Steve Mounie stunner snatches Huddersfield victory

Steve Mounie was Huddersfield’s hero as they got here from behind to say a effective 2-1 win and beat promotion-chasing Blackburn at house for the primary time in 20 years.

The Benin striker grabbed a 71st-minute winner for the Terriers as they bravely fought again to finish Rovers’ eight-game unbeaten league run on the John Smith’s Stadium.

It was Huddersfield’s first house league win since victory over Rovers again in August 1999.

Skilled striker Danny Graham headed the guests right into a seventh-minute lead together with his second aim in 4 video games.

However Slovenian centre-back Jon Stankovic equalised with a splendid diving header for his first aim since August 2018.

Mounie then took centre stage as he gained it with a thunderous strike from distance to thrill the house supporters.

Terriers boss Danny Cowley made two adjustments to his aspect, with the injured Jonathan Hogg changed by Lewis O’Brien in the midst of the park, whereas full-back Florent Hadergjonaj dropped to the bench and Jaden Brown returned from an ankle damage.

And there have been 5 adjustments for Rovers as supervisor Tony Mowbray shuffled his pack after Boxing Day’s 1-1 draw at house to Birmingham.

Injured midfielder Lewis Holtby and defenders Derrick Williams and Ryan Nyambe all missed out, whereas Adam Armstrong and Amari’i Bell dropped to the bench.

In got here Joe Rothwell, Stewart Downing, Lewis Travis, Tosin Adarabioyo and Graham as Rovers seemed to make it 4 unbeaten on the street.

The guests began brightly and Huddersfield goalkeeper Kamil Grabara pulled off a effective point-blank save to disclaim Sam Gallagher a gap aim after solely 5 minutes.

However the opener was simply across the nook when, two minutes later, Travis picked out an unmarked Graham and the striker headed into the bottom-left nook past Grabara.

Midfielder O’Brien rifled properly vast because the hosts seemed for an instantaneous response, earlier than main scorer Karlan Grant struck the body of the aim with a chipped crossed that just about resulted in an equaliser.

Moments later referee Andy Woolmer turned down requires a penalty after Grant went down within the field after a lunging sort out from Darragh Lenihan.

Nonetheless, an equaliser got here when midfielder Juninho Bacuna fizzed in a harmful free-kick and the onrushing Stankovic misplaced his marker to go into the left nook.

O’Brien had a strong shot charged down within the field by John Buckley because the Yorkshire outfit pushed for a second aim, whereas on the different finish Buckley had a shot of his personal blocked by Terriers skipper Christopher Schindler, solely simply again on the pitch after a head damage.

Rovers goalkeeper Christian Walton thwarted Grant with an excellent one-handed fingertip save simply earlier than the break.

Grant additionally had a shot deflected inches vast in first-half stoppage-time as the house aspect got here inside a whisker of speaking a lead in with them on the interval.

There have been no possibilities within the opening 20 minutes of the second half however finally Grant went shut, his deflected header from a Bacuna header flying agonisingly vast of the again put up.

And the sport lit up when Mounie lashed a shocking right-foot shot into the top-right nook from distance.

Grabara denied Adarabioyo late on with a effective block from shut vary, however Huddersfield may have scored themselves.

Grant was thwarted by Walton at his close to put up and substitute Fraizer Campbell dragged a left-foot shot past the far put up.

Rovers had 9 minutes of time added on to attempt to snatch an equaliser, however the hosts comfortably held out for 3 very important factors of their battle to keep away from relegation.