Cheltenham Town 2, Huddersfield Town 1

Sep 11 2006 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MARK HUDSON would be a strong contender in any Miss of the Season competition and admitted: "I'm gutted."

The 25-year-old seemed certain to rescue a point for Peter Jackson's resurgent side when he burst clean through in stoppage time.

But he somehow dragged his right-foot shot wide from only six yards out with the goal at his mercy and Town were left to reflect on a five-match run without a win and 14th place in the table.

Gary Taylor Fletcher, who had crossed for Andy Booth to tee up the chance, sank to his knees in disbelief as Hudson's shot skewed wide.

Substitute Pawel Abbott, who had put Town back in the contest with a neat 85th-minute finish after Cheltenham goals by Grant McCann (11 minutes) and JJ Melligan (70), held his head in his hands.

No-one, however, was more disappointed than Hudson himself, especially as Town dominated the second half after scrapping a diamond midfield formation for a standard 4-4-2 and deserved something for their efforts.

"The chances just aren't going in for us at the moment and I'm pretty gutted about mine," said Hudson, who played just in front of the back four in the first-half but failed to track McCann before an easy finish for the opener.

"I knew Boothy would win the header so I just gambled off him and, when the ball dropped, I thought I was definitely going to score.

"It was a definite goal, I think everyone thought the same, and I couldn't believe it when I missed the target.

"I don't know whether I took my eye off the ball at the last moment or what. I was just trying to put it in the side of the goal and I missed. It hurt, because it would have given us something from the game."

Town have only one point from 12 on the road this term and Hudson added: "We've got to improve on that record and quickly.