Huddersfield Town 2
Stevenage 1
League (League One)

Match report written by Neil Metcalfe, The Comet

Stevenage were given a first-hand example of the strength of League One this season - falling to defeat away to Huddersfield Town.

Josh Koroma put Town in front in a first half they dominated, before the Terriers, relegated from the Championship last season, made it two wins from two with Ben Wiles the scorer of the second.

Boro could at least point to a better second half, and chances at 1-0 down that, if taken, would have made life very different.

They did get one, Harvey White scoring from the spot in the fifth minute of stoppage time, to make it 2-1 at the final whistle.

In truth though, this will have to be taken as learning experience for further battles ahead.

Alex Revell had spoken about the strength of his squad after the Carabao Cup game in Norwich, and after seven changes there, he made another seven at the John Smith's Stadium.

In came Luther Wildin, Dan Sweeney, Jordan Roberts, Tyreece Simpson, Elliott List, Dan Phillips and Louis Thompson.

Making way were Nathan Thompson, Nick Freeman, Louis Appere, Dan Kemp, Kane Smith and Harvey White.

It was only three changes from the opening day of the league season - Freeman, Freestone and White.

But if the strength of the squad had rightly been highlighted prior to kick-off, then the focus at the interval was on the boss and what he could do to change things for the better.

That was because Huddersfield had bossed the opening period, and the fact it was only 1-0 was perhaps the only positive.

Little else could be gleaned by the away side as the hosts bossed the contest in every square of the pitch.

Possession stats showed just 26.4 per cent belonging to Boro while there had been 11 shots in total, all to the Terriers.

They should have scored early but Ben Wiles screwed a chance from the edge of the area wide of Murphy Cooper's left-hand post.

The Huddersfield man then got in behind the defence and his lob over the keeper was still heading towards the net despite Cooper getting his hands to it.

However, that touch gave Charlie Goode the chance to get rid of the ball two yards from the line.

Carl Piergianni and Dan Phillips went into the book as Boro tried desperately to stem the tide.

Revell's response to the performance was a double change, Appere and Kemp coming on for Simpson and Goode and a switch to a back four.

And it had an effect instantly with Appere twice getting behind the Town defence in the opening seven minutes.

The first chance seem him unselfishly slip it to his left for the unmarked List. However, his wing on the boot couldn't connect properly and he hooked it wide of the post.

The second chance he took himself but this time Lee Nicholls kept himself big and although a gap between his legs appeared momentarily, the keeper made the block.

A minute later Huddersfield put the fightback on hold with a second with Wiles given the freedom of the Boro penalty area, belting the ball home from 12 yards after a Lasse Sorensen cross.

Appere did have another chance but on his left foot he scuffed it at Nicholls. Roberts then drilled a shot across goal and wide.

More subs followed, Kane Smith and White called for with 15 minutes to go, but the home side were rarely troubled and a comeback never seemed likely.

They were given a consolation, White slamming a late penalty into the roof of the net after the keeper had come to punch a cross and only found a purple-shirted attacker.

And Boro will get the chance to bounce back straight away with a home tie in the EFL Trophy against Crystal Palace U21s.

But in between, and even after, they will have to take the lessons learned here to heart, painful as they will be.