Swindon were rewarded for a clinical first-half display despite a real second-half fight-back from the Terriers on a chilly evening at the County Ground. After going three goals behind it looked bleak for Town, but two penalties from Phil Jevons - combined with two red cards for the home side - made for a frantic last ten minutes; however, Andy Ritchie's side could not get that vital equaliser.
Town started the game in a 4-4-2 formation, with goalkeeper Matt Glennon lining up behind a four-man defence of Robbie Williams, Nathan Clarke, David Mirfin - making his 150th League appearance as a replacement for the suspended Robert Page - and skipper Frank Sinclair. Malvin Kamara and Chris Brandon occupied the right and left wings with Andy Holdsworth and Michael Collins in the centre of midfield, leaving Andy Booth to partner Phil Jevons in attack.
GOAL - The game started in fairly even fashion, but Swindon Town scored with the first real chance of the game after just four minutes. A clever ball down the left flank saw Simon Cox break free down the left side as Nathan Clarke tried to step up to play him offside; the striker advanced to the by-line before squaring the ball back to the penalty spot where burly striker Billy Paynter got in front of his defender to turn the ball home with his right foot.
Swindon were impressive in the opening stages, with their defence and midfield forming two rigid banks of four when the Terriers tried to attack. Paynter was proving to be a handful for Clarke and Mirfin in the air - just as Andy Booth was for the Swindon centre-backs at the other end.
Phil Jevons flicked a Clarke long-throw towards goal in the 11th minute but his effort lacked the pace or direction to beat Swindon custodian Smith. Three minutes later another Clarke launch caused havoc in the area, with Lee Peacock eventually having to clear a Holdsworth header off the line.
The Terriers started to put some real pressure on the home side around the quarter hour mark without creating any clear-cut chances. Booth and Jevons were exerting good pressure on the Swindon defence, forcing them to gift the ball straight back to Town when clearing.
However it was the Robins who created the next chance on the stroke of 20 minutes. The lively McNamee picked up a loose ball on the left flank after Sinclair and Clarke had challenged for the same ball in the air and went on the outside of Dave Mirfin, crossing deep to the back post; thankfully for Town, Cox pulled his volley wide of Matt Glennon's right-hand post.
GOAL - Swindon then doubled their advantage in almost identical fashion to that move after 23 minutes; this time McNamee picked the ball up and turned inside Sinclair before crossing deep once more. The ball was perfect for right-winger Craig Easton, who timed his run perfectly to slide the ball past a helpless Matt Glennon from around 8 yards out.
Town tried to fight back and you felt that a set-piece would be the most likely source of a goal for Ritchie's side. Another Clarke long-throw after 27 minutes - this time from the left side - caused problems for Swindon 'keeper Smith again, leading to a volleyed chance on the edge of the box for Chris Brandon; unfortunately, he sliced his volley around three foot wide of the left-hand post.
Jevons then came close to creating an equaliser for Collins three minutes later. He intelligently dropped off to pick up the ball and perfectly found the run of the midfielder, who had advanced past Andy Booth. The Irishman advanced into the penalty box, but 'keeper Smith was brave and took a knock when smothering the ball at the feet of the Town man.
GOAL - Swindon then went right up the other end and made it 3-0 after 31 minutes. Paynter won a headed challenge from a long ball and then picked up a pass on the edge of the area. He intelligently lifted the ball over the head of Williams and into the path of Craig Easton, who controlled the ball and drove the ball towards goal from around ten yards out. Cruelly, Matt Glennon was beaten due to a massive deflection on the shot from Williams, who had got back and could only partially block the ball.
BOOKING - Andy Booth was booked in the 33rd minute for a late challenge on defender Hasney Aljofree.
The lively Jevons then forced Smith into a good save from a 25-yard free-kick after 36 minutes, Jerel Ifil having pushed Booth in the back.
Town then won a penalty in the 39th minute; a great one-two between Jevons and Collins released the latter into the area and as he reached the by-line, a mixture of Aljofree and Comminges were adjudged to have brought him down.
GOAL - Up stepped Phil Jevons to send the goalkeeper the wrong way in sliding the ball into the bottom right corner to give the Terriers a glimmer of hope. That penalty was the former Everton man's seventh in Town colours.
Collins had been the best of the eleven Huddersfield players in the opening half and it was fair to say that Town had enjoyed the majority of possession in the half. Perhaps at times they had not moved it quickly enough, but they were creating chances when going forward and it was mistakes at the back that had cost them thus far.
Town were almost punished again with a minute of the half remaining when Cox beat Dave Mirfin to an aerial ball. Some patient build-up around the Town box ended up with Allen driving the ball towards goal from the right side; this time, Glennon did marvellously to turn the ball over the bar with one hand.
Half-Time: Swindon Town 3 Huddersfield Town 1
The early stages of the second-half were fairly even, with the Terriers continuing to close down their opponents in hurried fashion in an attempt to score a second. The home fans got a little bit frustrated as their side constantly gave possession back to the Terriers.
Kamara won a corner in the 52nd minute, from which a driven Robbie Williams delivery was glanced wide by Frank Sinclair. It was a good chance for the former Chelsea defender, who is yet to open his Huddersfield account.
The home side were struggling to get out of their own half and the Terriers almost created a great chance when a Collins header found Booth in the box but the legendary striker had drifted just offside. Collins and Holdsworth were at the centre of Town's good work and the former should have pulled the trigger when inside the box after a great run on 58 minutes.
BOOKING - Billy Paynter became the first Swindon player to enter the book after 59 minutes for a foul on Robbie Williams in the centre-circle.
SENT-OFF - The referee then became more unpopular when he sent-off Lee Peacock for a foul on Malvin Kamara. The nearby Andy Booth was livid with the high challenge from the Swindon man after 61 minutes, but Peacock looked distraught at the decision.
SUB - In the immediate aftermath of the red card, Maurice Malpas brought on Jon-Paul McGovern for striker Simon Cox; the home side switching to 4-4-1 to protect their lead.
Town started to pepper the home side with balls into the area, but since Swindon still had those two banks of four they were proving to be no easier to break down. Andy Booth had a couple of tame headers at goal when under heavy pressure but Phil Smith had no problems in collecting them.
Anthony McNamee tried an audacious lob over Matt Glennon from around 35 yard with twenty minutes remaining but the Town custodian easily collected. Despite this effort, the Terriers were still the aggressors.
SUB - Andy Ritchie then made his first change of the evening, with Luke Beckett coming on for Robbie Williams after 73 minutes. This change saw Town switch to a 3-4-3, with our top scorer joining Jevons and Booth in attack.
SENDING-OFF - Swindon then went down to nine men with quarter of an hour remaining. A free-kick into the box from Frank Sinclair was met by the head of Booth who beat 'keeper Smith, only for Billy Paynter to punch the ball off the line.
GOAL - Up stepped Phil Jevons, who sent the keeper the wrong way again to score his second and give the Terriers a lifeline.
SUB - Malpas had to bring a striker on, so Moses Ashikodi immediately replaced the impressive McNamee.
BOOKED - Ashikodi immediately challenged Clarke after the ball had gone and was yellow carded.
With Swindon down to nine and Town needing another goal to get back into the game, the last ten minutes promised to be frantic. A brilliant left-foot cross from Brandon and back-post header from Booth in the 82nd minute forced Smith into a great save and from the resulting corner the 'keeper had to be alert to save a Nathan Clarke header.
Booth headed a good Frank Sinclair cross over the bar with five minutes left before Michael Collins sent an edge of the box curler miles over the bar two minutes later - much to his visible frustration. With all the stoppages in the game, it was no surprise to see four minutes of time added at the end of the game.
SUB - Substitute Ashikodi was substituted for Christian Roberts late on after he picked up an injury and the bearded forward helped his side hang on for all three points.
Huddersfield Town
Matt Glennon, Andy Holdsworth, Michael Collins, David Mirfin, Nathan Clarke, Chris Brandon, Robbie Williams (Luke Beckett 73), Frank Sinclair (c), Phil Jevons, Malvin Kamara, Andy Booth
Unused Subs: Simon Eastwood, Joe Skarz, Jonathan Worthington, Danny Schofield
Booking: Andy Booth 33
Attendance: 4,813
