Match ends, Huddersfield Town 3, Leeds United 2.
HuddersfieldHuddersfield Town3LeedsLeeds United2
Jon Stead scored a late winner as Huddersfield edged the West Yorkshire derby with Leeds United.
Matt Smith headed the visitors into an early lead before Danny Ward equalised soon after with a fierce strike.
Tom Lees diverted Adam Hammill's cross into his own net to give Huddersfield the lead but Dexter Blackstock headed in an equaliser on his debut.
However, Huddersfield-born Stead sealed victory for the home side with a low finish late on.
Victory moved Huddersfield back into the top half of the table, level on 17 points with Leeds.
The same fixture last season saw fans treated to six goals as Leeds claimed derby honours with a 4-2 win. This encounter promised a similar level of entertainment after both sides scored in the opening 10 minutes.
Smith towered over defender Joel Lynch in the second minute to head in from Alex Mowatt's corner before Huddersfield swiftly replied as Ward rifled a venomous shot into the back of the net after being picked out by Hammill's corner.
After having withstood plenty of pressure in the early stages, Huddersfield were boosted by their equaliser.
Leeds goalkeeper Paddy Kenny did well to tip over Hammill's curling shot, before Ward stabbed a low effort just wide.
But Leeds should have retaken the lead on the hour when a nicely-worked move by the visitors ended with Luke Murphy sidefooting wide from inside the area when unmarked.
It was to prove a costly miss as Huddersfield took the lead soon after when Hammill's ball into the area was flicked into his own net by Lees.
Leeds manager Brian McDermott responded by bringing on new signing Blackstock and his impact was immediate, the on-loan Nottingham Forest player flicking a header into the net from a free kick with his first touch.
But just as the Leeds fans had finished celebrating that goal, Huddersfield snatched what proved to be the winner.
Substitute Sean Scannell twisted his way past his marker before finding Stead inside the area and the striker, who came through the youth ranks at Huddersfield before leaving for Blackburn in 2004, swept the ball home for his first goal since re-joining the club in the summer.
Huddersfield manager Mark Robins:
"I am pleased with that result. Performances are important but today the result was important. It was great for everybody because this club probably lived in the shadows of Leeds for a long time.
"It is a one-off game and I thought the spirit was fantastic, the togetherness of the players and supporters was brilliant.
"When the ball was there to be won, more often than not we won it but it was one of those games where your heart is in your mouth because it could have gone either way."
Leeds United boss Brian McDermott:
"We didn't defend goals properly. We created a lot of chances but we have to learn how to manage games right away from home.
"Whatever happens you have to make sure you do the right things defensively.
"It is disappointing [after Birmingham win] we are a little bit like that as a club and a team, we take a step forward and take a step back so we need to take a step forward in our next game."
Line-ups
Huddersfield
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Smithies
- 21RichardsSubstituted forWoodsat 73'minutes
- 3Dixon
- 6Hogg
- 5ClarkeBooked at 90mins
- 33Lynch
- 12HammillSubstituted forGobernat 79'minutes
- 16Southern
- 14Stead
- 38HolmesSubstituted forScannellat 45'minutes
- 11Ward
Substitutes
- 2Woods
- 4Norwood
- 7Scannell
- 10Gobern
- 13Bennett
- 15M Wallace
- 26Carr
Leeds
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Kenny
- 25Byram
- 15WarnockBooked at 45mins
- 22Wootton
- 5Pearce
- 4Lees
- 36Mowatt
- 6MurphyBooked at 23minsSubstituted forBlackstockat 72'minutes
- 20Smith
- 44McCormack
- 8Austin
Substitutes
- 2Peltier
- 9Blackstock
- 11Varney
- 17Brown
- 18Tonge
- 26Poleon
- 33Cairns
- Referee:
- Neil Swarbrick
- Attendance:
- 18,309
Match Stats
Home TeamHuddersfieldAway TeamLeeds
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away4
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away13
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Huddersfield Town 3, Leeds United 2.
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Foul by Keith Southern (Huddersfield Town).
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Alex Mowatt (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Peter Clarke (Huddersfield Town) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Calum Woods (Huddersfield Town).
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Ross McCormack (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Joel Lynch (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Matt Smith (Leeds United).
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Attempt missed. Matt Smith (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Sam Byram with a cross.
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Paul Dixon (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dexter Blackstock (Leeds United).
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Foul by Daniel Ward (Huddersfield Town).
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Sam Byram (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Sean Scannell (Huddersfield Town).
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Jason Pearce (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Huddersfield Town. Oscar Gobern replaces Adam Hammill.
Goal!
Goal! Huddersfield Town 3, Leeds United 2. Jon Stead (Huddersfield Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Sean Scannell.
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Foul by Jonathan Hogg (Huddersfield Town).
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Alex Mowatt (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
