Huddersfield 1-2 Derby: George Thorne stunner extends County's unbeaten run

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George Thorne scored a 25-yard stunner to seal Derby's victory over Huddersfield and extend their unbeaten run to eight matches.

The former West Brom midfielder smashed home the second-half winner to make it six wins in eight games and lift Derby into the play-off positions.

Skipper Chris Martin gave the visitors - unbeaten away since March - an early lead before Huddersfield equalised through Harry Bunn.

Derby's George Thorne celebrates after scoring the winner for Derby against Huddersfield on Saturday

Thorne scored three minutes after half-time to put Derby back in charge but for all their dominance they could not kill the game.

Huddersfield goalkepeer Jed Steer, on loan from Aston Villa, pulled off a series of great saves to deny Derby a greater margin of victory.

Derby took control of the game right from the start and went in front in the 15th minute through Martin.

Johnny Russell scuffed his attempted volley and the ball fell for Martin in the six-yard box. He ignored calls for offside and slotted past Steer.

Despite dominating, Derby failed to capitalise on their possession.

MATCH FACTS AND CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE

 

HUDDERSFIELD XI: Steer, Cranie, Hudson, Lynch, Davidson, Scannell (Carayol 21), Whitehead, Huws, Bunn (Paterson 76), Wells, Miller (Bojaj 83)

Subs not used: Smith, Murphy, Billing, Boyle

Scorers: Bunn 31

Booked: Davidson, Lynch

DERBY COUNTY XI: Carson, Christie, Keogh, Shackell, Forsyth, Butterfield, Thorne, Johnson, Ince (Weimann 26) Martin (Bent 91), Russell (Hanson 75)

Subs not used: Grant, Bent, Baird, Pearce, Weimann, Hanson, Shotton 

Scorers: Martin 15, Thorne 48

Venue: John Smith's Stadium

Attendance: 15,371

Huddersfield lost winger Sean Scannell to a suspected hamstring injury, replacing him with on-loan Mustapha Carayol with 20 minutes gone.

Six minutes later Derby also suffered a major blow when wideman Tom Ince also limped down the tunnel.

Huddersfield reacted best to the enforced change with Carayol looking threatening down the right.

After a couple of warning shots to the Derby defence Carayol curled in a superb cross for Ishmael Miller.

The big striker beat Scott Carson but the ball struck the bar and bounced down.

Bunn reacted first to finish off the rebound from close range and level in the 31st minute.

Martin had a header go just wide before Steer produced a brilliant one-handed save four minutes before the break.

Russell's corner was met perfectly by Jason Shackell but his flying header was superbly tipped over.

Inevitably, former Huddersfield midfielder Jacob Butterfield, signed by Derby for £4m on transfer deadline day, had a hand in the 48th-minute winner.

Butterfield's cross was headed out by Joel Lynch but Thorne had time to pick his spot and unleash a stunning finish past Steer.

Huddersfield had a penalty claim denied in the 56th minute when both Lynch and Mark Hudson went down in the box, with Hudson needing treatment for a facial injury.

Derby turned the screw but Steer, with two clean sheets in his last two games, stood firm.

Steer saved from Russell and then came out to meet Cyrus Christie, blocking with his leg.

He put his body on the line to keep Derby at bay, appearing to save a flashing Martin header with his face.

Huddersfield finished strongly with Steer even deserting his post to go up for a last desperate corner deep into stoppage time.