No joy for Mooy as Terriers taste first home loss
Huddersfield Town played Sheffield Wednesday in front of a record crowd at John Smith's Stadium, but lost the Yorkshire derby 1-0.
Australia's Aaron Mooy endured a trip of close to 17,000km to get back to Huddersfield Town in time for the Yorkshire derby, but he left John Smith's Stadium feeling even more drained as the Terriers gave up a rare home defeat, losing 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday.
Fernando Forestieri was the lone goalscorer, converting a penalty for the visitors in the 68th minute after Rajiv van La Parra handled in the box, silencing a record home crowd for a league fixture in Huddersfield of 22,368.
Forestieri had earlier hit the post with a deft chip after a long ball from the back split the Terriers' defence, but he made no mistake from the spot, beating Huddersfield keeper Danny Ward with ease.
Wednesday started the match brightly, putting early pressure on the home side inside the first five minutes before Ward was forced into an early save in the 7th minute when Gary Hooper sent a right-footed shot towards goal.
Mooy — back in England after FIFA World Cup qualifying duties with the Socceroos — was involved in much of Huddersfield's best work in the first half, orchestrating attacks and hitting a shot of his own from outside the box on 20 minutes as the visitors cleared a corner.
But his sweetly struck effort was always rising over the bar and failed to trouble Keiran Westwood in the visitors' goal.
Elias Kachinga also went close for the home side after a swift break in the 31st minute saw him receive the ball from van La Parra inside the box, but Westwood did well to dive to his right and hold on to an awkwardly deflected shot.
Westwood was again called into action a minute later after Mooy won a 50-50 in midfield that sprung Kasey Palmer, tipping his left-footed strike around his right-hand post.
The deadlock remained at the break, but it was again Wednesday that started the brighter after the restart, Forestieri hitting the post from a clever chip in the 49th minute that left the advancing Ward stranded in the 49th minute as Huddersfield's defence was split open from a speculative long ball out of the visitors' defence.
Less than 20 minutes later, Forestieri did put Wednesday in front, firing home a penalty which was awarded when van La Parra blocked a close-range Tom Lees shot with raised arms as he charged out to block.
The hosts very nearly went two goals behind in the 77th minute after Kieran Lee's speculative cross almost reached Tommy Hooper, but Tommy Smith somehow managed to rise that little bit higher to head the ball over his own bar and out of danger.
With 10 minutes to go, Huddersfield pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Kachunga coming closet when he had an effort cleared off the line. But Wednesday wasn't done yet either, Liam Palmer spurning a glorious chance to seal matters in the 90th minute.
Huddersfield continued to press on into stoppage-time, and eventually forced a late corner that had the crowd cheering in hope.
But referee Graham Scott blew the final whistle before it could be taken, leading to frustrated protests from the home players and support.
Three points would have put Huddersfield back on top of the Championship table — two points clear of leader Norwich City — but it wasn't to be as it was forced to swallow the derby defeat, surrendering its 100 per cent home record this season in the process.
