Tranmere Rovers 2, Huddersfield 1

Feb 4 2006 By Mel Booth, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Town were in a tangle once Danny Adams and Martin McIntosh both went to try and clear, only to lose out to Zola's flick which left Sam Aiston clear on the right.

His low cross by-passed every Town defender appealing for offside against Chris Greenacre and was gratefully knocked in at the back post by Tremarco. It was their first goal in 392 minutes.

Greenacre then fired in a couple of shots and Town looked in a mess until Zola's late, high, two-footed challenge on Collins, which sparked an angry confrontation in front of Town's dug-out and resulted in red for the big Congo striker.

Jackson made the first of two effective substitutions almost immediately - sending on Gary Taylor-Fletcher for Adams and shunting Dan Smith to left-back with great effect.

Smith pushed forward well and provided some telling crosses for second sub Booth, who went on at half time for an out-of-touch Pawel Abbott.

At that stage, woeful Town had not produced an effort on target but, when Collins burst through, Smith crossed and Fletch headed down for Graham to net his second goal in as many matches less than three minutes after the restart, things suddenly looked more promising.

A couple of bright Andy Holdsworth attacks and a Smith free-kick came to nothing, however, before Seremet produced a super one-handed save to keep out Booth's header just 12 minutes from time.

The pressure was building and, with 1,400 travelling fans roaring Town on, it seemed only a matter of time before the breakthrough would come.

It did, but agonisingly at the other end from Facey, leaving Town to ponder the fallout from a huge missed opportunity.

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