Report: Oldham 0-1 Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town story posted by Sean Makin on 02/11/2009
A solid Town display and a cracker of a free-kick from left back Robbie Williams ensured the Town took all three points back to West Yorkshire and moved the Terriers back into the play-offs in League One.Report: Oldham 0-1 Huddersfield Town
On a wet and windy Sunday afternoon at Boundary Park, Williams notched his first goal on the season after Ruben Hazell fouled Jordan Rhodes, while Oldham didn't really cause Town too many problems, Town stopper Alex Smithies was alert when former Town favourite Pawel Abbott broke through.

Manager Lee Clark stuck with the same team that thrashed Leyton Orient 4-0 at the Galpharm the previous Saturday. A good positive for Lee Clark and Town fans was that Tom Clarke is back from injury and was on the bench.

Early on former Town striker Keigan Parker, who was booed throughout the game by the 3900 Town fans that made the short journey, forced Alex Smithies to scuff a clearance straight at Danny Whitaker, but his first time attempt was cut out by Town skipper Peter Clarke.

Anthony Kay then forced Latics keeper Dean Brill to scramble across his goal with a sweetly struck 35-yard strike that fizzled past the post with just 10 minutes gone on the clock.

Town should have had a penalty when Gary Roberts broke into the area and as he tried to flick the ball over Sean Gregan it appeared to have struck the Oldham captain on the arm.

Gregan and his defensive partner, Ruben Hazell, did there best to put off Town's striker Jordon Rhodes and Lee Novak, which went unnoticed by referee Trever Kettle, who gave some bizarre decisions all game.

Rhodes nearly came to getting his 13th goal of the season, beating his marker to head the ball against the bar from an Anthony Pilkington free kick.

It was on the hour mark when the Terriers took the lead, Town had put Oldham on the back foot after the break, Robbie Williams lashed in a superb free-kick that Latics keeper Brill didn't even see after Hazell was booked for a foul on Rhodes.

Rhodes then struck wide, Michael Collins sent a 25-yard volley over after a good build up from Roberts and Novak.

Alex Smithies probably has put another £1million on his price tag when Williams misjudged the flight of the ball letting in Pawel Abbott bursting into the area but Abbott's fierce shot was smartly tipped away by Smithies and cleared by Lee Peltier.

Rhodes had another chance to score but glanced his header just wide from 15 yards from another Williams free-kick.

Town deserved to win after producing a solid display away from home and keeping a clean sheet. Town's away form has been a thorn in their side but hopefully after this victory at Oldham's expense hopefully now Town can stop those away days nerves and beginning picking up more points away from home to push us up the table.

Sean's Star Man - Peter Clarke
The Town skipper swept up everything Oldham threw at us, got in some important blocks and kept former Town strikers Abbott and Parker quiet. Never put a foot wrong throughout the 90 minutes.
It was a tough call as Lee Peltier had a good game and is in impressice form at the moment, his positioning was excellent and got in some vital blocks on Parker.

Teams:

Oldham: Brill, Holdsworth, Hazell, Gregan, Sheehan, Smalley, Whittaker, Furman, Colbeck (Blackman 66), Parker (Lee 66), Abbott.
Subs not used: Jacobsen, Black, Brooke, Ollerenshaw, Rowney

Town: Smithies, Peltier, P. Clarke, N. Clarke, Williams, Roberts, Collins, Kay, Pilkington (Ainsworth 85), Novak (Robinson 76), Rhodes.
Subs not used: Glennon, T. Clarke, Butler, Berrett, Drinkwater

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