Match report: Carlisle United 1 Huddersfield Town 2

Feb 17 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Carlisle United v Huddersfield Town

LEE NOVAK and Jordan Rhodes were back on the scoresheet as Town stormed the football frontier post of Carlisle for the first time in 25 years.

Goals at the start of each half claimed a convincing win in the first of three crucial away games for Lee Clark’s side.

Town hadn’t won at Brunton Park since 1984-85, and were made to sweat after Joe Anyinsah’s stoppage-time strike, but were well worth the three points as they made it four wins in eight unbeaten games in League I.

It was the second meeting of the sides in 10 days after a 1-1 stalemate at the Galpharm.

Town made one change from Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with Swindon, Danny Drinkwater coming in for Michael Collins, who dropped to the bench.

Carlisle, on a high after reaching the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final and putting five without reply past MK Dons at Brunton Park on Saturday, kept the side who destroyed Paul Ince’s team.

They were second-best for the majority of the first half, however, as Town started strongly and continued to play some neat and fluent football.

They’d forced three corners, with Rhodes heading narrowly wide from the first and having a close-range effort from the second blocked by Peter Murphy, before their sixth-minute breakthrough.

Lee Peltier claimed the assist, picking up possession on halfway and lofting the ball towards Novak.

The bounce was kind for the striker, who got between Murphy and Ian Harte, pushed the ball wide of goalkeeper Adam Collin, and rolled home an angled shot from eight yards out.

The goal, the 21-year-old’s ninth of the season, rewarded a determined opening by Lee Clark’s side, and they continued to look the brighter team.

Anthony Pilkington was only just over with a 20-yard shot in the 14th minute, then Peter Clarke’s header from Gary Roberts’ 18th-minute free-kick flew inches too high.

Keeper Collin got down well to block from Rhodes when Dean Heffernan sent in a low 21st-minute cross, Antony Kay came close with a 32nd-minute header, and Novak nodded onto the roof of the net from Roberts’ 37th-minute corner, Town’s seventh of the opening period.