FA Cup Match Report: Huddersfield Town 0 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

Jan 4 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOWN paid the price for failing to take their chances and giving away possession too easily as their unbeaten home record was ended by the multinational force that is West Bromwich Albion.

Scottish midfielder Graham Dorrans and Kiwi striker Chris Wood, both set up by Ulsterman Chris Brunt, struck in the space of five minutes late on to settle this FA Cup third-round tie.

The margin of defeat by the Championship highfliers was a touch tough on Town, who recovered from a sluggish first half to create a string of chances in the second.

But there was no doubting the comfort and class on the ball of West Brom, who were playing Premier League football this time last year and look like they’re heading back there.

Now Town will try and pick the positives as they focus all their efforts on getting out of League I, a mission which starts at Southampton on Saturday.

Lee Clark made just one change from the side who beat MK Dons last Monday, with Michael Collins coming in for Tom Clarke.

But Clarke was brought on after 57 minutes, replacing striker Lee Novak as the manager sought to combat the growing influence of Congolese midfielder Youssuf Mulumbu.

That might have been achieved, but when Nathan Clarke’s pass failed to find brother Tom in the 77th minute, Mulumbu’s colleague Brunt was quick to pounce.

Albion were in their own half, but broke with speed, and Brunt had a number of options before picking out Dorrans, who calmly beat Alex Smithies with a low shot.

Former Sheffield Wednesday man Brunt, capped 26 times by Northern Ireland, was again the architect when Wood doubled the lead in the 82nd minute.

He again collected a loose ball and 18-year-old Wood, brought on for Simon Cox three minutes earlier, gleefully ran onto the pass.

This time the exposed Smithies got a hand to the all, but couldn’t prevent it crossing the line to end any hopes of a home comeback.

It left the home fans in a 13,472 crowd, 2,392 of them backing West Brom, to reflect on what might have been.

Novak tested England international keeper Scott Carson’s aerial ability with a looping 35th-minute header, and Jordan Rhodes might have won a penalty when Swedish centre-back Jonas Olsson appeared to shove him in the back just before the break.

But in general, Town seemed to show their visitors too much respect, with Brunt twice allowed to cut in from the right and shoot after working the ball onto his favoured left foot.