Nationwide League Division Three
Season 2003-2004

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Final League Table, Season 2003/2004

P = Promoted
PO = Play-Offs
R = Relegate

May 2004

May 19th
Nationwide League - Division Three Play-Offs
Final
Huddersfield Town 0 - 0 Mansfield Town (a.e.t.)
Huddersfield Town won 4-1 on penalty kicks.
This was a hard fought game at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in front of 37,000+ spectators, the majority of which were Terriers fans, with both sides having chances to score the winning goal.
However 120 minutes of open play found the teams undivided and the match was decided on penalty kicks. While the Huddersfield penalty takers (Edwards, Schofield, Carss and Fowler) made no mistakes Corden and Lawrence missed the first Mansfield kicks giving Huddersfield the victory.

May 19th
Nationwide League - Division Three Play-Offs
Semi Final, Second Leg
Huddersfield Town 2 - 2 Lincoln City
Huddersfield Town booked their place in the play-off finals at the Milennium Stadium in Cardiff thanks to a late goal from Rob Edwards.

Lincoln were the stronger of the two sides in the first half and took the lead in the 38th minute through Butcher. One minute later Mark Bailey found himself through on the Huddersfield goal and buried the ball in the home team's net. At this stage it looked as if Lincoln were going to win the game.

After the break Town took the game to Lincoln and the pressure paid off when McCombe felled Andy Booth in the box and Danny Schofield made no mistake with the resultant penalty.
The game looked as if it was going to extra time when Rob Edwards picked the ball up on the edge of the Lincoln penalty area in the 83rd minute and fired home to give the Terriers an aggregate 4 - 3 win.

May 15th
Nationwide League - Division Three Play-Offs
Semi Final First Leg
Lincoln City 1 - 2 Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield took the lead in the 5th minute when Iffy Onuora glanced home a Rob Edwards corner.
Lincoln equalised in the 51st minute through Gary Fletcher and this spurred the home side to increase thhe pressure on the Terriers goal but it was the visitors who regained the lead in the 72nd minute when right-back Mirfin latched on to a parried save and smashed the ball home.

May 8th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Cheltenham Town 1 - 1 Huddersfield Town
With this draw and the fact that Torquay United won their last game of the season Huddersfield had to settle for a place in the Dision Three play-offs rather than securing automatic promotion.

The Terriers had to fight hard against a lively Cheltenham although they took the lead in the 16th minute when Andy Booth latched on to a Pawel Abbott pass and fired into the home side's net - this being Booth's 100th goal in Towns colours.

After the break The Robins had Damien Spencer sent off for a second bookable offence. However, in the 75th minute Abbott tried to pass the ball back to keeper Paul Rachubka but had it intercepted by Odejayi who passed to Shane Duff for him to level the scores.

May 1st
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 1 - 3 Mansfield Town
The Terriers had only themselves to blame after missing out on the opportunity to gain automatic promotion. This means that Huddersfield's season now rests on their final game away to Cheltenham.

Town took the lead when McAliskey fired home an Andy Booth knock downin the 14th minute. Then the Terriers defence went to sleep for the rest of the game allowing Mansfield to notch up three goals in the rest of the game.
Day scored with his head in the 20th minute from a corner to level the match then Junior Mendes blasted the ball home from the edge of the Terriers area after Dave Mirfin lost possession. Finally Liam Lawrence ran through a static Huddersfield defence to notch up Mansfield's third in the 78th minute.

April 2004

April 24th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Hull City 0 - 0 Huddersfield Town
This clash of third and second in the table produced plenty of thrills and spills but no goals.
The home side had the edge throughout most of the game but some good defending and a couple of excellent saves from Rachubka kept the scores level.

April 20th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Northampton Town 0 - 1 Huddersfield Town
No report available

April 17th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 3 - 0 Scunthorpe United
In this incident-packed game Huddersfield emerged as victors with two last gasp goals from John McAliskey.

The Terriers took the lead as early as the 5th minute when Danny Schofield's free kick was converted by David Mirfin at the back post. Town held the leadfor a grand total of 3 minutes before Efe Sodje headed the ball into his own net from a Scunthorpe corner.
To add insult to injury Scunthorpe were awarded a penalty after Sodje was deemed to have pushed a visiting attacker in the Town penalty area in the 42nd minute which was saved by Rachubka but MacLean fired home the rebound.

After the break both sides continued to battle away but Huddersfield were put on the back foot when Sodje picked up his second booking of the game and was sent off in the 67th minute.
However the home team fought to maintain pressure on the Scunthorpe goal and their efforts paid off when McAliskey scored two headed goals in the 87th and 90th minutes to seal the points for the Terriers. Unfortunately Schofield picked up his second yellow card and was sent off for over-celebrating the winning goal.

April 12th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Kidderminster Harriers 2 - 1 Huddersfield Town
Lowly Kidderminster desrevedly took all three points from this encounter despite having a man sent off in the 34th minute.
Wayne Hatswell gave the home team the lead in the 30th minute when he powerfully headed home a corner. Four minutes later the Harriers were reduced to 10 men when Ian Foster took a swing at Town defender Efe Sodje.
Town were unlucky when Andy Booth rattled the crossbar with a header in the dying stages of the first half.

After the break Kidderminster went further ahead when Anthony Lloyd chested the ball past his own keeper in the 54th minute. Town did manage to pull a goal back six minutes from the end. This time it was another fortuitous own goal when Abdou Sall headed a Harkins cross into his own net.

April 10th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 1 - 0 Southend United
Town shaded the first half of this game against Southend and went into the break one goal to the better thanks to a 30th minute piece of athleticism from Pawel Abbot. The Polish international latched on to an Andy Booth flick-on and buried the ball into the Southend net with an overhead kick.

After the break Southend showed more promise than Town and were unlucky not to equalise when Mark Bentley's free kick hit the woodwork and bounced clear of the Terriers goal.

April 3rd
Nationwide League - Division Three
Leyton Orient 1 - 1 Huddersfield Town
No report available

March 2004

March 27th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 3 - 0 Swansea City
Town waited until the second half of this entertaining game before they buried Swansea thanks to a brace of goals from Danny Schofield and a very late strike from Anthony Lloyd.

Huddersfield dominated the first half although the score sheet remained blank due to some near misses from their strikers. Indeed it wasn't until the 24th minute before Swansea came close to threatening the Terriers goal and then they spurned the chance by firing wide.

After the break Town took the lead in the 51st minute when Danny Schofiel latched on to an Andy Booth header to fire the ball past Freestone in the Swansea goal.
The Terriers then had to wait until the 85th minute before they struck again when Schofield took the ball round the Swansea keeper and cooly slotted the ball into the net.
Finally Anthony Lloyd scored Town's third in the 89th minute with a sweet shot that sailed gracefully into the Swansea goal.

March 26th
Huddersfield Town have signed 19-year-old midfielder Gary Harkins from Premiership club Blackburn Rovers on a month's loan. They have also signed 36-year-old striker Iffy Onuora until the end of the season.
In contrast Jon Newby has left the club to go to York City on loan for a month.

March 16th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 1 - 1 Rochdale
Although Rochdale drew first blood via Bertos in the 39th minute it was Town who had the lion's share of ther play and found an equaliser just after half time when Anthony Lloyd headed home a Holdsworth cross.

For the rest of the second half Town laid seige to the Rochdale goal but were unable to penetrate the visitors defence, thanks to some desperate last-ditch defending and the woodwork being hit, thus failing to take all three points against their lowly opposition.

March 13th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 4 - 0 Macclesfield Town
No report available

February 12th
Huddersfield Town have negotiated the purchase of Pawel Abbott from Preston North End. The striker has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract and, although the amount has not been released by either club, was suggested to have cost the club a "significant six-figure sum".

March 9th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Carlisle United 1 - 0 Huddersfield Town
Town were undone by the bottom of the league club Carlisle United in this frantic game at Brunton Park.
Town had at least two good chances to score but both of them, falling to Andy Booth, were admirable saved by in form keeper Matt Glennon.

Then after 72 minutes a cross from Duffield was badly dealt with by Rachubka and Duffield had an easy tap-in. What made the goal even more painful for the Terriers was that Duffield had only just joined Carlisle, from Boston, and ws making his debut.

March 6th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Oxford United 0 - 1 Huddersfield Town
In a physical battle at the new Kassam Stadium HuddersfieldTown emerged as victors over their promotion rivals Oxford United thanks to a 41st minute headed goal from Efe Sodje.

After the break Oxford put on a better show but were denied an equaliser by some fine defending and a good diplay from debutant keeper Paul Rachubka.

March 3rd
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 3 - 1 Yeovil Town
For the second match in succession Huddersfield defeated fellow promotion hopefuls and climbed to the heady heights of fourth in the League table and find themselves only three points away from an automatic promotion place.

The Terriers took the lead in the 40th minute through on loan striker Pawel Abbott who scored his third goal in as many games for Town.
Danny Schofield made it 2-0 when he fired home a Lloyd header. Schofield struck again in the 60th minute when he latched on to an Abbott through ball and beat tthe Yeovil keeper with a neat chip.

February 2004

February 21st
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 2 - 1 Lincoln City
Promotion hopefuls Lincoln City looked as if they were going to give Town a rough ride when they scored in the 19th minute courtesy of Marcus Richardson and they duly held out until the 48th minute when Efe Sodje nodded the ball home to level the scores.

Town went on to score the winning goal thanks to a contreversial goal scored by Pawel Abbott in the 67th minute.
Abbott looked to be offside when a Lincoln defender headed back to keeper Marriott. The keeper controlled the ball with his feet but Abbott managed to dispossess him and fired the ball into the visitor's net. The referee consulted with his linesman and the goal was allowed to stand much to the disgus of the Lincoln players and spectators.

February 17th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Bristol Rovers 1 - 1 Huddersfield Town
The first half belonged to Rovers but thewy couldn't press home their advantage and the game remained scoreless until the 69th minute when Graham Hyde was handed a goal by Town keeper Phil Senior. Hyde's volley looked to be an easily saveable shot but Senior allowed the ball to slip through his fingers to gibe Bristol the lead.

At this stage Town had looked more dangerous in their attacks and they persevered and managed to snatch a goal back in the 86th minute through debutante striker Pawel Abbott who volleyed the ball home from the edge of the area.
Abbott was denied a late winner when Ryan Clarke pulled off a good save

February 14th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Torquay United 0 - 1 Huddersfield Town
Torquay started the day one place above Town in the League but this hard fought victory saw the Terriers leapfrog them to go sixth in the table.

Victory was secured in the 71st minute when Andy Booth headed back across goal from a Tony Carss free kick and Nat Clarke was on hand to nod the ball home from close range.
Torquay did look dangerous throughout the game and could have equalised late on but for excellent saves from Sodje and Senior. Carss was sent off near the end for a second bookable offence.

February 12th
Huddersfield Town announced the signing of 22-year-old striker Pawel Abbott from Preston North End on a month's loan.

February 7th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 0 - 2 Darlington
Huddersfield were beaten by lowly Darlington in a match where the loss of their star striker, Jon Stead, to Blackburn seemed to end the Terriers potency in front of goal.

Darlington took the lead in the first half when Clarke scored from the penalty spot after Sodje was adjudged to have committed a foul in the penalty area after 21 minutes.
The second goal was something of a fluke as Maddisons cross was caught by the strong wind and ended up in the back of the Town net in the 54th minute giving Darlington their first away win of the season.

February 2nd
Huddersfield Town have sold their star striker, Jon Stead, to Premiership club Blackburn Rovers. Stead signed a four-and-a-half- year contract and is said to have cost £1.2 million.

January 2004

January 25th
Nationwide League - Division Three
York City 0 - 2 Huddersfield Town
Town left it till late to notch up their sixth consecutive victory with a goal each from Danny Schofield and David Mirfin. The Terriers have now moved up to fifth in the league table and are close to contesting for a place in the automatic promotion places.

The first half was a fairly even affair although York did have more chances to score than Town but failed to take advantage.

York were the better team in the second half but the Terriers showed grit and determination in defence and eventually took advantage of some poor City defending to take all three points.
It was as late as the 88th minute when City goalkeeper Ovendale spilled a shot from Mirfin and Danny Schofield took advantage by firing the ball home.
Town then made it two a minute later when Mirfin blocked a clearance and poked the ball home for his first goal in Town colours.

January 17th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 2 - 0 Boston United
Huddersfield strengthened their position in the play-off places with this fine win over Boston United at the McAlpine Stadium.

Town were the better side throughout the first half but a determined effort from the Boston defence kept the Terriers from scoring.

After the break Town continued to harass the visitors and in the 71st minute took the lead when Sodje headed home a Steve Yates corner, his first goal for the club.
15 minutes later Tony Lloyd sealed the win when he latched on to a Jon Stead through ball to fire it past the Boston keeper.

January 10th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Cambridge United 1 - 2 Huddersfield Town
Town recorded their fourth consecutive win with a fine display at the Abbey Stadium. The resuling three points saw them climb into sixth place and into a play-off position.

Jon Stead opened the scoring in the 44th minute with a penalty after Andy Duncan handled the ball in his own penalty area.
The Terriers found the net again in the 85th minute when Worthington scored with an overhead kick after being teed up by Stead's header.

Cambridge managed to claw a goal back in the 90th minute but by then it was too little, too late.

January 3rd
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 3 - 1 Doncaster Rovers
Town brought high flying Rovers down to earth with a bump as they comfortably took all three points in this local derby at the McAlpine Stadium.

The Terriers started off well but had to wait until the 42nd minute before they registered their first goal. A Rob Edwards header was flicked on at the near post by Nat Brown and Jonathan Stead popped up and nodded the ball home from close quarters.

After the break Town continued their good work and in the 69th minute Stead registered his second goal of the game when he took on the Rovers defence and fired the ball home.
Three minutes later Doncaster pulled a goal back through Gregg Blundell but Town wrapped the game up when Jonathan Worthington latched on to a forced clearance in the 82nd minute to hit the back of the net.

December 2003

December 28th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 1 - 0 Bury
Although Town were the better team on the day it took an own goal by Bury's Danny Swailes to settle this match. Swailes had the misfortune to head past his own keeper from a Rob Edwards corner in the 31st minute.

December 26th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Darlington 0 - 1 Huddersfield Town
Town recorded only their second away victory of the season so far when they scored the winning goal through Andy Booth in the 28th minute.
Booth latched on to a parry by the Quakers keeper and gleefully buried the ball into the back of the net.
Darlington had their chances to score but either spurned them or had them saved by Senior in the Terriers goal....

December 20th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 1 - 1 Oxford United
Town started the game well but had to wait until the 38th minute before they took the lead through a Jon Stead goal, a deflected shot.
Things looked even more promising for a Town victory when United had Julian Alsop sent off for violent conduct in the 68th minute but, against the run of play, Rawle headed home an equalizer.
Although the Terriers continued to attack the Oxford goal the visitors hung on to take their share of the points.
A disappointment for Town was that they had Lee Fowler sent off in the last minute of the game after he committed a second bookable offence.

December 13th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Macclesfield Town 4 - 0 Huddersfield Town
Town were shot to pieces in this, their first ever visit to the Moss Rose ground.

Tipton opened the scoring for the home side when he blasted home the ball in the 13th minute.
It wasn't until the 64th minute that Macclesfield scored again through John Miles but it wasn't through lack of trying. They totally dominated all areas of the pitch and it was surprising that they didn't score more.

Tipton made it three in the 76th minute when he converted a penalty after Nathan Clarke had been sent off for comitting a professional foul inside the penalty area. Priest completed the scoring in the 88th minute when he headed home a Tipton cross....

November 2003

November 29th
Nationwide League - Division Three
Huddersfield Town 0 - 0 Cheltenham Town
Despite hitting the woodwork twice and having attempts on goal saved on the line Town failed to break down a spirited Cheltenham defence.
This is only the second time that the Terriers have failed to score at the McAlpine this season.