A much improved performance from Harriers was not enough to save them from their fourth defeat in a row and
extend their winless run to nine games on their first ever visit to Huddersfield's McAlpine Stadium.
After the debacle at Hull on Saturday, Harriers reverted to the more tried and tested 3-5-2 formation, although
with thesubtle tweak of moving one of the midfielders, Graham Ward, into a more attacking position between
the midfield and strikers. After an encouraging start in which Harriers spent the first two minutes of
the game inside the Town half, Huddersfield had their first sniff of goal. A long ball over the middle
of the Harriers defence allowed the dangerous Jon Stead a run on goal and after holding off the challenge of
Scott Stamps fired his shot over the bar. With Harriers on the run that they are on with everything going
against them it wa almost inevitable that they should fall behind to a scrappy goal, after eleven minutes
Danny Schofield found himself in the Harriers penalty area and hit a shot that was blocked but the ball rebounded
to him and he was able to play it across the goalmouth to Stead who was waiting to pounce at the far post to
turn the ball home.
Huddersfield's direct approach, although not being traditional long-ball hit and hope, caused Harriers a few
problems throughout the first half, on 19 minutes another long ball had Stuart Brock rushing from his goal
to head clear from the onrushing Stead and nine minutes later Schofield found space on the left to cross into
the danger area for Andy Booth who headecd straight at Brock. Harriers best chance of the half came two
minutes later, Bo Henriksen attacked on the right leaving David Mirfin for dead as he broke into the penalty
area but when he pulled the ball back to John Williams his strike partner completely missed his kick and the
ball was cleared to safety.
Another long ball was flicked on by Stead into the path of Schofield ten minutes before the break but his
shot was not the strongest and Brock was able to save it low to his left. Harriers were passing the
ball around quite well and Ward was getting into the game more in his advanced role and three minutes before
the interval another good move almost opened up the home defence. Passes were exchanged between Ward
Rob Betts and Sam Shilton with the latters' cross from the left finding John Williams who knocked it back
into the path of Dean Bennett who shot wide.
In the first fifteen minutes of the second half Harriers had their best spell and began to play with some
confidence, a quality that has been lacking in recent matches, and it seemed that it was only a matter of time
before they would be able to level the scores. Before that, however, Booth had wasted another chance
after The Terriers opened up the Harriers defence with good passing but he shot over. After 51 minutes
Betts won the ball in midfield and found Ward who fed the ball out to Bennett on the right but his whipped
in cross was too close to Ian Gray in the home goal. Five minutes later Henriksen broke away on the
left and cut into the penalty area but, with three men unmarked at the far post, took the shot himself and
Gray was able to save at the foot of the near post.
With Harriers on top the last thing they needed was to fall further behind and this nearly happened on the
hour when Holdsworth's cross from the right found Stead unmarked at the far post but fortunately for Harriers
his effort was ruled out for offside. Within a minute Harriers had their best chance of the game when
Scott Stamps' free kick from the right wing beat everyone and got to Danny Williams at the far post but he
met it too well and his downward header bounced in front of goal and the nup and over the crossbar.
Huddersfield weathered this Harriers storm and began to get back into the game themselves. After 72
minutes a pass from Schofield was deflected to Booth but his shot was well saved by Brock to concede a corner
and from the corner itself Booth rose well to head goalwards but Brock again foiled him tipping the header
over the bar. Harriers' last chance came eight minutes from the end when Stamps' cross from the left
found Shilton at the far post but he had to stretch to reach it and headed tamely wide.
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