Danny Ward scored the only goal as Huddersfield made certain of their place in the Sky Bet Championship next season with a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United.
The Terriers needed a point to ensure survival and Ward’s second-half effort proved enough as Neil Warnock’s side avoided a final-day relegation battler against Reading, who tumble into League One as a result of Huddersfield’s triumph.
The result caps a remarkable turnaround since Warnock’s appointment at the John Smith’s Stadium in mid-February, with Town losing just one of their last nine league matches including five wins in the last eight.
Victory over Yorkshire rivals United lifted Huddersfield five points above the bottom three, with the final round of fixtures to be played on Monday.
The Blades, who had already secured their return to the Premier League next season, dominated the early stages and penned the hosts in.
Huddersfield shot-stopper Lee Nicholls stood tall to make a great early save and keep out Daniel Jebbison after he raced through on goal in the eighth minute.
Blades striker Jebbison squandered another decent chance to fire the visitors ahead on the half-hour mark as he headed George Baldock’s cross over at the far post.
Warnock’s charges continued to absorb the pressure as United hammered on the door, and at stages in the opening 45 minutes, only keeper Wes Foderingham was in the visitors’ half.
Sander Berge was the next Blades player to have a crack at goal, but his tame effort barely troubled Nicholls.
The hosts were the first to show after the break with their first big chance of the match.
Tom Lees rose highest at the back post to meet Jack Rudoni’s teasing corner but his close-range header was blocked.
United manager Paul Heckingbottom quickly rang the changes as he threw on Oli McBurnie and Billy Sharp up front.
Foderingham pulled off a good stop to parry Josh Koroma’s effort wide after he nutmegged Chris Basham to force his way into the box.
And the pressure told two minutes before the hour as Ward’s crucial stunning strike, a curling left-footed effort from 25 yards which nestled in the bottom corner, fired Town in front.
The goal would have come as a huge blow to any watching Reading fans and Huddersfield came close to extending their lead when David Kasumu hit the side netting after being slipped through by Koroma.
United pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages but Warnock’s charges held firm sparking widespread celebrations in the stands.
‘It was Gordon Banks-esque’ – Gareth Ainsworth hails John Ruddy save in QPR draw
QPR manager Gareth Ainsworth likened John Ruddy’s late save to England great Gordon Banks as goalkeepers took centre stage in the 0-0 draw against Birmingham.
Asmir Begovic, the former Chelsea, Bournemouth and Stoke goalkeeper, and ex-Wolves shotstopper Ruddy – both 36 – produced a string of saves as Birmingham missed the chance to climb into the Sky Bet Championship’s top six overnight.
But Birmingam keeper Ruddy’s late stop to deny Lyndon Dykes’ downward header from Albert Adomah’s cross was the pick, after Begovic denied Scott Hogan in a one against one.
“I thought there were some fantastic blocks from us, two magnificent saves from Asmir – the one where he came out and smothered (from Hogan) was world class, and it was,” said Ainsworth.
“But then John Ruddy at the other end – it was Gordon Banks-esque; he put the ball up in the air and away from people.
“When Lyndon headed it, you’re hoping it’s going into the side of the net. It was further out than I thought and a great cross and great header.
“I’ve said Lyndon is going to get double figures this season and it’s going to be his biggest haul.
“But when you come up against someone as good as Ruddy it’s tough to get past him – as Birmingham saw with Begovic.”
Only a desperate, acrobatic goalline clearance from QPR midfielder Sam Field prevented Blues taking a 21st-minute lead, after Lee Buchanan’s fierce cross flicked off centre-back Steve Cook and looped over Begovic.
Ruddy denied Paul Smyth and Field before his late heroics to prevent Dykes’ heading home, while Begovic matched him by foiling Cody Drameh, Krystian Bielik and Jay Stansfield.
Birmingham head coach John Eustace agreed the two goalkeepers were on top in a game of chances at both ends.
“I think that’s why John won Player of the Year last season. John’s a very good experienced goalkeeper,” he said.
“He’ll be disappointed with a couple of goals he’s conceded this season but tonight he showed his class and that’s what top goalkeepers are all about.
“So to not concede is also very good and very encouraging because we’ve had two very tough away games and to keep our levels of concentration in difficult moments was very pleasing.”
Birmingham’s Hogan missed the game’s other standout chance when Begovic denied him.
“You’d have to ask Scott (about his confidence) but what is pleasing is his workrate and his effort is still there,” said Eustace.
“He’s still working his socks off and we have to create more chances for him as well – he can’t just be having one or two.
“We have to create more opportunities for our front players. But Scott will score goals as long as he keeps going and keeps believing.”
Goalkeepers on top as Birmingham and QPR play out goalless draw
Goalkeepers John Ruddy and Asmir Begovic were the stars as Birmingham and QPR battled to a 0-0 Championship draw at St Andrew’s.
Begovic, the former Chelsea, Bournemouth and Stoke goalkeeper, and ex-Wolves keeper Ruddy, both 36, produced a string of saves as the hosts missed the chance to climb into the top six overnight.
QPR created the first chance when Ilias Chair crossed from the left and Sinclair Armstrong looped a header over the bar.
Only a desperate, acrobatic goal-line clearance from QPR midfielder Sam Field prevented Blues taking a 21st-minute lead.
Lee Buchanan’s fierce cross flicked off centre-back Steve Cook and looped over Begovic, but Field hooked the ball away, replays showing it was half over the line.
For all Birmingham’s attacking intent, QPR forced the first save of the game when Paul Smyth cut in on his left foot and his shot from just inside the box was pushed away by Ruddy.
Blues responded soon after when right-back Cody Drameh’s cross-shot was shovelled away at the near post by Begovic.
The home side continued to push for the opening goal and had three efforts blocked in the box, Jay Stansfield trying his luck with a header and then a shot either side of an effort from Miyoshi.
They then went close to taking the lead within two minutes of the restart.
This time Krystian Bielik produced a snapshot that was kept out by a stunning one-handed save by Begovic at full stretch.
Rangers went just as close to breaking the deadlock from the next move.
Chair gave himself room to cross on the run after a one-two split the defence and he pulled the ball back to Field, whose side-footed effort was palmed away by Ruddy and hit Armstrong before bouncing just wide.
Scott Hogan then missed a golden chance. The Birmingham striker had only Begovic to beat after Miyoshi put him through but sidefooted too close to the keeper.
Stansfield forced another save from Begovic when he cut inside and fired goalward from just inside the box.
But Ruddy produced arguably the save of the match when he tipped away Lyndon Dykes’ downward header from Albert Adomah’s cross as both sides had to settle for a point.
Football is the ‘worst sport’ for racism, says Sheff Utd boss Paul Heckingbottom
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom says football is the “worst sport” for racism after goalkeeper Wes Foderingham was abused during last week’s defeat at Tottenham.
Foderingham took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal he had suffered from “racism and family threats” after his side’s 2-1 loss in north London.
Heckingbottom said the police are now involved and could not hide his contempt that racism is still so prevalent in the game.
He said: “You can say it’s all social media and people are tough on there and they can say what they want. You can take it away, but it is deeper than that because it’s inside people.
“It’s sad, I think we are the worst sport for it. I don’t know if it’s the profile but we are the ones who get the most.
“There have been big improvements, in society and our game, so we have to just continue being harder and stronger and every time we get a prosecution let’s make those punishments harder.
“I knew I’d get asked about that and when I speak to you guys I don’t want to say what I really think about it. It is something that reflects really badly on football. It’s not Spurs’ problem, how can a game of football make someone speak like that?
“We’ve gone through the correct channels and we have had the police in to speak to him. It’s not right, it’s sad, the fact he says he is alright to deal with it shows how much of a problem it is.”
The Blades take on Newcastle on Sunday aiming for their first win of the season.
They were minutes away from winning at Tottenham last week, before succumbing to the latest ever Premier League comeback by the hosts, and have shown they can be competitive this season.
However, reports surfaced last week that the Blades have sounded out former boss Chris Wilder about a possible return to the club.
Heckingbottom laughed off questions about his future.
“You are asking the wrong person, you can ask me about a player, is he going to play, what’s he going to do,” he said.
“But you can’t ask me about me, you need to speak to other people about that.
“I have no reaction at all. The amount of things that get into the media that are rubbish, am I worried about it? No. Even if there is any truth in it, am I worried? No, because it is not going to affect me one little bit.
“You are asking the wrong person. You need to ask board level about that. I have spoken to Steve (Betts, chief executive), he says it is nonsense and just carry on. It is always there as a manager.”
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