Blackburn Rovers vs Huddersfield Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance13,761.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Ewood Park
Saturday 19 October 2019 18:04, UK
Juninho Bacuna scored for the third league game in succession to secure Huddersfield a 2-2 draw with Blackburn in the Sky Bet Championship.
Karlan Grant's penalty gave the Terriers the lead (12), but ex-Tottenham midfielder Lewis Holtby scored on his full debut for the hosts to level the scores within minutes (20).
Bradley Dack put Rovers in front for the first time when he added a slick second from 20 yards (33), but second-half substitute Bacuna muscled his way through a crowd of players to fire a timely equaliser past home 'keeper Christian Walton.
The draw extends the unbeaten run for Danny Cowley's Huddersfield to four, moving them clear of the Championship relegation zone, while Rovers stay 14th and are without a win since September 21.
Tony Mowbray was forced to field a makeshift back four as injuries took their toll ahead of the visit of Huddersfield and, despite their bright attacking start, Rovers found themselves behind early on.
After temporary left-back Elliott Bennett's clumsy trip on Adama Diakhaby, referee Darren Bond pointed to the spot, with Grant clinically finding the bottom left corner.
From there, Blackburn moved through the gears with relative ease and they pegged back the visitors when Tommy Elphick was caught playing out from the back. His careless pass allowed Adam Armstrong to feed Dack, who squared for Holtby to tap home.
The German - who also played for Fulham in 2014 - was involved again when Dack added a second inside 15 minutes, teeing his team-mate up to curl a lovely low effort beyond Kamil Grabara just outside the penalty area.
While Rovers' attacking play lacked coherence after the break, Cowley's side possessed a renewed grit and vigour and they deservedly found their way back into the game through Bacuna, who rode a number of challenges to power into the area and tuck the equaliser beyond the reach of Walton.
Along with Danny Cowley, of course, the 22-year-old Curacao international has been Huddersfield's saviour of late. Having scored in his previous two Championship fixtures, Bacuna surprisingly started on the bench at Ewood Park, but proved his worth late on with an energetic cameo - and subsequent goal - that earned the Terriers a point.
Tony Mowbray: "Well ultimately we're disappointed. I think after going down so early to a penalty, to perform to the levels we did first half, we have to strive for consistency, I think, over 90 minutes.
"I think every team has to do that. It's difficult to maintain the levels and yet, the levels at our best, we should be able to win lots of football matches playing at the level we did in the first half."
Danny Cowley: "Juninho Bacuna gives us a real impact off the bench. He's got so much to give as a player. He came on again and changed the game. He adds that bit of a difference. You want a sexy bench and great options and he fits the bill.
"He obviously wants a start and we're working on that. He has all the tools but sometimes we want him to use the hammer and screwdriver and he uses something else. But it will come good. We had 13 attempts, they (Blackburn) had 12 so it was quite even, but we know we were coming away to play a good team, so this is a positive result for us."
Blackburn travel to St Andrew's to face Birmingham on Tuesday night, in a game live on Sky Sports Football Red Button, while Huddersfield host Middlesbrough on Wednesday, in a game live on Sky Sports Football. Both games get underway at 7.45pm.
