Huddersfield Town boss bemoans 'missed opportunity' after being held at ten-man Mansfield Town
Frustrated Huddersfield Town boss Martin Drury felt his side’s 0-0 draw at 10-men Mansfield Town was ‘a missed opportunity.’
The unbeaten Terriers were handed a great chance to take all three points when Owen Dodgson was sent off less than two minutes after coming on as a half-time sub.
But the promotion-chasers failed to take full advantage as Ashley Fletcher failed to put away a close range header just after the hour.
Marcus Harness, Ilias Bronkhorst and Cameron Humphreys all saw chances go begging as Huddersfield pushed late on.
“It is disappointing and frustrating,” Drury said: "Ultimately we weren't good enough in the final third time and time again.
“The numbers we have hit are incredible but we haven’t scored a goal. I felt we lacked a little bit of quality and killer instinct in and around the box.
“I feel today is a missed opportunity for us but it’s a lesson we can learn early on in the season. I have seen those games go the other way late on and you get caught on the break on the counter.
“We looked really solid behind the ball but ultimately we have to take three points from that game.
“We weren’t clean enough in the final third. We should have scored in the first half, never mind the second half.
“We weren’t quite there with our decision-making, which is not like us, but it is going to happen. Ultimately when the opposition goes down to ten men we have to win the game.
“It is disappointing that we have not taken three points but there are positives we can take from the game.
Michael Smith failed to get on the end of Nathan Moriah-Welsh’s cross during a cagey opening 10 minutes.
Bojan Radaluvic hit the side-netting midway through the half after Derensili Sanches Fernandes slipped him in.
Stephen McLaughlin skied over from distance, before Liam Roberts saved comfortably from Joe Tayor just before half-time.
Mansfield were reduced to ten men when Dodgson was shown a straight red for a late lunging tackle on Sanches Fernandes seconds after the re-start.
Ashley Fletcher should have headed Huddersfield in front after finding space on 63 minutes.
Roberts palmed away a close-range Harness shot, before Ilias Bronkhorst and Cameron Humphreys both went close as Huddersfield continued to push late on.
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