Bradford City 1, Huddersfield Town 2

Oct 11 2005 By Mel Booth, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Only 11 minutes were left when Tony Carss (playing wide on the left for the injured Danny Schofield) swung a teasing free kick into the Bradford box which defenders simply couldn't clear.

In an instant, Clarke reacted to send an overhead kick spearing towards goal and Booth darted in to finish with a trademark close-range header.

It was the 99th League goal of his splendid Town career - not the 100th which had been indicated in the match programme - and it maintained his personal record of never having lost at Valley Parade.

More importantly, it kept his battling side powering along with the hottest promotion front-runners at a time when Danny Schofield - the most influential Town player of the season so far - was forced to sit things out and nurse a groin injury.

He certainly wasn't missed in a frenetic opening spell in which Chris Brandon and Hudson both went close to scoring while Petta brought a smart catch from Rachubka as the pace was set full throttle.

It was Town who made the vital breakthrough, however, in the 21st minute following a minor foul by Wetherall on Taylor-Fletcher near the left edge of the box.

Hudson took the free-kick right foot, in-swinging, and keeper Russell Howarth made such a hash, coming too far off his line, that the ball finished in the far left top corner.

Tom Kearney and Lee Crooks continued to come off second best in midfield, but Bradford were thrown a lifeline on 34 minutes when Mirfin was harshly adjudged to have fouled near the box and Petta curled in a superb 20-yard set piece.

It signalled a brief spell in the ascendancy for Bradford with Steve Claridge making some clever runs but Town, with the best away defensive record in the division, weren't ready to buckle and took the second half by the scruff of the neck.