Huddersfield produce ‘devastating first half’ to sweep aside Mansfield

Huddersfield boss Lee Grant was delighted to see his revitalised side produce a sparkling first-half display in a convincing 3-1 win at Mansfield.

Three goals in the first 16 minutes swept aside the Stags and it could have been double that in a one-sided first half before Mansfield pulled one back in a quieter second period.

It was a third successive victory in all competitions for Grant’s side, who had lost five in a row before beating Mansfield in the EFL Trophy earlier in the month to start their winning run.

And Grant said: “It was really nice to bookend the international break with an outstanding performance at home, and then to come away from home and really pick up where we left off.

“We told the players before the game they needed to maintain the momentum they had clawed back across the previous Mansfield and Plymouth fixtures.

“So I was delighted they hit the ground running and it was a devastating first half.

“Mansfield came out full of energy and caused us a few issues which we had to get to grips with.

“But we wrestled control of the half and it was a performance of real intensity and aggression.

“I think we now have seven games in 22 days and for the first time in a really long time I have the luxury of being able to leave out exceptional players.”

Bojan Radulovic headed home in the fifth minute before he fed Dion Charles to make it 2-0 with a low finish.

Lasse Sorensen added a third thanks to a deflection off Deji Oshilaja, while Charles had another effort disallowed for offside and home keeper Liam Roberts made some great saves.

Mansfield pulled one back from their first shot on target in the 64th minute as Will Evans fired home across Owen Goodman.

Stags boss Nigel Clough admitted: “We were well beaten, especially in the first half.

“I thought we started the game quite well. But for the second week running we conceded when down to 10 men with an injury – that is the worst rule in football, conceding goals when we have a man off injured through no fault of our own.

“Jamie McDonnell got smashed and had to go off for 45 seconds. It’s a ridiculous rule to be punished for having an injured player.

“For the next 10 minutes every time we gave the ball away cheaply, they were extremely clinical.

“Attacking-wise they were probably the best we have seen.

“If we’d have got one back earlier or got another after we scored, you never know.

“Second half I wanted us to show character, which I thought we did.

“But this is the reality of us playing against ex-Premier League sides in League One.”