Hull City 2, Huddersfield Town 1

Jan 3 2005 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

NEW year, same old defensive deficiencies.

Manager Peter Jackson's clean-sheet plea fell on deaf ears at Hull, and it's crucial Town tighten up at home to Bristol City today if they are to maintain League I play-off hopes.

How disappointing that slips by first Andy Holdsworth, then Efe Sodje allowed Stuart Elliott and Aaron Wilbraham to strike for the Tigers.

For Town had impressed in the first half, playing a patient, probing game which bore fruit when Chris Brandon gave them a deserved lead with a cool shot from John McAliskey's unselfish lay-off after 39 minutes.

If only Jackson's men could have got through to half-time unbreached.

Unfortunately, just two minutes after they had taken the lead, lively winger Elliott levelled with his 24th goal in all games this campaign.

Then, three minutes into the second half, substitute Wilbraham headed home his first goal since a £100,000 summer switch from Stockport.

Town never managed to regain their previous pattern, and Hull goalkeeper Bo Myhill had a relatively trouble-free rest of the afternoon.

The frustrating thing was Hull didn't really look like a side 11 places and 20 points better than Town, who deserved a second draw on the road after forcing that 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.

Having taken the sting out of the home side's early onslaught - Nathan Clarke did well to block from Jon Walters after two minutes, then Sodje cleared from Elliott's dangerous low cross on seven - Town settled to their task and looked solid.

Sodje popped up at the opposite end after 10 minutes to try his luck with a header from a Tony Carss free-kick, Myhill plucking the ball from the air cleanly, then the Hull defence had to scramble the ball clear from a Carss corner in the 14th minute.