Town drew their opening game of the 2008/09 campaign against a newly-promoted Stockport County outfit. Fittingly, Andy Booth scored the first goal of Town's Centenary campaign with a typical header in the first-half but on the stroke of the interval Tommy Rowe levelled things. Despite a hard-fought second 45, the game finished all level.
New boss Stan Ternent lined his team up in a 4-4-2 formation, with six players making their Terriers debuts. The ever-reliable Matt Glennon lined up in goal, with former England full-back Dave Unsworth at left-back and Andy Holdsworth on the opposite flank alongside of Andy Butler and skipper Chris Lucketti. In midfield, new midfield general Jim Goodwin lined up next to Michael Collins, with Michael Flynn and Gary Roberts on the left and right respectively. Up front, Andy Booth partnered Danny Cadamarteri.
Both teams started brightly, obviously eager to impress at the start of the season, and Michael Collins became the first player to manage a shot on target at the Galpharm this term when he sent a low, skidding 20-yard effort straight at 'keeper Williams in the 13th minute.
Stockport carried their own threat and came close to scoring themselves two minutes later. Right-winger Pilkington turned inside Jim Goodwin cleverly 25-yards out and hit a rasping shot that Glennon could only parry; thankfully for Town, Matt recovered quickly and caused striker Thompson to sky his effort on the rebound by putting him under severe pressure.
When the visitors were on the attack, Cadamarteri was falling back to make a midfield five that was proving hard to break down. However, Jim Gannon's Stockport were equally well organised and centre-back Raynes was competing well with Andy Booth in the air.
Midfielder Flynn and Cads swapped roles soon afterwards but is was Collins who was testing the goalkeeper again in the 20th minute - his deflected 25-yard drive looping into the arms of Owain Fon Williams.
The game was a very even affair and Stockport left-back Rose flashed a brilliant near-post cross across the face of Glennon's goal a minute later, with Thompson not far away from making contact.
Cadamarteri was always a threat on the ball and he easily turned County Captain Owen on the edge of the box in the 23rd minute before advancing and hitting a low shot towards the far post that Williams gathered in well.
Raynes headed a deep Rowe corner well over the bar from an acute angle two minutes later, but it looked like new boy Roberts would open the scoring when he raced clear in the 29th minute, latching onto a great through-ball by Flynn; however, centre-back McNulty got across brilliantly to execute a vital slide tackle - clearing the ball for a corner.
GOAL - From the resulting corner, Town scored the first goal of the Centenary season and it was fitting that Andy Booth grabbed it! Gary Roberts produced a brilliant, whipped near-post corner delivery and the legendary striker rose highest, glancing the ball into the vacant far post to give Town the lead.
The game entered a quiet spell following the goal, but Michael Collins once again tested the opposition goalkeeper in the 36th minute with another long drive.
Town earned a 38th minute free-kick around 25 yards out after Andy Booth caught a high foot to the face, from which Roberts forced Williams to tip the ball over the bar acrobatically. Had his pacy, curling effort been further towards the corner, the goalkeeper would have had no chance.
In truth, Stan Ternent's side had taken control of the game following the opener and the impressive Flynn headed a high, misdirected clearance from Stockport over the bar from twelve yards out with four minutes of the half remaining.
GOAL - In the one minute of added time added on by the referee, Stockport equalised. Right-back Jonny Mullins crossed and left-winger Tommy Rowe, who had come in off the flank, slotted the ball into the far post with his weaker right foot.
HALF-TIME: Huddersfield Town 1 Stockport County 1
SUBS: Stockport boss Jim Gannon made two changes at half-time: big striker Matty McNeil came on for left-back Rose and Carl Baker came on for winger Pilkington.
Stan Ternent had visibly changed Town's shape during the interval too, pushing Gary Roberts further up the field to form a three-pronged attack alongside the central Booth and Cadamarteri on the left. Boothy was the first to try his luck in the second-half after 46 minutes, but he screwed his edge of the box volley badly high and wide.
'Robbo' started the half well for the Terriers and his near-post corner almost snuck into goal two minutes later, only for Williams to push the ball away to safety.
Stephen Gleeson took advantage of an injury which incapacitated Chris Lucketti briefly after 53 minutes, cutting inside onto his left-foot and shooting narrowly wide of Matt Glennon's left-hand post from the edge of the box.
The game was picking up pace and the atmosphere inside the Galpharm was building; Andy Booth drawing applause in the 58th minute when he headed a good Holdsworth cross from the right over the crossbar under heavy pressure.
SUB - Jonathan Worthington was introduced by Ternent on the hour mark, replacing Michael Flynn.
Dave Unsworth tried to open his Town account with a free-kick after 63 minutes following a trip on Jim Goodwin to the right side of the box, but the former Everton defender hit his effort well over the bar.
A minute later, new Stockport signing Baker weaved his way into the Town box with a mazy dribble before trying to chip the ball into the far corner, much like Eric Cantona's famous goal for Manchester United - unlike the Frenchman, his effort went over!
Town almost scored a carbon copy of their first goal after 66 minutes; an in swinging Roberts corner was met by the head of Andy Booth, but this time 'keeper Williams managed to parry the effort before clearing the ball to safety with his legs.
BOOKING - One of the Stockport coaches was sent to the stands by the referee a minute later after he complained too strenuously, and seconds later Michael Collins was booked for a late challenge on a centre-back.
Stockport midfielder Gleeson hit a strong shot wide of Matt Glennon's left-hand post in the 74th minute.
SUB - Luke Beckett was introduced to the game in the 75th minute, replacing goal-scorer Booth.
Captain Lucketti was needed to pull off a brilliant block on a Thompson shot with ten minutes remaining as both sides battled hard for a winner.
Jim Goodwin delivered a tantalising cross into the box in the 83rd minute after his left-sided corner was cleared from the box, but the onrushing Gary Roberts got slightly underneath the delivery and the ball drifted behind for a goal-kick.
Cadamarteri played a beautifully weighted ball over the top of the Stockport defence for Gary Roberts in the 88th minute, but as he advanced into the area Michael Raynes leaned on him and he could only scuff a shot straight at the goalkeeper.
County came right back up the other end and the impressive sub Baker forced Matt Glennon to make a splendid save; he acrobatically pushed away the winger's curling left-foot shot.
In the end, that was the final meaningful action of the game as Town drew their opening League game of the season.
Huddersfield Town:
Matt Glennon, Andy Holdsworth, Michael Collins, Danny Cadamarteri, Michael Flynn (Jonathan Worthington 60), Jim Goodwin, Gary Roberts, Andy Butler, Chris Lucketti (c), David Unsworth, Andy Booth (Luke Beckett 75)
Unused Substitutes: Alex Smithies, Joe Skarz, Keigan Parker
Goal: Andy Booth 30
Booking: Michael Collins 69
Attendance: 15,578
Visiting: 1,877
