Match report: Oldham Athletic 0 - 1 Huddersfield Town

Nov 2 2009 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ROBBIE WILLIAMS picked the perfect moment to stroke home his first goal of the season as Town ended their away-day woes with a sweet and deserved derby success.

Having played with the elements in the first half at a wind and rain-lashed Boundary Park, Lee Clark’s side must have expected to be put under pressure in the second.

But the full-back’s strike direct from a 59th-minute free-kick seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Latics, who conjured just one genuine chance of an equaliser.

Williams arrived from Barnsley in 2007 with the reputation of possessing a highly dangerous left foot, and he certainly proved the point with his fifth goal in Town colours.

Reuben Hazell’s foul on Oldham-born Jordan Rhodes earned the home centre-back a booking and gave Town the free-kick 25 yards out.

As Williams and Anthony Pilkington, who had scored direct from a free-kick in a similar position at Charlton, hovered over the ball, skipper Peter Clarke played his part by running over and talking to the winger, who then ran towards the far post.

If it was a deliberate decoy, it worked, because Dean Brill, as well as the Oldham wall, certainly appeared to be distracted as Williams bent a shot around the defenders and beyond the fluorescent yellow-clad keeper’s reach.

The breakthrough was merited, because Town, aiming to end a run of five successive away defeats against a side who had kept five cleans sheets in seven games, had undoubtedly had the better of the chances.

Rhodes glanced a 37th-minute header from Pilkington’s well-delivered free-kick against the bar and over.

And two minutes later, the 3,909 Town fans behind the goal (an excellent turn-out and not that far off half the overall 8,569 crowd) rose as one to claim a penalty as Lee Novak’s shot appeared to make contact with centre-back Sean Gregan’s hand.

But with assistant Marvyn Amphlett’s flag remaining resolutely by his side and the man-mountain defender looking mightily relieved, referee Trevor Kettle ruled a corner rather than spot kick.

Town keeper Alex Smithies’ nerviest moment of the first half was of his own making, with his ninth-minute clearance from onrushing Town old boy Keigan Parker going straight to Danny Whitaker, whose low drive was blocked by Nathan Clarke.