mounie 74)
Huddersfield Town Subs not used: Coleman, Kachunga, Quaner, Stankovic
Goals: Grant 25, 90; Mounie 75; Bacuna 90+4
Charlton Athletic: Phillips, Matthews, Pearce (C), Oshilaja, Doughty, Cullen, Lapslie (Hemed 82), McGeady (Bonne 61), Oztumer (Williams 46), Green, Taylor
Charlton Athletic Subs not used: Amos, Purrington, Smith, Davis
Booked: Lapslie 82 (foul on Karlan Grant); Hemed 86 (foul on Chris Schindler)
Referee: Geoff Eltringham
Attendance: 21539 (825 Charlton fans)