Huddersfield Town 2, Port Vale 1

Dec 27 2004 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A goal then would have killed the game, but Vale suddenly started to find their passing range, Town didn't seem as sharp in the tackle and the visitors' rally was on.

It reached a crescendo when Eldershaw headed in at the back post from Chris Birchall's terrific cross, but there had already been one almighty scramble in Rachubka's box and a shot over the top from Billy Paynter, who proved a handful throughout for the battling Efe Sodje.

On more than one occasion, Town needed the calming influence of Nathan Clarke to come to the fore, and he showed tremendous reading of the game while breaking up a succession of attacks.

Leading at the break, Town could have done with the luxury of restoring a two-goal advantage and they went perilously close.

Only four minutes of the second half had been played when Abbott let the ball run superbly to McAliskey, who then delivered a perfect reverse pass to leave his colleague with only Brain to beat.

Jackson, jumping up and down on the touchline, couldn't believe it when the keeper managed to flap Abbott's shot for a corner.

Birchall's pace was at the heart of Vale's riposte and Rachubka was twice forced to block blistering drives before tipping over the best shot of the lot.

Town, unable to keep possession for long enough at that stage, were on the back foot, and it needed some fearless battling from the skipper, Jon Worthington, to help them hold sway.

He squared a pass for Abbott on 69 minutes which brought a scooped shot over the bar, but openings were few and far between as Vale, roared on by travelling support totalling 967, countered smartly with some quick and accurate throws from Brain and some neat interchanges of passing.

Schofield, playing wide on the left with Brandon on the opposite flank, looked the man most likely to force a breakthrough for Town, although he ended up getting pushed deeper and deeper as the Galpharm faithful lived on their nerves.

Hearts were in mouths when Rachubka missed a punch deep into stoppage time, leading to a frantic melee, but the whistle brought relief for Town and added another disappointing chapter to Vale's miserable away record which now reads nine defeats in 12 matches.

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