Bacuna earns Huddersfield a point at Ewood

Posted Saturday, October 19, 2019 by PA

Substitute Juninho Bacuna scored within six minutes of his introduction to give Huddersfield a 2-2 draw at Blackburn.

In a keenly-contested affair, the Terriers took a 12th-minute lead through Karlan Grant’s penalty – his seventh goal of the season – before Lewis Holtby took advantage of a defensive error to mark his full debut with a goal eight minutes later.

The hosts took control and Bradley Dack’s powerful strike put Rovers ahead before the break, but Dutch midfielder Bacuna changed the complexion of the game, sparking up the visitors.

It means Town are now unbeaten in four, as Danny Cowley’s revolution takes shape, while Rovers have gone three games without winning at Ewood.

Holtby was one of five changes for Rovers, who were without Darragh Lenihan and long-term absentee Greg Cunningham; Huddersfield named an unchanged side from the win against Hull.

The Terriers were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead when the lively Adama Diakhaby wriggled clear of two Blackburn players on the touchline before being brought down by Elliott Bennett.

Referee Darren Bond pointed to the spot and Grant emphatically dispatched his 12th-minute penalty into the bottom left corner.

The visitors were relatively comfortable but shot themselves in the foot eight minutes later when Tommy Elphick’s poor pass was intercepted and Blackburn made them pay as Dack squared to hand Holtby the easiest of finishes.

Holtby should have doubled his and Blackburn’s tally for the afternoon soon after when Bradley Johnson’s superb pass split Town’s defence and found the German, but his low shot drifted whiskers wide of the far post.

But he made amends in the 33rd minute, holding the ball up for Dack who struck first time from 20 yards, curling the ball beyond Kamil Grabara’s despairing dive for his sixth of the season.

Rovers’ dominance continued into the second half as they confidently passed around Town’s defence before Adam Armstrong’s cross-cum-shot just missed Dack’s outstretched foot and the far corner.

At the other end, substitute Bacuna reminded Rovers of the lurking dangers, pulling the trigger on a rasping drive that just missed the target.

And he proved it in devastating fashion in the 63rd minute – just six minutes after his introduction – when he made space to let fly with a left-footed shot that beat Christian Walton’s dive, thought the keeper will be disappointed with his effort.

The substitute continued to torment Rovers, easily running clear of Johnson before his effort was deflected just over the crossbar, but neither side could force a winner.