Match report: Huddersfield Town 1 Carlisle 0

Apr 14 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A damp squib of a Galpharm contest – strange given Carlisle’s desperation for points in their fight against relegation from League I – looked destined to finish goalless until Michael Flynn floated a right-wing cross towards his fellow substitute with 78 minutes gone.

Booth had been troubling centre-back Peter Murphy in aerial jousts ever since his 37th-minute introduction for the injured Anthony Pilkington.

And he got the better of the Carlisle stalwart once again to head home his fourth goal of the season and 146th for the club. It sealed a victory which Town deserved – they hit the woodwork twice in the opening five minutes of the second half – but didn’t look like achieving.

And the chance of doubling the lead disappeared when 11-goal top scorer Gary Roberts unexpectedly returned the ball to Michael Collins after being given a clear sight of goal by the midfielder’s 82nd-minute pass.

Roberts, after all, had struck a sizzling winner at Scunthorpe on Friday and curled a cute shot against the inside of Carlisle keeper Ben Williams’ left-hand post in the 50th minute of this showdown, so there was no reason for him to lack the confidence to shoot.

That chance, which was created by Collins and finished with the ball thumping back into play off the upright before being hacked clear, came just three minutes after Nathan Clarke hit the bar to start a scramble in which Williams scooped away former Town loan man Richard Keogh’s wayward back header before Collins headed just wide as the ball was returned to the danger zone.

In between the two opportunities, Carlisle left winger Jeff Smith shot wide after Michael Bridges picked him out in plenty of space.