Huddersfield Town’s struggles continued as they were beaten 2-0 by Blackpool at the John Smith’s Stadium, marking a second consecutive defeat in Sky Bet League One, and their fifth defeat in six across all competitions.
The first half proved costly for Huddersfield, with Blackpool taking the lead midway through the period through Kyle Joseph. CJ Hamilton then doubled their advantage deep into stoppage time before the break, leaving the Terriers with a mountain to climb. Despite making changes in the second half and pushing for a comeback, Huddersfield found it difficult to break down a resolute Blackpool defence, which held firm to secure the win.
Blackpool started brightly in Yorkshire, and it wasn’t long before they threatened the Huddersfield goal. A clever pass from Albie Morgan found Hamilton on the left flank, and the winger cut inside to fire a low shot on goal, but Lee Nicholls comfortably held the deflected effort.
Huddersfield struggled to gain control in the opening stages, with Blackpool showing more intent. Joseph and Odel Offiah combined down the right, and Joseph set up Lee Evans for a curling effort in the 14th minute, but it narrowly missed, landing on top of the net.
The Terriers’ defence was under pressure, with Blackpool continuing to create chances. Rob Apter managed to deflect the ball to Joseph, who curled a shot toward the far post, but it went just wide. Huddersfield’s vulnerability was eventually punished in the 31st minute when Hamilton, who was causing problems down the left, delivered a perfect cross for Joseph to head home from close range.
Despite the setback, Huddersfield responded positively and came close to equalising before the break. Hayden Coulson made a crucial clearance off the line after some good work down the left from the hosts, but their efforts were undone just before halftime. A loose pass was intercepted by Dom Ballard, who quickly fed the ball to Hamilton. The winger made no mistake, slotting the ball past Nicholls to make it 2-0 for the Seasiders at halftime.
Huddersfield made two substitutions early in the second half in an attempt to turn the tide. Freddie Ladapo and Callum Marshall were introduced, and their impact was immediate as the Terriers pushed forward. Morgan blocked Ladapo’s effort after a clearance by Coulson, and moments later, Marshall tested Blackpool goalkeeper Harry Tyrer with a dipping shot that was expertly tipped over the bar.
As the second half progressed, Huddersfield began to assert themselves more, with Bojan Radulovic going close after receiving a cross from Brodie Spencer, only for Tyrer to deny him with a good save. Despite Huddersfield’s best efforts, including a late spell of pressure, they couldn’t find a breakthrough, and Blackpool saw out the game to secure three valuable points.
Writer’s View
Huddersfield Town’s loss to Blackpool highlighted familiar problems for the Terriers, particularly in the final third. While they showed more attacking intent in the second half, the damage was done in the opening 45 minutes. Defensively, Huddersfield were caught off guard by Blackpool’s pace and creativity, with Joseph and Hamilton exploiting gaps and converting their chances clinically.
What will be most frustrating for manager Michael Duff is the missed opportunities to get back into the game. Despite making attacking changes and applying more pressure, Huddersfield couldn’t find a way past Tyrer in the Blackpool goal. With another tough fixture ahead, Duff will need to find solutions quickly to avoid further slips down the League One table.
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