Match report: Huddersfield Town 3 Southampton 1

Aug 17 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ALL Rhodes lead to the back of the net for Town’s teenage scoring sensation just at the moment!

Striker Jordan Rhodes registered twice more to take his tally to five in the first three games of the campaign as Lee Clark’s men finally ensured a scoreline which reflected their superiority.

But they had to be patient and persistent to unlock a Southampton rearguard which looked especially solid in a goalless first half.

This was the first league meeting between these two sides since 1971-72, when Frank Worthington was Town’s top talent.

Manager Clark has spoken of his desire to find some new heroes to match the likes of flamboyant Frank, and by recruiting Rhodes from Ipswich, he might just have managed it.

You have to go back even earlier than Worthy to find an early-season scoring burst by a Town player to match that of Rhodes, with Allan Gilliver bagging seven in the first four matches of 1965-66.

And the faithful will be hoping Rhodes – or any other player in blue and white stripes, come to that – can sink Brighton at the Galpharm tomorrow, so helping Town continue their encouraging start in League I.

They had the vast majority of possession, chances and set-pieces against a Southampton side who from the kick-off, looked like they’d come for a point.

With the visitors defending stoutly with two banks of four, Town still created some decent first-half chances, but found keeper Kelvin Davis in fine fettle.

The 32-year-old former Sunderland, Ipswich, Wimbledon and Luton man’s best saves denied the hard-working Lee Novak, after nine minutes, and defender Peter Clarke, after 12.

Town, for whom Tom Clarke shone in midfield, also came close on 28 minutes, when centre-back Chris Perry got a key clearing touch as Novak rose to meet a Rhodes cross, and 38, when Anthony Pilkington’s teasing delivery just evaded Novak’s outstretched foot.