Huddersfield brush aside Blackburn to end winless run and boost survival bid

Huddersfield moved five points clear of the Championship relegation zone with a 3-0 Boxing Day win over disappointing Blackburn.

Jaheim Headley’s low strike handed the Terriers a first-half advantage which was added to after the break by Sorba Thomas and Delano Burgzorg as Darren Moore’s side opened up a five-point gap to the bottom three.

Town headed into the encounter sitting just above the drop zone and on a winless run of five matches, while Rovers had lost four out of their last five clashes and sat 14th in the standings.

Following early Blackburn pressure, Thomas collected David Kasumu’s right-wing cross to chest down and slice over from inside the box after four minutes.

At the other end, Niall Ennis had Rovers’ first real chance before the 10-minute mark but fired straight at Town keeper Chris Maxwell.

Ben Wiles rose the highest from Thomas’ corner not long after but Leopold Wahlstedt was untroubled in the Blackburn goal.

Town then went close to taking the lead when Kasumu found Thomas and Wahlstedt showed great reactions to parry to safety.

Rovers winger Arnor Sigurdsson was not far away after latching onto Sammie Szmodics’s lay-off for a sublime curling effort which flew just over.

The chances continue to come and Dominic Hyam diverted Headley’s dangerous low cross over his own goal, before Burgzorg’s mazy and persistent run down the right was eventually snuffed out by Rovers.

The hosts made the breakthrough in the 28th minute when Headley took aim and his low drive went straight under Wahlstedt too easily to put the Terriers in front.

Jack Rudoni rose highest to meet Thomas’ free-kick as Huddersfield sought a second but Wahlstedt was equal to it, while injured Town goalkeeper Maxwell was replaced before half-time by Jacob Chapman for his Championship debut.

Szmodics nearly capped off a flowing Rovers move in stoppage time but curled just over as the hosts led at the break.

After half-time, Blackburn top scorer Szmodics delivered a dangerous cross which just missed the arriving Ennis and Chapman parried behind.

The hosts doubled their lead 10 minutes into the second half when Burgzorg slotted across goal for a free Thomas to bury past Wahlstedt.

Shortly after that, Huddersfield wanted a penalty when Rudoni went down under Wahlstedt’s challenge but replays showed the Rovers stopper clearly got the ball.

It mattered little for Town though as they made it 3-0 in the 68th minute to all but wrap up the win, substitute Josh Koroma putting Burgzorg in and the Huddersfield attacker’s shot slipped under Wahlstedt.

Jake Garrett’s 78th-minute free-kick sailed harmlessly over as Rovers sought to reduce the deficit, with Callum Brittain’s long-range drive also off target as the Terriers held firm to claim three valuable points.