Blackburn 1-1 Huddersfield: Rovers fightback for draw

Blackburn fought back to draw 1-1 with Huddersfield in the Sky Bet Championship and extend their unbeaten home run to five games.

But they were made to work by a rampant Huddersfield side whose performance belied their recent poor form. When Kasey Palmer's header put the visitors ahead in the sixth minute with his third goal of the season, they were already in control and only desperate defending and the woodwork prevented further goals.

However, Rovers equalised in the 34th minute from the spot - Danny Graham's shot was their first and only effort on target in the half.

The visitors always looked the likelier to win but Jason Steele repelled their best efforts. It means the Terriers have not won for five games and drop out of the top six, but their fans will have plenty to be encouraged about on this showing. Rovers' mini-revival continues - they remain out of the drop zone and have gone three without defeat for the first time this season.

Owen Coyle handed a first league start to Ryan Nyambe, in place of the suspended Ben Marshall. Martin Cranie made his first league start of the season in one of four changes for Huddersfield, who were without the suspended Tommy Smith and injured duo Mark Hudson and Sean Scannell.

The visitors deservedly went in front in the sixth minute when Chris Lowe's corner found Palmer who evaded his marker too easily to bullet a header past Steele from close range.

How David Wagner's side did not extend their lead is a mystery. Aaron Mooy's superbly dipping free-kick was brilliantly tipped over by Steele and the hosts looked likely to be swept away.

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The impressive Rajiv van La Parra shot weakly at Steele after cutting through the hosts' defence, but out of nowhere, Rovers were back in the game after Michael Hefele hauled down Sam Gallagher in the 34th minute. Graham stepped up and hammered the penalty down the middle for his fifth goal of the season.

The second half was less frenetic but a well-worked corner routine almost paid dividends for the Terriers, when Lowe's pass picked out the onrushing Mooy but Steele parried his fierce first-time shot.

Huddersfield's Elias Kachunga spun and unleashed a 20-yard drive that Steele palmed behind, while Sam Gallagher lashed one just wide at the other end. Cranie glanced a header wide late on but the visitors could not fashion a winner.

Blackburn manager Owen Coyle:

"I thought Huddersfield started the game really well, forced four or five good deliveries from their set-plays and their corners and eventually scored from one which is disappointing from our point of view.

"We've not played well but what we did do was find a way back into the game with a little bit of spirit, a little bit of heart. It's a hard-earned point, it's a valuable point as always. What we've shown is that we are getting to be a far better team than we were at the outset of the season."

Huddersfield manager David Wagner:

"In my opinion we looked fantastic over the whole 90 minutes. If we win this game, I think we will speak about one of our best performances ever this season. But this still was one of our best performances this season. Unfortunately we didn't get the right result and I think we totally deserved to win this game today.

"We played strong all over the pitch, in offence and defence, strong on set-pieces, offensively and defensively as well. In football sometimes you don't get what you deserve but we have no complaints about our performance."