Huddersfield Town 1, Brentford 1

Nov 8 2004 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOWN missed out on a return to the play-off placings but this could prove a valuable point on the learning curve that is Coca-Cola League I.

Uncompromising Brentford, ranked fifth in the form table to Town's 12th, made life very hard and Peter Jackson's willing battlers had to draw on all their strength, character and ability to come from behind for a draw.

A terrific home contingent of 10,500 appreciated Town's efforts as much as they bemoaned those of referee Carl Boyeson, who missed some flailing elbows and a couple of hot penalty appeals in a fiercely contested game of contrasting styles.

He also awarded a strange drop ball after Nathan Clarke appeared to win possession in a melee and, from the resulting corner and confusion, Sami Sodje - brother of Town's Efe and Akpo - claimed a 62nd-minute lead with assistance from Clarke's outstretched leg.

It was a kick in the teeth for Town, who had Tony Carss at left wing-back and Junior Mendes at the point of attack, but they rallied superbly and were level only eight minutes later.

This time, Sodje failed to shut out Danny Schofield down the left and when his deep cross found Abbott lurking in space, the leading scorer rammed in his 12th of the season off the underside of the bar.

It was no more than Abbott deserved because, after 16 minutes, he was desperately unlucky to see another volley crash out off the bar following a lovely flick over the shoulder to elude the covering Stewart Talbot and Jay Tabb in the box.