Huddersfield Town 0, Southend Utd 0

Dec 19 2005 By Mel Booth, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

WISE words of consolation and comfort came from an unexpected source after Town dropped back into the play-off placings.

Southend manager Steve Tilson knows exactly how Town's fans, management and players are feeling after being held to a second goalless League draw at the Galpharm in three outings.

"It's not easy to get home wins," said Tilson, whose own side slipped to sixth while Town fell behind Brentford on goal difference to sit third.

"We have experienced the same thing against Bradford and Chesterfield in our last two home matches - teams come away to try and frustrate you.

"It makes life very difficult for the home team, but Huddersfield are very well organised and they are still second on points in the table, so they must be doing something right."

It's an important time for everyone who cares about Town's prospects to remember those factors.

Two points from nine amounts to their worst run of the season and it's enabled a posse of chasers to close in at the top of the table in the run-up to the busy and vital Christmas period of four games in eight days.

But Town have three holiday matches against teams in the bottom 16 hung around a New Year's Eve derby at Barnsley and they've definitely got the ability to take advantage.

They will need more cutting edge than Saturday, however, if they are to put pressure on leaders Swansea and Martin Allen's improving Bees, who smashed Tranmere 4-1 at Prenton Park to move into the automatic promotion placings.