Huddersfield came from a goal back to secure their first away win as they produced one of the narrow football scores of the weekend in the Championship. In his 100th game for the Rangers, Lyndon Dykes gave them the lead at Loftus Road after only 90 seconds. The west London team, who had recently been in the first place and had managed to repel Wolves’ interest in head coach Mick Beale, however, had a disastrous season. They have now dropped three of their previous four games.
Huddersfield had a wonderful opportunity to score in the opening minute, trailed in the second, and then tied the score in the ninth minute. Danny Ward was given a clear shot on goal in the first 30 seconds when Ben Jackson slipped the ball past R’s defender Leon Balogun, but goalkeeper Seny Dieng stopped the striker. Rangers took the lead in response to such a let-off. Dykes was able to tap in from a few yards away after Chris Willock, who had found space on the left, crossed low. However, Beale’s team allowed two more goals from set pieces against the Terriers after giving up a goal from a set piece in Saturday’s 1-0 home loss to West Brom.
They were unable to stop Sorba Thomas’ right-wing free kick, and Jack Rudoni headed toward Ruffels, who blasted from just outside the six-yard box into the roof of the net to tie the game. Ruffels scored a spectacular goal in the 26th minute, just as Rangers appeared to be twisting the screw. This time, the home defence was unable to stop a left-wing free-kick, allowing Ruffels to hold the ball with his back to the goal and humiliate Dieng with a looping overhead kick. Taylor Richards was denied late in the contest by two outstanding stops from Nicholls, who stopped both his long-range shot and his far-post header.
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