Match Report: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Huddersfield Town faced one of the toughest tests they have encountered in The Championship this season when Wolverhampton Wanderers came to The John Smiths Stadium. The visitors were sitting pretty in third place and were coming to take on the terriers in very good form with five wins out of the last six games but Grayson's men were revitalized after picking up all three points before the international break against a very tough Birmingham City side at St Andrews.

Town's Team; Smithies, Woods, Gerrard, Clarke, Hunt, Ward, Norwood, Southern, Clayton, Vaughan, Beckford

Town's Bench; Bennett, Dixon, Novak, Lynch, Scannell, Arfield, Lee

Huddersfield started the game positively with sleek passing and strong defending and with just eleven minutes on the clock, the terriers forced Wolves into conceding their first goal in their last three away games. Jack Hunt was the provider for one of the best goals ever to be scored at The John Smiths Stadium as his inch perfect cross was met superbly by the head of James Vaughan who sent the ball flying across the face of goal and into the back of the net.

Vaughan's goal for the terriers is his third since joining
on season long loan from Norwich

The midfield of Huddersfield were working hard as per usual and Clayton was looking on the money when he nodded the ball down into Vaughan's feet who crossed to the back post, just inches away from Beckford who could well of doubled the terriers lead if he had connected with he cross. Wolves were not looking a bad team but Huddersfield were dominating the pace of the game. However, the visitors got their first real chance of the game through a Bakary Sako free-kick which went just inches over the bar of Alex Smithies goal.

Jack Hunt had already provided an assist and his confidence was sky high as he ran once again at the Wolves defence before firing an effort just wide of the mark. Moments later Adam Clayton linked up with former Leeds United team mate Jermaine Beckford to give the terriers an unlikely two goal lead. Clayton whipped in a superb delivery from the right wing for Beckford to scissor kick into the back of the net in extraordinary fashion. The on loan striker put his name into hat for goal of the month...if not the season.

Beckford celebrates after doubling the terriers lead
with a stunning finish.

Wolves looked a beaten side after the second goal had gone in but they were nearly given a lifeline as Woods made a mistake which allowed Sako in at goal but he could only curl his effort wide of Smithies goal to the annoyance of the visiting fans. Chances continued to come for the home side and Town could of been at least four or five up before half time with both Vaughan & Beckford having great chances to take the game beyond Wolves but it wasn't meant to be for the strikers.

Half Time: Huddersfield Town 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Simon Grayson's team started the second half as they had finished the first and within a minute Beckford was causing Wolves problems yet again. Roger Johnson luckily recovered well as the striker closed down on the visitors goal after a superb pass from Oliver Norwood had set Beckford free. Ten minutes later, Wolves got their first chance on goal in the second half as new signing Jermaine Pennant crossed to the back post where Kevin Doyle met the ball with his head. The effort was goal bound but Huddersfield skipper Peter Clarke was on his top form and blocked the effort to keep his sides two goal lead.

With just over an hour on the clock the visitors managed to get themselves back into the game as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake stabbed home a tame shot only for it to sneak past Smithies off the post. The shot had also received a heavy deflection off Peter Clarke which ultimately gave the goalkeeper no chance in denying Wolves their away goal.

Wolves were playing the much better football now of the two teams and were buoyed after getting themselves back into the game from an unlikely goal scoring chance. Sako was the main problem for the terriers as he continued to skip away from his markers to push the visitors forward. Sako was the creator of Wolves' first goal and he went close to getting his name on the score sheet but his shot whistled inches past the post. The game was ticking ever so slowly now for the home side who looked tired after such a gut busting first half effort and they were starting to hang on against a never ending onslaught of Wolves attacks.

In the 79th minute Wolves had a corner which was met by the head of David Edwards who beat his marker but could only send his header smashing into the upright. Smithies was well beaten by the effort and it looked almost certain that Town were going to give away their two goal lead but they hold strong in the final minutes to get their home form back to winning ways.

Full Time: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers