Friday, December 28, 2007

Huddersfield Town (A) Preview


The Cobblers are on the road again tomorrow afternoon as we make the journey north to Huddersfield Town. Stuart Gray will be looking for an improvement from his players following the 2-0 reverse at Doncaster Rovers on Boxing Day in the final game of 2007.

Team News

Ryan Gilligan is available again after suspension for the Cobblers. The midfielder sat out of the Doncaster defeat with a one-match ban but is back in contention for a starting place at the Galpharm Stadium. But we’re still without Andy Holt, Giles Coke, Ian Henderson and Chris Doig through injury as Stuart Gray’s thin squad is tested with the second of three games in quick succession.

Frank Sinclair is back in the Huddersfield squad after completing a four game suspension by sitting out of their 1-1 Boxing Day draw with Crewe. Danny Cadamarteri is still missing with a knee injury though while Simon Eastwood and Luke Malcher are also still on the sidelines. Striker Andy Booth is 50/50 for the game after suffering a knock in the Crewe game so Luke Beckett stands by to replace him.


The Story So Far…Huddersfield Town in 2007/08

The Terriers go into the game in mid-table but having picked up seven points from nine over the Christmas period will be looking to make a push for the playoff places in the second half of the campaign.

Huddersfield won their opening two games of the season, taking three points from Yeovil at The Galpharm Stadium and away at Bournemouth, both wins coming by a 1-0 score. Their first defeat came at the hands of Carlisle United at the end of August as Daniel Livesey and Joe Garner struck the blows.

Town hit back in the first game of September as they beat Millwall 2-1 at the New Den but three defeats followed at Crewe (1-1), at home to Cheltenham (3-2) and at Sixfields as the Cobblers recorded a fine 3-0 win. Huddersfield ended the month with victory over Luton though to steady the ship.

October was a topsy-turvy month for the club as a draw at home to Nottingham Forest was followed by a 4-0 defeat at Walsall and a 2-0 loss at Doncaster. A home draw with Oldham didn’t do a lot to lift the spirits and October ended in a gloomy 3-0 reverse at Tranmere.

November saw the form turn with the Terriers winning four games in a row as Port Vale (3-1), Hartlepool (2-0) and Swansea (1-0) were beaten either side of a 3-2 win at Accrington Stanley in the F.A. Cup (3-2). November ended with a single goal defeat at home to promotion chasing Leyton Orient.

At the start of December, Town swept aside Grimsby, 3-0 in the F.A. Cup Second Round to set up a tie with Premiership side Birmingham City. There followed heavy defeats at Southend and Leeds, 4-1 and 4-0 respectively but stability has been restored of late with a good points haul over Christmas. Huddersfield beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 as Ronnie Wallwork and loan signing Phil Jevons on the score sheet before winning 2-0 at Cheltenham Town. On Boxing Day, they drew 1-1 with Crewe at the Galpharm Stadium as an Andy Booth equaliser cancelled out former Cobblers loan man Lee Barnard’s early goal.


Recent Meetings…

22/09/07: COBBLERS 3-0 HUDDERSFIELD

Goals from Poul Hubertz, Andy Holt and Andy Kirk eased the Cobblers to victory at Sixfields earlier on this season.

27/04/07: COBBLERS 1-1 HUDDERSFIELD

Andy Holt puts the Cobblers in front on 63 minutes but David Mirfin equalises with fifteen minutes to go in Ian Taylor’s final game in professional football.

16/12/06: HUDDERSFIELD 1-1 COBBLERS

Joe Burnell fires the Cobblers into the lead but Danny Schofield earns the home side a deserved point.

20/04/04: COBBLERS 0-1 HUDDERSFIELD

Andy Booth scores the only goal of the game as Huddersfield make a giant leap towards automatic promotion from League Two.

13/09/03: HUDDERSFIELD 3-0 COBBLERS

Two goals from Jon Stead and an Anthony Carss penalty tie up the points for Huddersfield before half time.

01/03/03: HUDDERSFIELD 2-0 COBBLERS

Simon Baldry and Martin Smith both score in two minutes leading up to half time to ease the home side to victory.


For The Record…Terriers v Cobblers

Games Played: 29
Huddersfield Wins: 12
Draws: 6
Cobblers Wins: 11

No comments: