Match report: Huddersfield Town 2 - 1 Yeovil Town

Aug 31 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MICHAEL COLLINS headed his first goal of the season as Town came from behind to maintain their 100% home record.

But goalkeeper Alex Smithies, watched by England Under 21 chief Stuart Pearce, played just as big a part in a hard-won victory over well-organised and determined Yeovil.

Whether it was a hangover from Wednesday’s high-octane Carling Cup engagement at Newcastle, the early kick-off to allow fans to watch the Giants in Wembley action or a combination of both, Town looked a touch jaded.

And despite manager Lee Clark’s warning of the need to be switched on from the noon start, his side conceded just six minutes in.

To be fair, it was something of a wonder strike from Kieran Murtagh which beat Smithies (from 30 yards out) and ensured Town’s search for a first clean sheet of the campaign will continue into match number eight in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy against Rotherham tomorrow.

But the visitors, who included three on-loan Tottenham players in defender Steven Caulker, midfielder Ryan Mason and striker John Obika, had begun brightly, and when ex-Yeovil player Lee Peltier made contact with Nathan Smith to concede a 13th-minute penalty, things looked ominous.

Incredibly, it was the fourth spot kick in the last three games and the fifth in total Smithies has faced this season, and crucially, the 19-year-old dived to his right to block Gavin Tomlin’s effort with his legs, then smothered the ball as a posse of Yeovil players closed in.

Early in the game it may have been, but it was a turning point nonetheless, because Town, while never reaching top gear, certainly gained more of a foothold as the match continued.

Lionel Ainsworth, handed his first start of the season in place of groin injury victim Danny Drinkwater, was impressive on the right.

And after Theo Robinson had cut in and beaten two men only to produce a weak final shot and Jordan Rhodes had brought a good close-range save from Alex McCarthy, on loan to Yeovil from Reading, the former Watford wideman latched onto Robinson’s pass and lashed a 19th-minute shot into the side-netting.