Town hit the top of the Championship after sub Brandon Williams netted his first goal for the Blues and only the second of his senior career three minutes from time as Town drew 1-1 with Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium. The Terriers had had the best chances, while the Blues had been denied what looked a certain penalty, before Delano Burgzorg gave the home side the lead on 61, but Williams nodded in a deserved leveller in the 87th minute.
Lee Evans skippered and Omari Hutchinson also started as Town made two enforced changes from the team which beat Blackburn 4-3 last week.
Evans came in for regular captain Sam Morsy, who was suspended for one match having amassed five bookings, while Hutchinson was in the attack for Nathan Broadhead, who has picked up a knock.
Terriers manager Darren Moore made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 at Coventry on Monday for his first home game in charge, with Sorba Thomas and Josh Ruffels coming in for wing-backs Jaheim Headley and Ben Jackson, who dropped to the bench.
The game started in steady rain with the Blues creating the first chance in the third minute, George Hirst rising above two defenders to head Wes Burns’s right-wing cross straight at home keeper Lee Nicholls.
Two minutes later, Yuta Nakayama was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon by referee Geoff Eltringham for clattering through the back of Conor Chaplin’s ankles.
Town, in their orange away kit, were having the better of the early stages in terms of possession but without creating a further opportunity, while Huddersfield had sent a couple of balls into the Blues’ area without causing a serious threat, Vaclav Hladky confidently punching clear on one occasion.
On 12, Hirst chased a ball down the left and his cutback was half-cleared out to Massimo Luongo, who sent a shot deep into the Town fans behind the goal.
Three minutes later, some over-casual passing out from the back from Town allowed determinedly-pressing Huddersfield a chance from which they came very close to going in front. Josh Koroma was played in on the left of the box after exchanging passes with Ben Wiles and hit a low shot which Hladky diverted into the air.
The keeper and his defenders were briefly worried that the ball would drop into the net and were relieved when it struck the top of the bar and bounced over.
The Town goal came under threat again in the 17th minute when Jack Rudoni sent a ball across the Blues’ six-yard box and Leif Davis did well to force it away from Delano Burgzorg at the far post. The ball was cut back from the right to Koroma, whose shot was well saved by Hladky.
Centre-half Cameron Burgess was yellow-carded in the 20th minute, somewhat harshly it seemed, the Australian international appearing to have won the ball in his challenge with Michal Helik a few yards outside the penalty area.
Thomas slammed the free-kick into the wall, then Rudoni’s follow-up wasn’t far away from going out for a throw.
Town soon regained control and on 23 Chaplin curled a shot well over from just outside the box. Three minutes later, Hirst did much the same from a similar position.
Huddersfield, who were continuing to give the Blues little time to pass their way out from the back, had another chance as the game moved to the half hour, Koroma hitting a low effort which skidded off the turf but just wide of Hladky’s right post.
In the 34th minute Town were denied what looked a stonewall penalty when Hutchinson burst past one man on the left, cut in and was sent tumbling by Thomas. As Town appealed, Thomas tried to drag Hutchinson up from the turf, claiming he’d dived, hangering Burns, who shoved the one-time West Ham trainee, leading to a melee.
Town’s protests for a spot-kick were in vain, while Thomas and Burns both saw yellow for the aftermath. Hutchinson was subsequently booed by the home support every time he touched the ball.
Four minutes later, Burns crossed from the right and Chaplin hit a well-struck first-time effort, but too close to Nicholls, who claimed.
The half had swung one way and another and on 39 Huddersfield threatened again, Rudoni volleying over from Ruffels’s cross from the right.
Five minutes later, Burgzorg turned away from the grounded Burgess before hitting a low shot which Hladky did well to bundle past his right post.
The half ended with the home side again pushing forward, the Terriers having edged an end-to-end half and having had the better of the chances with Hladky the keeper forced to make the more significant saves.
However, Town had had one or two opportunities of their own and will feel they should certainly have been awarded a penalty for the foul on Hutchinson, while the home side will do well to maintain their resolute press in the Blues’ half for the full 90 minutes, particularly in heavy conditions.
With the rain still falling, Town made a change at the break with Harry Clarke making way for Brandon Williams, presumably in order to reduce the Huddersfield threat down that flank with most of their opportunities having come via that route.
On 50, shortly after home fans had called for Hutchinson to be red carded for a foul on Nakayama, referee Eltringham opted not to even book the on-loan Chelsea man, which was the correct decision, Burns looped a cross to the far post but just too long for Davis to be able to nod back.
Three minutes later, the Town left-back was added to Eltringham’s book, however, seemed unfortunate having won the ball from Koroma.
In the 54th minute, Hirst was found on the left and the striker cut in and hit a shot which deflected wide for a corner from which Town failed to threaten.
Hladky was in action again in the 56th minute, batting away Koroma’s 25-yard effort, Burgess clearing the loose ball to safety.
Five minutes later, Huddersfield took the lead. After their initial break from a Town corner had stalled, the Terriers regained possession and Burgzorg cut in from the left and struck a low shot between Hladky and his right post to send the home fans wild.
On 63 Evans hit a deflected shot over from distance but the stand-in skipper had been on ground with what appeared to be a knee injury and soon dropped back to the turf and was swapped for Jack Taylor.
Huddersfield made their first changes in the 72nd minute. Nakayama, made way having undergone treatment for a long-standing achilles injury, was replaced by Kyle Hudlin, Josh Koroma with Rarmani Edmonds-Green and Jonathan Hogg with Ben Jackson.
Following the changes, the Blues created a couple of opportunities, Taylor forcing Nicholls to parry his shot from the left of the box, then Hirst headed a cross from the left down and wide of the keeper’s right post when he will feel he ought to have hit the target.
That was Hirst’s last action of the match as Town made a triple change, Freddie Ladapo, Dan Scarlett and Marcus Harness taking over from the frontman, Burns and Chaplin.
The Blues should have levelled in the 80th minute when Hutchinson, by now playing on the right, cut back to Scarlett, whose shot found Ladapo six yards out. However, the ball bounced off the striker’s foot and Helik was able to clear.
Town had been on top, but three minutes later, Huddersfield came very close to doubling their lead. Thomas crossed low from the right to Rudoni breaking to the near post but Hladky was somehow able to save.
A minute later, Nicholls made a similarly impressive stop at the other end. Hutchinson cut in from the right and hit a powerful but misdirected shot which Ladapo turned towards goal only for the keeper to get across to it and keep it out.
Town had been threatening for much of the half and in the 87th minute they finally got back on terms.
Home fans’ anti-hero Hutchinson crossed deep from the right, Davis knocked it back across goal and Williams dived to head his first Blues goal into the roof of the net.
The on-loan United man delightedly celebrated only his second career goal, his first having come for Manchester United in a 3-3 draw at Sheffield United in November 2019.
As the game moved into eight minutes of time added on, Huddersfield switched Burgzorg for Harratt and Thomas for Tom Lees.
Town were the side doing most of the pressing in the additional minutes with Hutchinson providing the main threat on the right.
Momentarily it appeared lightning would strike twice and Luongo would net a winner for the second week running, but the Australian’s left-footed shot from the edge of the area screwed away from goal and wide.
Town kept pressing for a winner but time eventually ran out and in the end a draw was probably the right result with both teams having had chances to claim all three points with both keepers having made notable saves, Hladky more than Nicholls, while the Blues were denied what looked the most stonewall of penalties in the first half.
Huddersfield, who gave Town as tough a game as they've had since returning to the division, will be disappointed not to have won once they’d gone in front but the Blues finished the game the stronger and looked the more likely victors once they had got back on terms.
Town hit the top of the table by a point with previous leaders Leicester not in action until tomorrow when they are in action at Blackburn Rovers.
The Blues are next in action on Tuesday when they host Hull City in the first of two home matches with third-placed Preston, who were beaten 4-0 at home by West Brom today, visiting on Saturday.
Huddersfield: Nicholls, Ruffels, Pearson, Helik, Hogg (c) (Edmonds-Green 72), Burgzorg (Harratt 92), Rudoni, Koroma (Hudlin 72), Thomas (Lees 92), Wiles, Nakayama (Jackson 72). Unused: Maxwell, Diarra, Edwards, Headley.
Town: Hladky, Clarke (Williams 46), Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Evans (c) (Taylor 63), Luongo, Burns (Scarlett 75), Chaplin (Harness 75), Hutchinson, Hirst (Ladapo 75). Unused: Slicker, Donacien, Ball, Jackson. Referee: Geoff Eltringham (County Durham). Att: 20,000 (2,117).