Notts Forest 2, Huddersfield Town 1

Aug 8 2005 By Mel Booth, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Mirfin, to his credit, didn't just hit the cross in hope, he paused slightly before picking out Andy Booth at the far post with a precision delivery.

Booth made perfect contact and, in time honoured fashion, Town's massed bank of support behind the goal expected to see the net bulging, but Pedersen somehow leapt to his right to palm the ball away.

It was a significant moment which Commons capitalised upon with his match-winning pass to the transfer-listed David Johnson in the closing stages.

Johnson was given a rapturous reception by the Forest faithful when he was sent on 17 minutes from time, but he had made little or no impact as time ticked away and manager Gary Megson was so desperate that he sent on defender Wes Morgan to play up front in place of skipper Gareth Taylor, who had caused first-half problems in the air.

Given some open space after wrestling his way clear of Nathan Clarke, Johnson's first effort was well blocked by Rachubka, but the keeper had no luck as the rebound fell kindly for the want-away striker to score in an unguarded net.

The manner of Forest's celebration suggested they knew they'd been let off the hook on a first appearance at this level in half a century - and Jackson and his gutsy players couldn't hide their disappointment.

Commons and Johnson both went close to adding a third, while Gary Holt was denied by Rachubka, but Town rightly took the applause of their fans at the end and returned it in kind.

Not the result anyone wanted, but the performance offered plenty of optimism as Town emerged bloodied but unbowed.