Huddersfield 2 Newcastle 2

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor

At the John Smith's Stadium

 

 

Huddersfield Town 2 (Majewski 36, Stead 66)

Newcastle United 2 (Riviere 16, Cabella 88)

 

Remy Cabella's late lob earned Newcastle United a 2-2 pre-season friendly draw at Huddersfield Town.

The French summer signing struck in the 88th-minute, lifting the ball over Terriers keeper Joe Murphy following a quickly-taken Ayoze Perez free-kick.

Until then, the Magpies looked to be staring down the barrel of defeat.

Emmanuel Riviere scored his third goal of pre-season to put the Magpies in an early lead, but Radoslaw Majewski levelled before half-time, and Jon Stead earned the hosts victory midway through the second half.

That appeared to be enough for Town, but Cabella had the last laugh right in front of nearly 1,500 United fans.

Oliver Norwood offered a warning of Huddersfield's threat with less than five minutes on the clock, when the midfielder whipped a right-footed free-kick right through the heart of the six-yard box without a crucial touch.

Gouffran responded almost immediately but scuffed a low effort wide of the upright, following good approach play by Remy Cabella and Moussa Sissoko.

And United took the lead on 16 minutes, as Riviere netted his third goal of pre-season.

A superb exchange between Cabella and Gouffran saw the latter deliver an inch-perfect ball in from the right, leaving his fellow countryman with a simple tap-in at the far post.

Having broken the deadlock, the Magpies looked comfortable, although didn't seriously threaten to add to their advantage.

And they were pegged back by Town nine minutes before half-time.

When a cross from the right wasn't properly dealt with by Newcastle's rearguard, Paul Dixon delivered into the feet of midfielder Majewski, who controlled and turned in one movement before curling a brilliant strike into the far, top corner.

Cabella wasn't too far away with a rising drive soon after but the visitors were unable to regain the lead before the break.

Huddersfield boss Mark Robins made 11 changes at half-time, while Pardew gave more minutes to those Magpies who started for him.

And it was the Terriers who looked sharper, with Duane Holmes testing Tim Krul from distance with a dipping drive, before Joe Lolley fired well over the top.

They duly edged ahead on 66 minutes through veteran striker Jon Stead, who received the ball on the edge of the area and pulled the trigger, with his shot taking a deflection to wrong-foot Krul.

Substitute Paul Dummett attempt to reply from 30 yards but sent his effort straight at home keeper Murphy, while with time running out the same player was inches wide from a similar distance.

And as it looked as though United were heading for defeat, Cabella came up with a moment of magic.

It owed much to the rapid-thinking of Perez who, having been bundled over 25 yards out, took the free-kick quickly into Cabella's path.

The Frenchman's task was far from easy with a defender on his shoulder and stopper Murphy rushing out to narrow the angle, but he produced a majestic lob to secure a share of the spoils.

 

Huddersfield Town (3-5-2): Alex Smithies (Joe Murphy 46); Joel Lynch (Matt Crooks 46), Lee Peltier (c) (Sean St. Ledger 46), Tommy Smith (Murray Wallace 46); Paul Dixon (Adam Hamill 46), Jonathan Hogg (Jordan Sinnott 46), Oliver Norwood (Phillip Billing 46), Radoslaw Majewski (Duane Holmes 46), Sean Scannell (Jake Carroll 46); Danny Ward (Joe Lolley 46), Nahki Wells (Jon Stead 46)

Subs not used: none

 

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul; Daryl Janmaat (Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa 57), Mike Williamson (Steven Taylor 64), Fabricio Coloccini (c), Massadio Haidara (Paul Dummett 64); Yoan Gouffran (Rolando Aarons 57), Moussa Sissoko, Jack Colback (Mehdi Abeid 64), Remy Cabella; Facundo Ferreyra (Gabriel Obertan 57), Emmanuel Riviere (Ayoze Perez 72)

Subs not used: Rob Elliot

 

Referee: Andy Madley (West Yorkshire)

Bookings: Huddersfield - none; Newcastle - none

 

Attendance: 5,896 (1,473 Newcastle