"I love him!": Neil Warnock delighted with former Wimbledon youngster Rudoni

Neil Warnock was over the moon after former AFC Wimbledon starlet Jack Rudoni scored his first goal for Huddersfield in a 3-2 victory at Watford on Saturday.

Carshalton-born Rudoni left Plough Lane last summer for what was then a club record fee, and has produced some promising displays in West Yorkshire despite Huddersfield’s difficult season in the Championship

The win at Vicarage Road saw the Terriers move out of the relegation zone for the first time since August, and Rudoni was heavily involved in helping his side pick up a third consecutive victory.

The attacking midfielder was a menacing presence throughout, gliding beyond challenges and linking up with team-mates as Huddersfield regularly threatened on the counterattack.

Rudoni’s big moment came just a minute before half-time. After Watford’s Ryan Porteous could only half-clear a cross played into the box, the 21-year-old was on hand to pick out the bottom corner of Daniel Bachmann’s goal and level the scores at 1-1.

“It’s a massive relief for everybody!” said Warnock when asked about the importance of Rudoni getting off the mark. “I did tell him last week that he needs to come and give me a hug [when he scores], but he didn’t bother did he?

“He probably shoots a bit too much in training, he’s been desperate to get a goal. It was good to see it go in, hopefully that might calm him down a bit after today.

“Yesterday in training we finished with some shooting, and he hit both posts, can you believe it? I sent him in and said save it for tomorrow.”

Rudoni was also involved in the goal that gave Huddersfield the lead in the second half. It was his lofted free-kick that found the head of Matty Pearson as the centre-back guided a header beyond a sea of bodies to find the net.

However, Warnock, who returned to manage Huddersfield in February, believes that the Dons academy graduate has qualities that go beyond providing goals and assists.

“I love him as a lad,” said the former Crystal Palace and QPR boss. “He’s a manager’s dream, he’ll do anything that you say.

“He’ll prove to be a good value for money player. When I came in, there were one or two people who doubted signing someone like that.

“He’s just a gem of a lad really.”