Rochdale 3- 0 Huddersfield Town: Doug Thomson's match report

Sep 29 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOWN went down to a dramatic derby defeat, but the Spotland scoreline failed to reflect the pattern of a rousing Roses showdown.

Trailing to Jason Kennedy’s early goal, Lee Clark’s side were pushing furiously for an equaliser, only to be sunk by late strikes from Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Chris O’Grady.

It was tough on Town , who made three changes to the side which started Saturday’s game at Swindon.

Left-back Liam Ridehalgh, winger Anthony Pilkington and striker Joe Garner came in for broken-arm victim Gary Roberts, Joey Gudjonsson and Alan Lee.

Scott Arfield passed a fitness test on the calf injury he picked up at Swindon and took up a central midfield berth.

Watching from the stand was former Town defender Andy Butler, now a free agent, but set to sign for Rochdale.

It was high tempo end-to-end football all the way through the first half, with Garner denied by keeper Josh Lillis’s brave dive before Kennedy struck with Rochdale’s first attack in the sixth minute.

Brian Barry-Murphy swung in a free-kick from the left which was flicked on for the midfielder to fire home from six yards out.

Town, urged on by more than 3,000 travelling fans who created a great atmosphere, responded strongly.

Graham Carey and Garner combined to set up former Rochdale loan man Jordan Rhodes, but Josh Thompson’s challenge snuffed out the danger.

Then Carey shot wide before Peter Clarke’s flick-on just evaded the stretching Garner in the 25th minute.

Centre-back Marcus Holness did well to block when Carey powered in a shot from Lee Peltier’s long throw.

And Arfield, running from deep, was only just off target with a low drive from the edge of the area.

Rochdale replied with a long-range Kennedy effort which flew wide, and the goalscorer’s 35th-minute attempt from 20 yards out was well held by Alex Smithies, who was being watched by Football Association scout Joe Corrigan.

Pilkington was seeing plenty of the ball, but after a sharp run down the right in the 44th minute, his shot was well off target.