|
||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
 Table
2003 - 2004 |
|
| |
|
| Closed
Season 1999 |
|
| Closed
Season 1999 |
|
| Season
1999 - 2000 |
Closed
Season 2000 |
| Season
2000 - 2001 |
Closed
Season 2001 |
| Season
2001 - 2002 |
|
Huddersfield Town 2-2 Cambridge United
Hopes and Fears by Martin Sykes
On a damp island floating off the mainland of Europe, the appearance of the sun is generally treated with a mixture of awe and surprise - for sunny days to merge in to a week long heatwave of Mediterranean proportions, a genuinely surreal atmosphere pervades the country. As a simile for the travails of Huddersfield Town, the brilliant light of the hottest day enjoyed by the Town in, probably (I ain't Michael bloody Fish!), centuries, could not have been more appropriate. Talk about tunnels!
A staggering 10,300 turned out for the rebirth of the
football team, and while the initial enthusiasm is almost certain
to fade with the weather, the uncertainties, worries and fears of
a quite dreadful 6 months were swept away by the superb atmosphere
of a crowd willing for Town to survive and be a success, on the
right terms.
In Peter Jackson and Terry Yorath, Town fans know that their emotional
investment will have a decent run for their money - which is not
to say that the duo will be impervious to criticism - and the goodwill
was palpable.
In truth, they witnessed a very patchy, undoubtedly nervous, performance from the team, but with enough encouraging signs to believe that the future with the new Huddersfield Town will be built on genuine effort and desire, rather than the so called skills of transient talent.
Despite an encouraging pre-season, results have been
ground out with determined performances, it is beyond the best of
managers to create an instantly successful team in a matter of weeks
- to create one with a massive appetite for the task, even when
second best to more settled teams, takes an exceptional motivator.
If anything, Jackson's natural ebullience and redoubtable charisma
may have mitigated against the players yesterday - most of us know
what the first day at work feels like - and it was almost impossible
for them to live up to the excitement tumbling down from the stands.
If the burden of expectation could be dismissed as an excuse, Town
were largely lacking in the first half - only Booty could take much
credit in an often troubled back four, the energy of Carrs and Fowler
belied a fundamental lack of fluidity, not helped by Thompson and
Schofield eschewing width in favour of full back support (particularly
for the constantly beleaguered Edwards).
Cambridge exploited the disjointed, unfamiliar home
team and in Kitson they possessed the one quality player on show.
Not only was he dangerous in the air, which was not altogether surprising
with his height, he was also excellent with the ball at his feet
and his hold up play encouraged his team mates to feed off him ,
running in to good spaces to cause Town's back four to look stretched
on many occasions.
Dominating possession, the visitors reduced Town in to a harrying
mode - a task they stuck too most of the time, but at the expense
of being able to control any part of the game for the first 25 minutes.
The pressure applied on the home side - particularly
for an increasingly uncomfortable Edwards - finally paid off when
Town's new captain gave away a free kick (it seemed a little harsh,
but was the type of decision that is given against a team straining
to contain opponents) which was whipped in to the box for Chillingworth
to glance past Gray and silence the home support.
It was no less than the visitors deserved, and the foreboding that
the game would be a dreadful anti climax increased not long after
when a free header at the back post was spurned by Cambridge - by
this point, Town had been reduced to a horribly ineffective long
ball game and a second goal against would have given them far too
much to do.
From nowhere, however, Town produced the move of the
match for an unlikely equaliser. Carrs played the ball to the feet
of the largely anonymous Newby, who deftly played the ball in to
Stead's path. The fast maturing youngster - somewhat surprisingly
chosen ahead of Booth (who may have been sidelined because of the
blistering heat) - swept the ball in to the far corner with a confident
strike.
The equaliser may have been undeserved, but Town settled a little
after levelling and the contest started to even up, though no further
clear cut chances were created.
By half time, Town could dispel any thoughts that they
would be able to roll over 3rd Division opponents - granted, Cambridge
proved to be a much better side than expected, and certainly coped
better in the difficult heat, but it is to be hoped that under estimating
the ability of teams at this level is a lesson now learned.
The first half had, at least, illustrated the resilience the Jackson/Yorath
partnership can instil in their teams - despite being second best,
Town managed to maintain their workrate to keep themselves in the
game and any disappointment among the home fans at the quality of
the display was tempered by an acknowledgement that the team had
not wilted under pressure.
The second half proved a little more promising. While
the visitors remained the more composed outfit, Town's tendency
toward the hoof upfield was reduced and the energetic Carrs was
able to exert more influence, Schofield played a larger role and
some shape started to emerge.
By the hour, Town had taken the lead, when Stead capitalised on
a fortunate break in a tackle to exploit some space and fire in
from just outside the box - his goal scoring record including friendlies
is starting to look very promising for a lad noted for his profligacy
last season.
When Thorrington replaced the rather bemused Thompson (he isn't
being done any favours being stuck out on the right), Town enjoyed
their best spell of the game, with Stead being denied his hat trick
by a (correct) offside flag. The same player also connected with
a deep Thorrington cross, only to see his header sail inches wide.
Even during their best period, however, defensive frailties
were never far away and Cambridge continued to cause problems for
Hughes and, to a lesser extent, Yates in the heart of the home defence.
Although lack of height was the most obvious deficiency, lack of
understanding was the most worrying - only Booty of the back four
seemed capable of covering his colleagues, but it is a failing that,
it is to be hoped, will disappear with familiarity or, more likely,
a change of personnel.
The new goalkeeper didn't help, either. Despite some good saves
and handling, he never commanded his area as crosses came in when
he could have been a big help to his centre halves.
As the clocked ticked down, Town's grip on the three
points became increasingly tenuous. Tired legs didn't seem able
to retain possession and a free kick was given away cheaply to provide
the visitors with another chance to apply pressure.
The delivery was excellent and virtually undefendable - Kitson climbed
above the Town defence to give his side a deserved point and it
was fitting that the best player on show was rewarded with a goal.
It was with some relief that the Cambridge manager substituted him
soon afterwards as the 4 additional minutes for injury time were
only going to see one winner and Town were dead on their feet by
then.
In as much as there is a clear team spirit along with pockets of latent talent, pre season optimism for Town is not misplaced, but the rigours of genuine competition exposed inevitable fault lines in a team assembled in a few short weeks against a background of considerable uncertainty. It should be said, however, that last year's squad would have lost this game, and the feeling remains that, with time, Jackson will produce a team to challenge at the right end of the Division come Spring.
Gray - some good saves and effective
sweeping, but needs to command his area more. Kicking was poor at
times
Booty - most assured of a creaky back four
Hughes - the weaker of the two centre backs
Yates - not particularly distinguished but would
be OK with a stronger partner
Edwards - worrying. An error strewn first half
cannot be totally ignored by a better second half performance
Thompson - lost between a wide role and defensive
duties. Still unsure exactly what his role will be
Carrs - bypassed in the first half, he played well
in the second
Fowler - a little off the pace and will need some
games to make up for an inactive close season
Schofield - only glimpses of his ability
Stead - two good goals and growing in maturity
Newby - largely anonymous but never released in
to scoring opportunities
Thorrington (for Thompson) - vaguely promising
Worthington (for Fowler) - only on a short time
Man Of The Match - Stead
|
|
|
|
|
|