Town conceded late against 10-man Bolton
Huddersfield Town interim head coach Jon Stead was left feeling “angry” with his side’s lack of game management after they conceded another last-gasp equaliser at ten-man Bolton Wanderers.
The hosts struck in the 11th minute of stoppage time to claim a 3-3 draw at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, the third game in a row that Town have let in a goal in injury-time to miss out on victory.
Eoin Toal had put the Trotters in front in the first half, before Town turned the game around after half-time through a brace from David Kasumu and a penalty from Marcus Harness, with Jordi Osei-Tutu sent off for conceding the spotkick.
Despite being down to ten men, the home side pulled a goal back through Johnny Kenny, while Ibrahim Cissoko netted at the death to deal Town another late blow to their play-off hopes.
The Terriers have now conceded an injury-time equaliser three times over the past week, following similar scenarios against Wycombe Wanderers and Cardiff City.
Asked by HTTV how he was feeling after yet another late setback, Stead said: “Angry. Yes there’s been moments of frustration, there’s been elements that we’ve spoken about that we need to get better at, mainly around the game management, mainly around the pressure moments in games, we need to stand up to that, and be accountable and be resilient. It creeps towards anger today, because we need to be coming out of that game winning, we need to win that football match.
“Some of our play again was exceptional. The way we cut open a very, very good team, even before ten men, even in the first half after we’ve gone a goal down was fantastic, so the stuff is getting across to them.
“I think we’re showing good individual performances, we’re showing good collective moments with and without the ball, but the little bits that don’t necessarily happen on the training pitch are costing us, and I’m sure that will be addressed. It needs addressing weeks ago, and to be a top team, that needs to be better, it needs to be put right.
“It’s quite remarkable to come off another game having the same scenario, but we as staff, we’ll always take accountability, and the players will as well. It’s a tough one for everybody to stomach, especially the lads, they’ve got to stomach that, but it’s harder for the fans stood in that crowd, who were fantastic from start to finish.
“It needs to be addressed, because you cannot be a winning team, you cannot go to the levels that you want to get to if you don’t do that side of the game, no matter how good you are in terms of your play. It needs to be addressed, and I’m sure it will.”
The result left Town three points outside of the top six prior to the afternoon kick-offs, with just two League One matches left to play.
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