Rafa Benitez Praises Newcastle for Their Big Effort During 1-0 Victory Over Huddersfield

Rafa Benitez was full of praise for his Newcastle side after they earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Huddersfield on Saturday afternoon.

Despite being on the back foot for much of the game, a second half goal from Salomon Rondon secured all three points for the Magpies, moving them six points clear of the relegation zone in the process.

Speaking to ​Sky Sports after the game, Benitez was all too happy to discuss how pleased he was with the way his ​Newca​stle side dug in for the win.

"​It was really important for us, and them [​Huddersfield], so to get three points here in the way that we did, with a big effort from every player, is always something you have to be satisfied with," he said.

"We tried to play on the counterattack and defend well, against a good team. They were pushing, with a lot of crosses, balls in the air and when they wouldn't do that they tried to do it with penetrating passes through the middle instead."

Newcastle did struggle in the first half and Benitez was quick to point out how much the Magpies ended up improving after the half time interval.

"We had to deal with all these situations, but in the first half we gave the ball away a little bit cheaply," he said.

"We were stronger in the second half and they didn't have the space, it wasn't easy for them, and we knew we would have to play on the counterattack.

"We scored a goal, we had another which was not offside, but that's it - we got the three points. They are a good team, they worked hard and will do until the end. We have to carry on and I'm sure they will do too."