Rochdale: Dennis Sherriff (50)

Town fell at the first hurdle of this season's FA Youth Cup after a single goal defeat at Rochdale. The young Terriers could not craft a goal after a 50^th minute strike from impressive Rochdale striker Sherriff gave the home side the lead and actually finished the game with nine men after the dismissal of defender Jack Hunt and a late injury to striker Jimmy Spencer.

Graham Mitchell's side started in a 4-3-3 formation, with goalkeeper Eastham protected by a back four of Ridehalgh, Pickering, skipper Franks and Hunt. Collinson, Nightingale and Williams formed a central midfield trio with central striker Spencer flanked by under-18 top scorer Heagney and Barlow.

Town, in their change strip of all gold, started the game in energetic fashion and almost took the lead in the 3^rd minute when striker Spencer charged down a clearance from Rochdale 'keeper Hanford. The ball cannoned against the Town man, but rolled just wide of the goalie's right-hand post.

The Terriers should have taken the lead in the 5^th minute when a Dave Pickering corner caused an almighty scramble in the Rochdale six yard box, but the home side survived and showed they possessed an attacking threat a minute later when striker Sherriff blasted wide when in a good position inside the Town box.

Town were in the ascendancy and hit the crossbar on the stroke of 7 minutes. A brilliant run and cross from left-back Ridehalgh towards the back post was met by the head of striker Heagney, but his effort from an acute angle smacked the bar before falling to safety.

Rochdale's Doherty hit a bullet of a volley from 25 yards out in the 13^th minute that Town skipper Franks bravely headed clear before Dale midfielder Brown hit a decent looking shot wide of the left hand post from similar distance a minute later.

The home side were pressuring Town all the time and striker Sherriff seized upon a loose ball 30 yards from goal in the 17^th minute before shooting speculatively over the bar of Damian Eastham.

The same man went close to scoring for the home side two minutes later when a goal kick from Hanford evaded everyone and put him through on goal. With Ridehalgh trying hard to get back on level terms with the forward, he chose to shoot and his effort skimmed the outside of the far post before going wide.

Town 'keeper Eastham did brilliantly to tip a curling effort from Rochdale skipper Josh Brizell over the crossbar in the 25^th minute as the home side continued to push for the opening goal and from the resulting set-piece, lively striker Sherriff's overhead kick went well over the Town bar.

The home side had enjoyed a good spell in the middle of the half, but Town created a great opportunity in the 29^th minute. A good dribble into the Rochdale half from Heagney ended when he slipped a clever reverse ball into strike partner Spencer. The big first-year scholar was through on goal and tried to lift the ball over the advancing 'keeper, but he did well to deflect the effort onto the top of the crossbar.

Dave Pickering played a brilliant diagonal ball across forty yards to pick out Heagney in the 32^nd minute; the striker collected the ball and cut inside onto his favoured right foot, but shot well wide of goal from the edge of the box.

Eastham had to be alert again to push a free-kick from Doherty over the crossbar in the 34^th minute after Danny Barlow had pushed a Rochdale attacker.

The impressive Brown hit a scorching shot a couple of yards over the bar from the edge of the box for Rochdale in the 41^st minute.

BOOKING - Rochdale defender Dave Doherty was booked by referee Moore in the 44^th minute after flattening Luke Williams, but the yellow was for an accumulation of poor challenges rather than for the one offence.

After a minute of added time, the referee brought a close to an eventful first period with the game goalless.

HALF-TIME: ROCHDALE 0 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0

SUB - Graham Mitchell made two changes at the interval, replacing Lewis Collinson and Luke Williams with Chris Atkinson and Spencer Harris.

GOAL - The Terriers were trying to pass the ball around on the floor in the early stages of the second-half, but were made to pay for a mistake in the 50^th minute when Rochdale scored the opening goal. Substitute Atkinson was dispossessed deep in the Town half by Blakeley who fed Brown down the right side; his excellent low ball across the box was slammed home at the far post by Dennis Sherriff.

Town 'keeper Eastham had to be alert to block and gather a low free-kick from Rochdale's Byrne in the 54^th minute after a foul by Lewis Nightingale; the ball trickling under Town's defensive wall.

SUB - Aiden Chippendale was Town's third and final change when he replaced Danny Barlow in the 55^th minute.

Rochdale left-back Doherty slammed an effort into Town's side netting in the 61^st minute after an attacking corner was cleared back out to him on the right flank.

BOOKING - Rochdale's Andrew Brown was booked in the 64^th minute for a bad tackle on left winger Chippendale.

BOOKING - Lewis Nightingale became Town's first booking of the evening on the strike of 70 minutes for a lunging challenge on a defender.

SENDING-OFF - a minute later, Jack Hunt was shown a straight red card by the official for dissent.

Mitchell opted to play three at the back after his side went down to ten men and the Terriers tried to find an equaliser, with midfielder Atkinson scuffing a shot wide in the 73^rd minute.

A minute later, Rochdale 'keeper Hanford showed excellent reflexes to block the ball after a defensive clearance ricocheted off Atkinson at close range.

SUB - Rochdale manager Chris Beech made his first change of the evening on 78 minutes, bringing on Thomas Buckley for Joseph Reidy.

BOOKING - Rochdale defender Alex Mallion was booked for time-wasting in the 80^th minute.

BOOKING - Town's James Spencer was booked in the 83^rd minute for a tackle on left-back Doherty that clearly won the ball, but was a little two footed.

Town created a glorious chance in the next minute; Spencer was put through down the right side and played a beautiful ball across the Rochdale box, but striker Heagney could only poke the ball wide at full stretch just eight yards from goal.

Rochdale went close with five minutes left when striker Buckley forced a decent save from Eastham, with midfielder Byrne chipping the ball wide.

Town played the final five minutes with nine men after striker Spencer appeared to jar his knee in a challenge and had to be chaired off the pitch by physio Dave Buckby and unused sub Stephen Brook.

SUB - Rochdale replaced winger Brown with Joe Wright in the last meaningful action of the game in added time.

BOOKING - Referee Moore booked both Town's Leigh Franks and striker Sherriff in added time after a brief scuffle over the ball.

FULL-TIME: ROCHDALE 1 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0

Huddersfield Town:

Damian Eastham, Jack Hunt, Liam Ridehalgh, Dave Pickering, Leigh Franks (c), Lewis Nightingale, Lewis Collinson (Spencer Harris 46), Luke Williams (Chris Atkinson 46), Dave Heagney, James Spencer, Danny Barlow (Aiden Chippendale 55)

Unused Subs: Stephen Brook, Adam Bower

Booking: Lewis Nightingale (70), Leigh Franks (90)

Sending-Off: Jack Hunt (71)

Rochdale:

Danny Hanford, Josh Brizell (c), Dave Doherty, Callum Byrne, Michael Roche, Alex Mallion, Andrew Brown (Joe Wright 90), Liam Murray, Chris Blakely, Dennis Sherriff, Joseph Reidy (Thomas Buckley 77)

Unused Subs: Matthew Ellis, Chris Brown, Daniel Taberner

Bookings: Dave Doherty (44), Andrew Brown (64), Alex Mallion (80)