"By an absolute mile" - Huddersfield Town boss Michael Duff makes clear Herbie Kane claim | OneFootball

Huddersfield Town head coach Michael Duff has praised midfielder Herbie Kane for his recent improved performances.

Head coach Michael Duff believes that Huddersfield Town supporters are now starting to see the best of midfielder Herbie Kane.

Kane joined Huddersfield on a free transfer in the summer following his departure from Barnsley, with the Terriers beating Championship side Derby County to his signature.

The 25-year-old established a reputation as one of the best players in League One during his time with the Tykes, so his signing looked to be a coup for Town, and given that he had worked with Duff previously at Oakwell, there was plenty of hope that he would shine at the John Smith's Stadium.

Kane endured a tough start to his Huddersfield career, and he made just four league appearances in an injury-disrupted opening two months of the season, but he has forced his way into the starting line-up in recent weeks.

The midfielder has started the Terriers' last five league games, and he has scored one goal and provided two assists in his last three appearances, with his form contributing to a six-game unbeaten run for Duff's side that has seen them move into the play-off places.

Michael Duff issues Herbie Kane praise after Charlton Athletic display

It was another successful afternoon for Huddersfield on Saturday as they secured a 2-1 home win over Charlton Athletic, and it was their sixth consecutive victory on their own patch in all competitions.

The Terriers took the lead in the 13th minute when Matty Pearson headed home, but the Addicks responded well, and they equalised in the 32nd minute through Matt Godden's penalty.

However, Charlton were reduced to 10 men just four minutes later when captain Greg Docherty was sent off for a foul on Nigel Lonwijk, and Town made their numerical advantage count when David Kasumu fired home in the 63rd minute, with Kane providing the assist.

After contributing to a goal for the third time in three games, Duff singled Kane out for praise in his post-match interview, and he believes that the midfielder is now starting to show what he is capable of in a Terriers shirt.

"I thought Herbie Kane was the best player on the pitch by an absolute mile and I think he has started to show that in the past month," Duff told The Yorkshire Post.

"He’s showing that it’s Herbie Kane we’ve actually signed and not his twin brother!"

It seems that Kane is equally happy with the improvement that he and his team-mates have made in recent weeks, with the ex-Liverpool man highlighting the change in mentality within the squad after the win over Charlton.

"Any game really in this league is important to get three points and win. Every game’s tough, but we can only beat what’s in front of us, and I think it’s six games unbeaten now, so we need to keep that momentum going, and see where it takes us," Kane told HTTV, quoted by Yorkshire Live.

"I think mentality’s massive. We’ve been working on that throughout the season, and I think if you look at the last few performances, we’ve dug in. Maybe previously we might’ve [gone] a goal down or we lost the game, but you can see now that our mentality’s getting stronger, and we’re able to see games out or come from behind."

Huddersfield are back in action when they make the trip to face struggling Leyton Orient at the Gaughan Group Stadium on Tuesday night, and they head into the game sitting fifth in the table, five points behind second-placed Wrexham.

Herbie Kane will be crucial to Huddersfield Town's promotion prospects

It may have been a difficult start for Kane at Huddersfield, but there has never been any doubt that he is a quality performer at League One level, and he is now starting to show that for the Terriers.

Kane scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 47 games for Barnsley last season as they reached the play-offs, and while he has found the back of the net just once so far this campaign, he is on course to significantly better his assist total from last term.

It is no coincidence that Town's form has improved since Kane's return to fitness, and with momentum starting to build at the John Smith's Stadium, Duff will be hoping that his side can continue to close the gap on the automatic promotion places.