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Huddersfield beat Sheffield Weds in dramatic penalties to reach Champs play-off final

By Michael Abayateye
The Huddersfield players celebrate after they won the penalty shootout on Wednesday
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Huddersfield Town beat Sheffield Wednesday on penalties to reach the Championship play-off final.

Terriers keeper Danny Ward saved from Sam Hutchinson and Fernando Forestieri in the shootout to give Town a 4-3 win.

Steven Fletcher put the Owls ahead when he headed home Barry Bannan's cross but the visitors levelled when Collin Quaner's cross was turned in by Nahki Wells via a deflection from Tom Lees.

Town will now face Reading at Wembley for a place in the Premier League.

It had always looked possible that the tie would go the distance after Sunday's opening leg between the two sides had ended scoreless, with the Owls failing to manage a single shot on target.

Despite losing Ross Wallace to injury early on, the hosts made a bright start to the second leg and sub Adam Reach forced a sharp save from Terriers keeper Danny Ward at his near post.

However, Town had the best chance in the first half but Izzy Brown's shot hit the outside of the post after Wells had found the Chelsea loanee with a low cross.

Wednesday opened the scoring when Bannan, who was given a far more free role compared to the first game, sent a perfectly-measured cross to the back post where Fletcher rose above Christopher Schindler to head in.

After initially being rocked, Town responded well and got a deserved equaliser when Collin Quaner got on the end of a neat ball from Brown and squared a low ball across the face of goal, which Lees inadvertently diverted in to level the tie with 15 minutes to go.

Both teams had chances to win it in extra time but Wales international Ward saved well from Jordan Rhodes and Wells fired into the side netting after a mishit-shot broke to him.

Town eventually prevailed when Liverpool loanee Ward dived to his right to keep Forestieri's effort out and set up an appearance against the Royals at Wembley on Monday, 29 May.

BBC Sports