Match report: Southend Utd 2 - 2 Huddersfield Town

Aug 10 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

LEE CLARK had a point when he suggested his side might have won had it not been for the 83rd-minute sending off of Michael Collins.

But in the overall context of a dramatic opening-day contest which had as many twists and turns as a Southend fun-fair ride, this was a point gained rather than two lost.

Town didn’t come to life until the introduction of strikers Jordan Rhodes (after 56 minutes) and Lee Novak (58) in place of fellow debutants Robbie Simpson and Theo Robinson.

By that time, they were two down and looking likely to go further behind as Southend stepped on the gas.

The tide started to turn when Anthony Pilkington volleyed home sweetly from Gary Roberts’ cross in the 71st minute.

Then, in the 80th, Rhodes made it a day to remember by heading home from close range after good work by Roberts, Pilkington and Novak.

The leveller came in front of the 1,351 Town fans in an 8,059 crowd, and Rhodes couldn’t resist removing his shirt in celebration.

That brought a yellow card – Andy Butler (foul) and Antony Kay (dissent) had earlier been booked – but Collins was soon seeing straight red.

The 23-year-old, playing alongside Kay in central midfield, was dismissed for the second time in 163 career appearances after throwing the ball at right-back Simon Francis.