Carling Cup match report: Newcastle United 4 - 3 Huddersfield Town

Aug 27 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

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LATE STRIKE

TOWN were sunk with just seven minutes left as Newcastle edged a Carling Cup thriller.

Kevin Nolan’s close-range strike, after Shola Ameobi nodded down a Ryan Taylor free-kick, was tough on Lee Clark’s side, who were 3-1 up at one stage and did enough to have deserved an extra half hour to continue their assault on the Championship team.

At least pride was firmly restored after Saturday’s setback at Bristol Rovers, with two goals by Theo Robinson (one a penalty) and a Jordan Rhodes strike ensuring a nervy evening for Newcastle.

With Tom Clarke ruled out after knee surgery and Gary Roberts starting a three-match ban after his retrospective red card against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, Town made two enforced changes.

Robinson started up front with Michael Collins coming into central midfield in a 4-4-2 system.

Newcastle made six changes to the side which started their 2-0 Championship win at Crystal Palace.

Among those coming in were Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul, hero of the opening-day draw at West Brom, Hungarian defender Tamas Kadar, former Chelsea star Geremi and highly-rated teenage striker Nile Ranger. The home side, unbeaten this season going into the game, made the early running, with Kazenga LuaLua forcing a corner within 30 seconds.

LuaLua wasted a good 12th-minute opportunity when he blasted well wide, then Joe Skarz did enough to put off Danny Guthrie as he met Jose Enrique’s 17th-minute cross, forcing the home midfielder to shoot wide.

Jordan Rhodes, with a header, and Anthony Pilkington, with a cross-cum-shot, were both off target for Town before Geremi twice came close with headers from home corners.

Town had a let-off when Kevin Nolan’s 34th-minute chipped goal was disallowed for offside.

But home fans were cheering just two minutes later, when Pilkington’s misplaced pass let in Guthrie, who picked his spot with Alex Smithies helpless.

However any thoughts that this was going to be a stroll for Newcastle were soon kicked into touch as Town roared back into the tie with two goals in as many minutes, both from Robinson.

First he pounced to calmly roll a shot past Krul after Kadar miscontrolled a long ball over the top in the 37th minute.