Huddersfield 3-1 Preston: Wells double punishes Preston

A double from Nahki Wells secured back-to-back home wins for Huddersfield as they beat Preston 3-1 at the John Smith's Stadium in the Sky Bet Championship.

Wells - Town's top scorer - was dropped to the bench for the defeat at Brentford last week, but he returned with a point to prove and his double either side of half-time saw off fellow-strugglers North End.

Wells' two goals took his tally for the season to seven and he almost claimed a superb hat-trick but saw his shot come back off the angle of bar and post in the second half.

Huddersfield, who scored a third late on through Emyr Huws, had goalkeeper Jed Steer to thank for two good saves in the first half-hour.

Will Keane found space on the edge of the box, turned and unleashed a powerful effort which Steer, on loan from Aston Villa, parried into the air and snatched at the second attempt.

Tom Clarke, on his return to the John Smith's Stadium, unlocked the Town defence with a deep cross from the back and Adam Reach got on the end of it but his downward header was kept out by the fingertips of Steer.

Joe Lolley and Kyle Dempsey had sight of goal for the home side but fired wide and a low cross from Reach was just inches away from the on-rushing Keane.

Wells put the finishing touches to a great move to give Town a 38th-minute lead. Joel Lynch played a ball in for Huws who slid a cross into the box for Wells to slot home.

Just before the break Wells was set on a run by Tommy Smith's half-volley but the striker was forced wide and the angle was too tight to trouble Jordan Pickford who smothered the shot.

Wells had the ball in the back of the net just two minutes after half-time when he finished off the rebound from Harry Bunn's saved effort although he was ruled offside.

He grabbed his second in the 55th minute as Bunn supplied the pass and the former Bradford striker smashed home with a confident finish.

In the 72nd minute Wells could have had his hat-trick but his first shot was saved by Pickford and the rebound cannoned off the woodwork.

Town sealed the points in the 76th minute when Huws, taking advantage of the swirling wind, scored direct from a corner as the ball evaded Pickford and a defender on the near post and ended up in the back of the net.

Bunn had a shot deflected wide and Sean Scannell missed the target before Wells had another chance for his hat-trick but Pickford saved with his foot.

Preston grabbed a consolation in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Reach fired home left-footed from close range from Paul Gallagher's pass, the last touch of the game.

Huddersfield boss David Wagner:

"[Nahki Wells] knows what I expect from him. I will never be satisfied with Nahki because I believe he has a big talent.

"I will always want more from him because he is a good guy with great potential."

Preston boss Simon Grayson:

"None of my players did what I wanted them to do. It was disappointing. We made three good chances and if we had scored in the first 12 seconds the result would have been different.

"We were too loose in possession and if you do that in the Championship you get punished. It's a lesson for us to learn."