UNITED TAKE DERBY DAY SPOILS

UNITED TAKE DERBY DAY SPOILS

United are 3-0 winners...

UNITED 3 (Austin 19, Antenucci 45+1, Doukara 69), HUDDERSFIELD 0.

United: Silvestri, Berardi, Bellusci, Pearce, Warnock, Austin (Tonge 90), Cook, Bianchi, Sloth (Byram 74), Doukara (Morison 85), Antenucci. Subs. S Taylor, Cooper, Adryan, Sharp.

Huddersfield: Smithies; Robinson, Lynch, Hudson, Peltier, Coady, Hogg (Ward 59), Butterfield, Bunn, Wells, Scannell (Stead 74). Subs. Murphy, Dixon, Wallace, Smith, Majewski.

Referee: C Foy

Booked: Berardi, Bellusci (Leeds), Lynch (Huddersfield)

Sent Off: Berardi (Leeds)

Neil Redfearn took charge of his fourth game as caretaker head coach for the visit of Huddersfield Town and he made just one change from the side that beat Bournemouth 3-1 on Tuesday night as Casper Sloth returned in place of Billy Sharp. There was also a place among the substitutes for striker Steve Morison for the first time this season.

United started the with a confidence that comes with an unbeaten run of three games and were the better side during the opening stages of the contest. United had two half chances during the opening minutes, firstly Casper Sloth almost capitalised on a poor backpass and Mirco Antenucci had a shot blocked.

It wasn't long though until United's dominant start brought the first goal of the game. Fantasic pressing from Antenucci meant Joel Lynch's attempted clearance rebounded into the path of Rudy Austin whose powerful strike from just inside the box gave Smithies no chance in the 19th minute.

Follwing taking the lead United looked comfortable in possession and continued to control the flow of the game.

Prior to the interval both sides threatened in front of goal. Huddersfield went close with a header from Jonathan Hogg and Harry Bunn's strike from inside the box went high and wide.

Antenucci went close towards the end of the half but that didn't stop him giving United a two goal lead before the break. In the one minute of added time United broke forward through Giuseppe Bellusci and Antenucci. Bellusci looked to have got on the scoresheet but his chipped effort came back off the bar and Antenucci smashed in the rebound.

It was the visitors that looked dangerous as the second half got underway and had a couple of half chances with headed efforts. Jacob Butterfield and Mark Hudson were the men with the attempts but both didn't trouble Marco Silvestri and went wide. 

United had a great chance to get a third when Souleymane Doukara was played through on goal with a great pass from Austin. The striker got the ball onto his right foot but his shot was saved superbly by Smithies.

But in the 69th minute Doukara did make it 3-0 to United. The striker was once again played through by Austin and this time Doukara made no mistake and sent the ball into the back of the net. Smithies had no chance as the power took it beyond the goalkeeper.

United may have been leading by three goals but they were dealt a blow when Gaetano Berardi was sent off, a second yellow card, for a foul on Bunn. Neil Redfearn reacted by bringing on Sam Byram for Casper Sloth.

United may have been down to 10-men but it was the home side that remained in control of the football. Jon Stead did have a chance for the visitors but he smashed his effort over Silvestri's crossbar.

In the closing minutes United went close to getting a fourth and pilling more misery on the visitors. Antenucci picked up the ball in his own half and ran the full length of Huddersfield's half of the field. Once in front of goal he mistimed his effort and it struck the outside of the post.

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