It was a point each after this Yorkshire derby at the Galpharm Stadium this afternoon as ten-man Doncaster came from behind to share the spoils. It was a great game and Gerry Murphy could well feel that his side deserved all three points, but Rovers are pushing for promotion and showed they are no pushovers. Williams and Holdsworth grabbed the goals for Town.
Gerry Murphy deployed his players in a 3-5-2 formation for his first game back in temporary charge, with 'keeper Matt Glennon behind three centre-backs - Nathan Clarke, David Mirfin and skipper Rob Page. Andy Holdsworth and Robbie Williams played as right and left wing-backs respectively with Michael Collins, James Berrett and Jon Worthington forming the midfield trio. Up front, Chris Brandon played just behind the legendary Andy Booth.
GOAL - Town took the lead after just 7 minutes and it was Robbie Williams who scored his first goal at the Galpharm Stadium on what was his 25th appearance for the Terriers. The game had started scrappily, but Town managed the first good passage of play on the right side and earned themselves a throw-in. Up stepped Clarke to hurl the ball towards the near post; Booth predictably won the flick-on and left wing-back Williams stepped up to slam the ball home with a low drive from around ten yards out.
The Terriers were definitely the brighter of the two sides after taking the lead, with skipper Page in commanding mood at the back and the strike partnership of Booth and Brandon looking lively.
Rovers tried to fight back in the 13th minute, but defender Stephen Roberts headed a Stock free-kick harmlessly over the bar under heavy pressure.
BOOKING - Jon Worthington picked up in his fourth booking in as many games a minute later for a poor tackle on Donny Captain Stock.
Booth then narrowly missed out on latching onto a deep Brandon cross from the left in the next minute before Williams tried to score an identical second goal in the 17th minute, this time turning a Booth flick-on wide with his back to goal.
Jon Worthington then had a goal ruled out for offside in the 19th minute, but his run past Booth from midfield was reminiscent of the Worthy of old!
BOOKING - Rob Page then followed Worthy into the book after 20 minutes when referee Miller rightly yellow carded him for a late sliding challenge on Paul Green on the right flank.
The amount of runners from midfield for Town was very pleasing to see, with Mickey Collins the next to latch onto a through-ball - this time from Brandon - before shooting straight at goalkeeper Neil Sullivan in the 22nd minute. A minute later, Worthington latched onto a Booth header inside the box following a great cross-field ball from Williams before volleying inches over the bar.
Doncaster then came back into the game and created a glorious chance to equalise - only to be denied by a combination of Glennon and Holdsworth after 28 minutes. It was the impressive Stock who released James Coppinger on the right flank with a long ball and in turn he skinned Mirfin on the flank, putting in a great near-post cross. For the first time in the game striker Price beat Rob Page to a challenge and turned a header towards goal from close range, only to be denied by the hand of Glennon; however, it looked like Richie Wellens would turn the ball home at the far post. It was not to be, as Holdsworth pulled off an amazing last ditch tackle to clear the ball to safety.
Nathan Clarke then turned a gentle Paul Heffernan header off the line from the resulting corner after he had beaten Glennon to the ball and for the next ten minutes of the game, the away side were on top.
Having said that, Booth was inches away from heading home another Brandon cross after 36 minutes and the Terriers should have extended their lead again two minutes later.
Williams looked to have overrun the ball in midfield, but he still managed to put Jon Worthington in on goal again. If anybody deserved a goal it was the Town midfielder but his shot from just inside the area hit Sullivan's right-hand post. The ball rebounded to Chris Brandon, but his shot lacked the power to beat the goalkeeper.
SUB - Doncaster boss Sean O'Driscoll was obviously unhappy with proceedings and made a double substitution in the 40th minute; Gareth Taylor and Mark McCammon replacing Jason Price and Paul Heffernan.
Doncaster midfielder Wellens drove the ball wide of the post from 20 yards out two minutes later after a miss-kick from Williams, but Town went right back up the other end and almost scored through Booth, forcing a corner.
Referee Miller then blew his whistle to end what had been one of the most entertaining halves of football seen at the Galpharm this season.
Half-Time: Huddersfield Town 1 Doncaster Rovers 0
Doncaster came out of the tunnel with renewed vigour and crafted an early chance. Coppinger did well again on the right side and turned a low cross into the area for the massive McCammon. He controlled and turned, but placed his shot wide of the post in front of his own fans with Nathan Clarke in close attendance.
Paul Green then pulled a shot just wide of the opposite post after 49 minutes and the Rovers fans really started to believe they could get back into the game.
GOAL - Rovers did go on to equalise through Gareth Taylor in the 52nd minute. The goal started with a sublime touch from midfielder Green, who controlled a long pass and spun past Dave Mirfin on the right in one motion; he advanced to the by-line before pulling the ball back for the veteran striker, who finished well from around six yards out.
Town battled their way back into the game after the goal and enjoyed some possession of their own.
SENDING-OFF - Doncaster defender Matthew Mills was shown the red card after 58 minutes; Booth set Chris Brandon through on goal and the on-loan Manchester City defender brought him down with a push just before he entered the penalty area.
GOAL - From the resulting free-kick, Andy Holdsworth scored his second goals in as many appearances at the Galpharm Stadium to restore the lead. The young midfielder stepped up and hit a low effort into the corner of the goal that Sullivan should have been covering.
Doncaster had a reshuffle after the dismissal and resulting goal; James O'Connor moved into the vacant centre-back position and Green moved to right-back.
Town started to control the game, with Booth nodding a good Williams cross straight into the waiting arms of Sullivan in the 67th minute.
SUB - Murphy and Mitchell introduced Joe Skarz two minutes later; he replaced Robbie Williams in a straight swap at left wing-back.
Berrett was doing an excellent job of breaking up play in central midfield and for the next ten minutes, Doncaster could not get past him. Brandon was providing an excellent outlet for the Terriers going forward, really displaying the genuine pace he possesses on the afternoon.
SUB - Doncaster made their third and final change of the game after 78 minutes, replacing Wellens with former Hull winger Stuart Elliott.
Collins fired a side-footed effort over the bar a minute later after being cleverly set up by Holdsworth's disguised pass on the edge of the box before Doncaster went straight on the attack, Glennon taking two efforts to gather in an Elliott shot with McCammon in close attendance.
GOAL - Doncaster scored an excellent equaliser with six minutes left and it was the impressive Paul Green with a stunning strike. He received a clever pass into the areas from Coppinger but he struck the ball brilliantly to beat the outstretched leg of Page, leaving Glennon with absolutely no chance.
BOOKING - Referee Miller almost immediately booked Andy Holdsworth when play restarted; the reason for the yellow could forever remain a mystery.
The goal was hard on the Terriers, who had been in impressive form all afternoon. Brandon fizzed a left-footed shot over from the edge of the box with only a minute left.
BOOKING - James Berrett was correctly booked in the final minute for a late tackle on Elliott.
Town could have scored in the four minutes of added time, but it was not to be. James Berrett showed what a class act he will be all afternoon and it was his exceptional pass that released Joe Skarz down the left channel; he advanced to the dead ball line before floating a great cross to the back post, where Brandon headed just wide.
BOOKING - Joe Skarz then saw yellow for a shirt tug on Green in what was the final meaningful event of the game.
Huddersfield Town
Matt Glennon, Andy Holdsworth, Michael Collins, David Mirfin, Nathan Clarke, Chris Brandon, Jonathan Worthington, Robbie Williams (Joe Skarz 69), James Berrett, Andy Booth, Robert Page (c)
Unused Substitutes: Alex Smithies, Frank Sinclair, Malvin Kamara, Luke Beckett
Bookings: Jonathan Worthington 14, Robert Page 20, Andy Holdsworth 85, James Berrett 90, Joe Skarz 90
Attendance: 10,279
Visitors: 2,379
