Colchester United 1 - 1 Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town story posted by Neil Armstead on 25/09/2005
Town came away from Essex today with a hard earned point in a game which, although dull at times, probably warranted a final score more in the region of 3-3 than 1-1. Both goals came in the second half after a first half to forget, George Elokobi put the home side ahead almost instantly from the restart, but after he had been introduced in the place of the ineffective Abbott, Gary Taylor-Fletcher saved what could be a valuable point on a pitch which is one of the smallest in the football league and very hard to play on. Andy Booth was unlucky not to get his name onto the score sheet, hitting the bar twice.
Town started with two changes to the side that lost at Blackburn in midweek, Tom Clarke returning from suspension in place of John McCombe, and Chris Brandon favoured to Junior Mendes on the right wing. Mendes did not even feature on the bench.
It was Colchester who threw caution to the wind first. After 8 minutes Mark yeates raced away into a one-on-one situation with Paul Rachubka, who made the first of a string of great saves he would make throughout the match. The resulting corner was cleared. Two minutes later, Andy Booth won a freekick which was taken by Danny Adams. Abbott was unlucky to head just over the bar.
Again, it was Mark Yeates who threatened, proving to be Colchester's dangerman. His snapshot was saved at the second attempt by Rachubka. Town wasted no time in getting the ball away from their own goal, and an excellent passing move resulted in Andy Holdsworth crossing for Booth who headed wide. The Terriers were beginning to show what they are capable of. Unfortunately, Chris Iwelumo had other ideas. The striker found himself one-on-one with Rachubka after collecting a long Davison goal kick, but again, Rabs was equal to the challenge, parrying Iwelumo's shot. Unfortunately, the parry fell to the feet of Gareth Williams, who curled a shot onto the post from 18 yards before Rachubka had recovered from his previous save.
Again, Colchester threatened with a neat one-two between Iwelumo and Williams, who should have scored but placed his effort wide. Town responded by crafting a chance for impressive midfielder Tony Carss, who headed over from 12 yards from a Holdsworth cross. On 32 minutes, Town put together some of the best football so far in the game, the build up of 12 passes finding Andy Holdsworth on the wing, who's cross met the head of Andy Booth. Again, the effort flew over the bar. It was Booth who threatened again just a minute later from an identical situation. This time his header was more accurate, but to the despair of the estimated 1000 who travelled down from Yorkshire, Booth's header clipped the top of the crossbar.
The last real action of the half came with a Town penalty claim, after Schofield had been blatantly felled in the area. The referee waved away the protests.
Half Time
Colchester United 0 - 0 Huddersfield Town
Not exactly a dull first galf, but not exactly exciting either. At moments Town looked the better side, putting together flowing and creative moves. At other times, they really looked like they were still feeling the effects of the Blackburn match. A pair of fresh legs was needed.
That pair of fresh legs didn't come, and with only four minutes of second half football played, teenage defender George Elokobi rocked the Terriers as he latched onto a flicked header and buried the ball in the back of Town's net. It gave Colchester the momentum, and in the next five minutes they created clear cut chances for Iwelumo and Williams, the latter of which Rachubka had to pull off another good save to deny.
Colchester were running the game, orchestrated by influential midfielder Kemal Izzet. Something had to be changed, and changed it was, with Jacko making a brave substitution. Gary Taylor-Fletcher was introduced in place of Pawel Abbott. It had the desired effect almost immediately, when, from Tom Clarke's excellent defending and clearance, Tony Carss collected and played a neat through ball towards Taylor-Fletcher, who rounded the keeper and finished from the tightest of angles despite the attempts of defenders to clear off the line.
With the result back in the balance, both teams took on a more positive mindset and the game became end to end, despite no real chances being created. On 78 minutes, a corner taken by Schofield found the head of Andy Booth, who's bullet header only found the bar. It rebounded to Schofield who saw his shot blocked by a U's defender. A minuter later Town did have the ball in the net but Chris Brandon was adjudged to have been offside. The next few minutes were all Town, with chances created for Schofield and another Booth header, but it was Town who would find their backs against the wall in the closing moments.
After Iwelumo had flicked on, it was left for Paul Rachubka to make a fantastic reaction save from Gareth Williams at the back post.
Full Time
Colchester United 1 - 1 Huddersfield Town
A decent performance by Town given the fatigue many players will have been feeling from midweek, Town were unlucky not to come away with all three points but in the end owe the point that they did earn to the saves of Paul Rachubka, who gets my man of the match.
Colchester United
A Davison, J White (73 S Stockley) , L Chilvers, G Richards (87 P Baldwin) , G Elokobi, G Halford, K Watson, K Izzet, M Yeates (81 R Garcia) , G Williams, C Iwelumo
Subs: P Baldwin, D Gerken, J Guy, S Stockley, R Garcia
Huddersfield Town
P Rachubka, A Holdsworth, N Clarke, T Clarke, D Adams, C Brandon, T Carss, J Worthington, D Schofield, P Abbott (57 G Taylor-Fletcher) , A Booth
Subs: M Hudson, G Taylor-Fletcher, J McCombe, P Senior, M Collins
Ref: M Russell
Att: 3415

Town started with two changes to the side that lost at Blackburn in midweek, Tom Clarke returning from suspension in place of John McCombe, and Chris Brandon favoured to Junior Mendes on the right wing. Mendes did not even feature on the bench.
It was Colchester who threw caution to the wind first. After 8 minutes Mark yeates raced away into a one-on-one situation with Paul Rachubka, who made the first of a string of great saves he would make throughout the match. The resulting corner was cleared. Two minutes later, Andy Booth won a freekick which was taken by Danny Adams. Abbott was unlucky to head just over the bar.
Again, it was Mark Yeates who threatened, proving to be Colchester's dangerman. His snapshot was saved at the second attempt by Rachubka. Town wasted no time in getting the ball away from their own goal, and an excellent passing move resulted in Andy Holdsworth crossing for Booth who headed wide. The Terriers were beginning to show what they are capable of. Unfortunately, Chris Iwelumo had other ideas. The striker found himself one-on-one with Rachubka after collecting a long Davison goal kick, but again, Rabs was equal to the challenge, parrying Iwelumo's shot. Unfortunately, the parry fell to the feet of Gareth Williams, who curled a shot onto the post from 18 yards before Rachubka had recovered from his previous save.
Again, Colchester threatened with a neat one-two between Iwelumo and Williams, who should have scored but placed his effort wide. Town responded by crafting a chance for impressive midfielder Tony Carss, who headed over from 12 yards from a Holdsworth cross. On 32 minutes, Town put together some of the best football so far in the game, the build up of 12 passes finding Andy Holdsworth on the wing, who's cross met the head of Andy Booth. Again, the effort flew over the bar. It was Booth who threatened again just a minute later from an identical situation. This time his header was more accurate, but to the despair of the estimated 1000 who travelled down from Yorkshire, Booth's header clipped the top of the crossbar.
The last real action of the half came with a Town penalty claim, after Schofield had been blatantly felled in the area. The referee waved away the protests.
Half Time
Colchester United 0 - 0 Huddersfield Town
Not exactly a dull first galf, but not exactly exciting either. At moments Town looked the better side, putting together flowing and creative moves. At other times, they really looked like they were still feeling the effects of the Blackburn match. A pair of fresh legs was needed.
That pair of fresh legs didn't come, and with only four minutes of second half football played, teenage defender George Elokobi rocked the Terriers as he latched onto a flicked header and buried the ball in the back of Town's net. It gave Colchester the momentum, and in the next five minutes they created clear cut chances for Iwelumo and Williams, the latter of which Rachubka had to pull off another good save to deny.
Colchester were running the game, orchestrated by influential midfielder Kemal Izzet. Something had to be changed, and changed it was, with Jacko making a brave substitution. Gary Taylor-Fletcher was introduced in place of Pawel Abbott. It had the desired effect almost immediately, when, from Tom Clarke's excellent defending and clearance, Tony Carss collected and played a neat through ball towards Taylor-Fletcher, who rounded the keeper and finished from the tightest of angles despite the attempts of defenders to clear off the line.
With the result back in the balance, both teams took on a more positive mindset and the game became end to end, despite no real chances being created. On 78 minutes, a corner taken by Schofield found the head of Andy Booth, who's bullet header only found the bar. It rebounded to Schofield who saw his shot blocked by a U's defender. A minuter later Town did have the ball in the net but Chris Brandon was adjudged to have been offside. The next few minutes were all Town, with chances created for Schofield and another Booth header, but it was Town who would find their backs against the wall in the closing moments.
After Iwelumo had flicked on, it was left for Paul Rachubka to make a fantastic reaction save from Gareth Williams at the back post.
Full Time
Colchester United 1 - 1 Huddersfield Town
A decent performance by Town given the fatigue many players will have been feeling from midweek, Town were unlucky not to come away with all three points but in the end owe the point that they did earn to the saves of Paul Rachubka, who gets my man of the match.
Colchester United
A Davison, J White (73 S Stockley) , L Chilvers, G Richards (87 P Baldwin) , G Elokobi, G Halford, K Watson, K Izzet, M Yeates (81 R Garcia) , G Williams, C Iwelumo
Subs: P Baldwin, D Gerken, J Guy, S Stockley, R Garcia
Huddersfield Town
P Rachubka, A Holdsworth, N Clarke, T Clarke, D Adams, C Brandon, T Carss, J Worthington, D Schofield, P Abbott (57 G Taylor-Fletcher) , A Booth
Subs: M Hudson, G Taylor-Fletcher, J McCombe, P Senior, M Collins
Ref: M Russell
Att: 3415
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