Huddersfield Town vs Brighton and Hove Albion. Premier League.
The John Smith's StadiumAttendance24,018.
Saturday 9 December 2017 18:00, UK
Steve Mounie's first-half double ensured Huddersfield returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Brighton at the John Smith's Stadium.
Having not scored since the opening day of the season, Mounie netted the easiest of openers (12) before heading in his second (43) just before half-time.
Huddersfield pushed for a third after the break, but they could not heap more misery on a Brighton side who failed to record a shot on target until the 79th minute.
Victory sees Huddersfield end their four-match losing streak, while Brighton slip down to 13th in the Premier League table after no wins in five.
Huddersfield opened the scoring from the game's first corner, with Chris Lowe's cross flicked on by Christopher Schindler for Mounie to bundle home off his thigh at the back post.
Brighton failed to test Jonas Lossl in the first half, and they found themselves two-down just before the break when Mounie's header squeezed past Mat Ryan.
Tom Ince searched in vain for his first goal of the season, as he scuffed one attempt before Ryan produced a brilliant stop from point-blank range to deny the winger.
Mounie then snatched at an effort in search of his hat-trick, before Tommy Smith bent an effort narrowly wide of the far post.
Ince fired over as Huddersfield continued to press, while Brighton's first attempt on goal came after 79 minutes when substitute Jose Izquierdo fired a speculative effort straight at Jonas Lossl.
Glenn Murray then handed Lossl another comfortable save one minute later, and there was still time for Ince to be denied by Ryan once more, with the Australia international parrying away his powerful drive.
Having battled for a place in Huddersfield's XI since returning from a heel injury, Mounie took his opportunity in some style when handed just his second start in eight matches.
The striker knew little about the first, while his header was then fortunate to squeeze past Ryan for his second, but it will be a timely boost of confidence for the 23-year-old ahead of the festive period.
David Wagner: "I'm very happy and proud. The mood is different than it has been in the last few weeks. I'm delighted because the players played independent from the circumstance we were in.
"We said we have to be focused on ourselves, on our game plan, on the players' talent, and this is what they have shown today.
"We were on the front foot from the first second. We created a lot of good opportunities and it was a deserved result."
Chris Hughton: "Wherever you play in this division, if you give them the leg-up of two goals, it's difficult to come back from that.
"It was better in the second half, where we showed we could be a threat, but we have to stop conceding the type of goals we have done.
"The first goal from a corner was one we know that they do, and once it goes in it gives them the left they need and gets the crowd going. We hadn't done ourselves any favours."
Both sides are in midweek Premier League action. Huddersfield welcome Chelsea to the John Smith's Stadium on Tuesday, while Brighton face Tottenham at Wembley on Wednesday.
