BEATEN BY THE TERRIERS

BEATEN BY THE TERRIERS

United defeated 3-2 at the John Smith's Stadium...

TOWN 3 (Ward 9, Lees OG 63, Stead 77), UNITED 2 (Smith 2, Blackstock 73).

United: Kenny, Lees, Wootton, Pearce, Byram, Warnock, Austin, Mowatt, Murphy (Blackstock 72), McCormack, Smith. Subs. Cairns, Peltier, Brown, Tonge, Varney, Poleon.

Town: Smithies, Dixon, Lynch, Clarke, Richards (Woods 72), Hogg, Southern, Ward, Holmes (Scannell 46), Hammill (Gobern 79), Stead. Subs. Bennett, Norwood, Wallace, Carr.

Referee: N Swarbrick

Booked: Murphy, Warnock (Leeds)

Att: 18,309 (3,981 Leeds)

United manager Brian McDermott named an unchanged starting line-up from the team that defeated Birmingham City 4-0 the previous Sunday.

The only change to the squad for the early kick off was the inclusion of new loan signing Dexter Blackstock, who took his place on the substitutes bench.

The game could not have started any better for United as Matt Smith gave the away side the lead in the second minute of the match. The goal came from a deep Alex Mowatt corner and the big striker headed home at the back post.

Smith's early goal appeared to give United control of the game and the majority of the possession. But on nine minutes the home side struck back to level the contest. The goal came from a corner that was played to the edge of the penalty area and it was Danny Ward's sweet strike that gave Huddersfield their equaliser.

Following a fast paced opening 10 minutes the game settled down with most of the play coming in the middle of the park. Both sides enjoyed time on the ball with no real cutting edge to the play.

The home side enjoyed a good spell after the 30 minute mark and Paddy Kenny had to be on his toes to prevent Adam Hammill giving Town the advantage. The winger cut inside and shot at goal but the United keeper was on hand to palm the ball over the bar.

That proved to be it for first half chances as the game edged towards the interval and the opportunity for United to re-group.

The opening 15 minutes brought very little goalmouth action but it was United who looked the more likely. Efforts from distance from Luke Murphy and Smith didn't really trouble the home keeper but on the hour mark United had a great chance to restore the lead. Good build-up play involving Rudy Austin and Smith left Murphy at the back post with only the keeper to beat but the midfielder hit the ball wide of the mark.

United were made to pay for the missed chances in the 63rd minute when  Tom Lees turned a Hammill cross into his own net.

The home side should have doubled their advantage just minutes later when Jon Stead was played through on goal. The striker rounded Kenny but he could only only hit the outside of the post after taking the ball too wide.

In the 72nd minute United manager Brian McDermott added to his attacking options by introducing Dexter Blackstock for his debut.

Blackstock made an instant impact when he headed United level with his first touch in a Leeds shirt. The goal came from a Mowatt corner and the striker's glancing header found the back of the net.

However, United's celebrations were short lived as five minutes later Stead put the home side ahead. Great work from Sean Scannell on the right hand side led to the front man having the ball at his feet in the United area and he coolly slotted the ball past Kenny.

With five minutes of the 90 remaining Sam Byram found himself in space after great work from Ross McCormack. Byram played a great cross to the bacl post but Smith could only put his header wide of the mark while under pressure.

United were handed four minutes of injury time as they went in search of an equaliser. The home side serviced a late penalty shout as it looked like Blackstock was bundled to the ground but the referee pointed for a goal kick.

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