Huddersfield Town Go Top After Winning Ugly Against Wigan 2026

Key Points

• Huddersfield Town won against Wigan Athletic 2-1 at Accu Stadium, on Saturday, 24 October 2026, in Sky Bet League One.
• Ilias Bronkhorst scored the opening goal in the 34th minute and Derensili Sanches Fernandes got the second goal in the 80th minute.
• Christian Saydee made a consolation goal for Wigan Athletic in the 92nd minute of the stoppage time.
• This game helped Huddersfield to take their position on top of the League One with 25 points in 12 matches, having seven wins, four draws and only one loss.
• After three consecutive losses, Wigan still stays on the last place in the table.
• Coach of Huddersfield Martin Drury said that Wigan used “a totally different shape” that his team was not ready for.
• Manager of Wigan, who was banned from being on the touchline, said that they “gifted” the victory to Huddersfield.
• According to BBC pundit Sam Parkin, Sanches Fernandes “is a revelation”, and Huddersfield seems to be a promotion candidate.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 25, 2026 — Huddersfield Town moved to the top of Sky Bet League One after a 2-1 win over bottom-of-the-table Wigan Athletic at the Accu Stadium, although the Terriers needed patience, adaptation and a late defensive stand to secure all three points.

Goals from Ilias Bronkhorst and Derensili Sanches Fernandes proved decisive, while Christian Saydee’s stoppage-time strike gave Wigan brief hope but could not prevent a fourth defeat in their last five league matches. The result lifted Huddersfield to 25 points from 12 games, two clear of second-placed Stockport County, who drew at Notts County.

How Did Huddersfield Town Go Top of League One?

Huddersfield went top because they converted a difficult, low-tempo contest into a fourth win in five matches under head coach Martin Drury. As reported by BBC Sport’s Sam Parkin, the Terriers have won four of their last five and have not lost since their defeat by Bromley on 19 September.

The match was decided by two moments of quality and composure rather than a flood of chances. Sky Sports reported that Huddersfield had to be patient in a game of few clear-cut opportunities before Bronkhorst broke the deadlock in the 34th minute.

Fernandes then made the game safer 10 minutes from time. According to Sky Sports, the winger raced clear of Wigan goalkeeper Joe Whitworth, whose slip allowed Fernandes to score the simplest of finishes.

Saydee curled home in added time to reduce the deficit, but Sky Sports described the goal as “too little too late” for the visitors.

What Did Martin Drury Say After Huddersfield’s Win?

Drury said the most important feature of the performance was Huddersfield’s ability to respond to an unexpected tactical plan from Wigan. As reported by The Yorkshire Post, Drury said: “It was really difficult. We watched Wigan’s last six games and prepared for how we thought they’d set up and what we expected them to do, then they turned up on the day and did something completely different.”

He added that Wigan “played a totally different shape and played a different way”, forcing Huddersfield to adapt during the match rather than rely solely on their pre-match preparation.

Drury acknowledged that the opening period was uncomfortable.

“We had a difficult 15 minutes trying to work it out, but I thought after that we figured it out really well and started to take control,”

he said, according to The Yorkshire Post.

The Huddersfield head coach also said his side finished the first half strongly and scored “a really really good goal”. He believed the second half was closer in terms of chances than the overall statistics later suggested.

“I would have liked to execute some of those moments better and score more from it, but it’s two goals and three more points,”

Drury said.

Why Did Gary Caldwell Criticise Wigan Athletic?

Wigan manager Gary Caldwell said his side had only themselves to blame for failing to take something from the match. As reported by Wigan Today, Caldwell said: “I think we gifted them a win when I felt, at the time, they were there for the taking.”

Caldwell, who watched from the stands because of a touchline ban for accumulated yellow cards, said Wigan began well but lost their structure as the first half progressed.

“For 20 minutes, and as the half wore on, we became a bit less convincing in how we wanted to play, put each other under pressure and allowed them to build a bit of momentum and pressure,”

Caldwell said, as reported by The Yorkshire Post.

He was particularly critical of the goals Wigan conceded.

“We conceded another really poor goal that we don’t expect to concede against this team,”

he said.

Caldwell also said Wigan were not sufficiently threatening after the interval.

“We had a go without really creating enough and not being good enough in the final third,”

he said.

He explained that Wigan’s decision to alter their possession shape while chasing the game contributed to Fernandes’s goal. “When we were just trying to gamble for the game and change our possession shape, that’s when we lost that goal,” Caldwell said.

What Did Wigan Change Before Kick-Off?

Caldwell made five changes to his starting XI and kept on-loan Manchester City midfielder Charlie Gray on the bench for the first 45 minutes. As reported by Wigan Today, Caldwell said the decision was made with player welfare in mind.

“I don’t think Charlie has ever played three games in a week, and we have to be very careful with certain individuals,” Caldwell said.

Despite the changes, Wigan’s early approach caused problems for Huddersfield. Drury said his players needed around 15 minutes to understand the visitors’ unfamiliar system before gaining control.

What Did Pundits Make of Huddersfield’s Promotion Credentials?

BBC Sport pundit Sam Parkin said Huddersfield’s start under Drury had been impressive, particularly given that this is the head coach’s first EFL managerial role.

“Going back to last season, everyone had a lot of high hopes for them and it didn’t materialise,” Parkin said. “It’s been a terrific start and it’s easy to look at some of the signings that have come in.”

Parkin singled out Fernandes for praise. “Sanches Fernandes has been a revelation, he looks at the moment far too good for the level,” he said.

He also suggested that Huddersfield’s squad and coaching setup give them a credible chance of promotion. “You never know how it’s going to go when a manager takes a team for the first time in the EFL, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about him as a coach and his team look like they have all the credentials to get promoted this season,” Parkin said.

What Does the League One Table Look Like?

Huddersfield lead League One with 25 points from 12 matches, a record of seven wins, four draws and one defeat, 24 goals scored and 11 conceded.

Stockport County are second on 22 points from 11 matches. Wigan remain at the bottom after the defeat, with Caldwell describing the result as a “massive missed opportunity” to return to winning ways.

The match was Huddersfield’s third consecutive League One victory, according to BBC Radio Leeds, and their second consecutive 2-1 home win over Wigan in this campaign’s league fixture list.

Background of the Development

Huddersfield entered the match with momentum but faced a Wigan side desperate for points at the bottom of League One. The Terriers had been unbeaten since losing to Bromley on 19 September, while Wigan arrived after a midweek defeat by the same 2-1 scoreline at Oxford United.

Wigan’s tactical changes were intended to disrupt Huddersfield’s preparation, and Caldwell believed the plan initially worked. However, defensive errors, a lack of cutting edge in the final third and Fernandes’s late goal left Wigan still searching for a result that could lift them away from the relegation place.

For Huddersfield, the result continues a strong start under Drury, whose side have combined results with an ability to win matches in different ways.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Huddersfield Town Fans?

For Huddersfield supporters, the result strengthens the belief that the club can remain involved in the automatic promotion conversation beyond the early months of the season. The table position matters, but the manner of the win may matter just as much: Drury’s side found a way to win after being tactically surprised, which suggests resilience as fixtures become more demanding.

Fans should expect continued scrutiny of whether Huddersfield can create and convert more chances against sides that defend deeply. Drury himself said he wanted better execution in attacking moments, indicating that the coaching staff see room for improvement despite the three points.

For Wigan supporters, the immediate concern is whether the side can turn competitive spells into goals and points. Caldwell’s assessment that Huddersfield were “there for the taking” will increase pressure on the squad to convert promising periods into results in upcoming fixtures.