Huddersfield Town’s Robbie Simpson: We can beat Swindon Town and go on a promotion run

Feb 12 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“It was a very cold night, and the pitch was pretty bumpy.

“And perhaps, given their familiarity with the surface, they played it better than we did.

“Our plan was to pass and move, and while we did it in phases, we couldn’t find any consistency, which was frustrating.

“It can be hard work playing as the lone central striker, because you are often battling against two centre-backs, aiming to pressurise them and trying to second-guess what’s going to happen so that you’re in the right place at the right time for any chances which arise.

“But I really enjoyed the game, and while I don’t think I was spectacular by any means, I think I did a solid job.”

Simpson also did his fair share of work defensively, and added: “We’ve been talking about the need to tighten up, and that’s two clean sheets in as many away games and only one conceded in four matches.

“People tend to look at the back four, but defending starts at the front just as attacking can start at the back, and everyone in the side wants to do their bit.

“If you can keep a clean sheet, then you only need nick a goal to win the game, and having done that at Yeovil, we could have done it at Brighton.

“Pilks came very close near the end when he hit the bar from a really well struck free-kick, and I also had a chance after getting in behind their defence in the second half.

“Initially I was going to head it, but the centre-back knocked me off balance so I ended up shooting and unfortunately it went just over.”

Simpson, who has made 11 further appearances as a substitute and scored once, in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win at Rotherham in September, added: “I suppose Brighton had their chances as well.

“We certainly wanted all three points, but given the pattern of the game, I think we can be satisfied with one, and if we can use it as a platform to beat Swindon, that result will seem all the better.”