Huddersfield Town 1-0 Southend United

Huddersfield Town story posted by Sean Makin on 10/04/2004
Pawel Abbott?s fifth goal in eight games since joining the Terriers proved crucial to Town with a tense 1-0 win over LDV Vans Trophy finalists Southend United.Huddersfield Town 1-0 Southend United
Town named an unchanged side that held Leyton Orient the week before to a 1-1 in which game both Abbott and Booth was sent off.
All round hard graft by Town held out Southend at the McAlpine to take all 3 points in the push towards promotion.
The decisive goal came from an acrobatic overhead kick by Town?s number 9 Pawel Abbott for which Booth earned much of the credit. Jackson?s capture from Preston North End notched his fifth goal in 8 games on the half hour mark to break a strong Southend side who had been unbeaten in there last eight league games which has took them to a mid-table safety.

Booth did well for the flick on which created Abbott?s goal. Holdsworth?s throwing found the head of Booth on the edge of the area, And with a man climbing all over him managed to flick the ball down for Abbott to smartly overhead kick which found the keepers right hand bottom corner which left Southend?s keeper Flanavan rooted to the spot.
Southend were dangerous at set pieces. There first free kick came half way through the first half. Efe Sodje who had been battling with Southend Striker Broughton throughout the match brought him down on the edge of the area. Nicolau took the free kick but he should have been playing for the Giants as it flew miles over the bar and nearly into the Panasonic Upper tier. But the referee made Southend re-take it as he said that the Town wall had crept forward the time Gower stepped up and curled it over wall quite well I thought but luckily Rachubka made an easy catch.

But it was the set-piece on 58 minutes almost brought the Shrimpers a leveller after Mirfin upended Carl Pettefer (who is good on the new championship manager if anyone out there plays it) on the edge of the box which resulted in Mirfin been booked and Pettefer been carried off on a stretcher. Mark Bently took the free kick quickly before Town could set up a wall, where I was sat it looked to me it was heading for the top corner but it smashed against the crossbar which shook the whole goal frame and out for safety.
It was a rare slack few moments by the Town defence of big Dave Mirfin, Steve Yates and Efe Sodje as Town had only conceded a few goals since Boxing Day win away at Darlington. Thought Southend playing 4-4-2 and with a physical, strong side disrupted and frustrated Town?s passing game. Southend forced Town?s on loan keeper to make a couple of saves to spare Town?s blushes, a first half free kick from Gower and a second effort by Carl Pettefer turned round the post.

Sodje had a good game and with battling Southend striker Broughton in which one incident after a tackle Sodje would not shake Broughton?s had in apology denied him to put Southend all square when Gower drilled in a low cross at the far post, Broughton?s shot had beaten Rachubka only to see Sodje hammer the ball away from danger. Not that there were many clear-cut and creative chances carved out by Town in a game where flowing football was at a premium, despite loss of possession specially in a scrappy and dull second half by Town but Jon Worthington was once again driving the midfield and in my eyes is the player of the season for Town with Nathan Clarke not far behind.

But the best chance for Town in a dull second half fell to the feet of Town?s Favourite son Andy Booth, A good cross from Holdsworth on the right hand side fell to the feet on Booth who controlled it well on the half volley to snatch at it which brought a good block out of Southend keeper Flahavan .

After a disappointing result down at Kidderminster Harriers on Easter Monday Town need to bounce back in what to me is a revenge clash at the McAlpine against Scunthorpe United on Saturday. A game that I was there last November in a 6-2 defeat in which Kevin Sharp and Peter Beagrie will not doubt receive abuse from me and my mates who was there to see both winding up Town fans at Scunthorpe.
Town will be without Booth and Abbott which hopefully Schofield and Young McAliskey can take off I think we will win 3-2 to keep the automatic promotion a step further as Torquay, Lincoln and Mansfield ready to pounce if we slip up. Sorry for the late report


Sean?s Man Of The Match: Jon Worthington

Huddersfield: Rachubka, Yates, Sodje, Mirfin, Lloyd, Schofield, Worthington, Carss, Holdsworth, Booth, Abbott. Subs: McAliskey, Scott, Senior, Harkins, Edwards.
Southend: Flahavan, Nicolau, Warren, Cort, Jupp, Pettefer, Hunt, Bentley, Gower, Broughton, Constantine. Subs: Emberson, Stuart, Bramble, Jenkins, Wilson.
Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear)

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