Oldham 0, Huddersfield Town 3

Sep 12 2005 By Mel Booth, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

There is clearly more fine tuning to be done, but third place in the table and just one point adrift is a handy position to be in with the visit of leaders hot on the horizon.

There was much to commend in Town's display, not least the clean sheet with which Paul Rachubka celebrated his 50th League appearance for the club.

In slippery conditions the keeper did well, although Chris Killen (13 minutes) and Chris Porter (66) missed sitters for Oldham and Ritchie Wellens blasted wide after Rachubka had fluffed a clearing kick.

His save from Beckett - who lobbed another effort just a foot wide - and his smothering of a dangerous low Liddell cross left Rachubka with a smile on his face, however, and £100 in his pocket from manager Peter Jackson (who had bet the defence they couldn't keep a clean sheet!).

Town wouldn't have kept a blank, in fact, had it not been for some excellent early work by Tom Clarke.

Buoyed by his goal for England Under 19s the previous midweek, the 17-year-old prevented Killen scoring on the break after a mistake by brother Nathan and then, on 16 minutes, got back to block Liddell's goalbound shot after Rachubka had gone walkabout.

Town started to find their passing range after that, however, forgetting the long ball and opting for neat movement which had twice threatened a goal before Schofield struck on 27 minutes.

The goal owed much to a break by Jon Worthington through the middle and, when his low drive was only parried by keeper Chris Day, Schofield was on hand to slide home the loose ball.