Match report: Huddersfield Town 2 Swindon Town 2

Feb 15 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A THIRD successive draw ... but Town could, and should, have been going into tomorrow’s tough clash at Carlisle United on the back of a victory.

Antony Kay’s 50th-minute equaliser, after Swindon had responded to Peter Clarke’s early opener with strikes by Charlie Austin and Danny Ward, was the prelude to a second-half onslaught by the home side.

But try as they might, Lee Clark’s men couldn’t force the goal which would have cut the gap between League I’s fifth and seventh-placed sides to two points.

Former Leeds keeper David Lucas pulled off a string of saves while both Michael Collins and Clarke had shots cleared off the line, and Swindon must have headed back to Wiltshire relieved at having another point in the bag.

It’s another point for Town too, and there were plenty of positives to take onto the road, with trips to Hartlepool and Tranmere following the Cumbrian engagement.

Conceding twice was disappointing, especially after giving away just one in the previous four games.

But Town, now unbeaten in seven in the league, delivered some quality balls into the danger zone, and on another day, might have scored four or five.

Jordan Rhodes and Lee Novak were back on starting duty and making their presence felt, while Gary Roberts responded to his return with a determined display on the left wing.

And Australian left-back Dean Heffernan, fit again after a groin niggle, produced his best performance yet, tackling strongly and overlapping effectively.

Town started at high tempo, and after Novak hooked wide an early effort from Anthony Pilkington’s cross, were rewarded in the eight minute with a fine fifth goal of the season by Clarke.

Roberts’ corner from the Town right was cleared, but only as far as the former Southend man on the byline beyond. The captain battled with Simon Ferry for possession, brushed past the on-loan Celtic midfielder’s challenge, kept going as he was hauled back then squeezed a shot past the stunned Lucas his pleasure at seeing the net ripple displayed by clenched-fist salutes to both the Kilner Bank and riverside stands.

Less pleasing to the eye was Swindon striker Charlie Austin cupping his ears to the Town fans behind the goal at the cinema end a minute later.