Huddersfield Town loanee Will Alves marked his league debut with a vital equaliser as Lee Grant’s side battled back to beat Peterborough United 3-2.
The Leicester City youngster came off the bench to turn a difficult afternoon on its head before Herbie Kane and Joe Taylor sealed the points.
Alves changes the game from the bench
Introduced on 56 minutes with Town trailing at the Accu Stadium, Alves needed only four minutes to make his mark, arriving to level and spark a spirited turnaround. The attacking midfielder admitted the moment could hardly have gone better.
“I’m buzzing really. You can’t get off to a better start, scoring on my first touch. It’s a great win for the team, that’s the main thing that we got the three points,” he told the club’s channel.
Grant, officially confirmed as Huddersfield manager in the summer, saw his side ride out a testing spell before quality in the final third proved decisive. Kane put the Terriers ahead on 67 minutes, with Taylor adding late insurance before Cian Hayes struck a stoppage-time reply for the visitors. The head coach has leaned on energetic, flexible options across the frontline and Alves fits that brief, offering ball retention, dribbling threat and the confidence to take shots early.
Alves’ cameo captured both the urgency and clarity the bench injected. Asked what he had been tasked with on entry, he explained,
“Really just to keep the ball for the team… giving the team more energy, and that’s what all of us tried to do off the bench.”
Derby focus turns to Bradford City
Attention now switches to a West Yorkshire derby against Bradford City, with momentum and selection headaches in Town’s favour. New arrival Zepiqueno Redmond has further strengthened the attacking pool, while the balance of Kane’s craft and Taylor’s movement continues to supply Grant with reliable end product. The internal verdict on Alves is equally upbeat, with team-mate Josh Feeney highlighting his technical ability and versatility across forward positions.
Alves himself is eager for the next test, calling the derby “one of my first real derbies”, and insisting his job is to add to a group that “can cause chances and create problems for the opposition”. With belief growing and impact players emerging, Huddersfield have the tools to carry their fightback form into a combustible local contest.
Writer’s View
Grant’s use of the bench was the difference. Alves brought composure on the ball and vertical intent, while Kane and Taylor supplied a ruthless edge when it mattered. If the Terriers can replicate that mix of patience and penetration against Bradford City, the derby could underline a side learning to win in multiple ways. For Alves, a dream start now needs consistency, but the early signs suggest Huddersfield have borrowed a match-changer at precisely the right time.
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