Huddersfield Town

As Capital One Cup First Round ties go, Town Captain Peter Clarke believes Tuesday night’s home game against Bradford City ticks all the boxes. 

Town will face off against the Bantams in the Club’s first competitive home game of the 2013/14 campaign looking to progress in the competition at the expense of last season’s beaten finalists – but he knows it won’t be easy.

“As a player, to face one of your local rivals on home turf gives you a great opportunity to show your fans what you can do and give them the bragging rights. Most importantly, we want to progress in this competition.

“Bradford did ever so well in this competition last season and still ended their league campaign on a high with promotion. All credit to Phil Parkinson, who has done a terrific job. 

“We are well aware that we are going to face good opposition on Tuesday night that will pose a test.”

One of Bradford’s strengths is in attack, where the highly-rated Nahki Wells often teams up with target man James Hanson to good effect. 

Peter continued: “Bradford have a little bit of an ‘old fashioned’ style strike force; the ‘big man, little man’ combo. Be it big or small, I always look forward to the challenge of any striker I come up against. It’s good to pit your wits against different players and Tuesday night is no exception. I’m looking forward to the battle. They pose threats, but I’m there to nullify that danger.”

The Terriers will be looking to register their first win of the new season following Saturday’s narrow defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Clarke explained: “I’m never happy when we get beaten, but in some ways there were some really good positives to take from Saturday’s game. We were very disciplined, really limiting Nottingham Forest in an attacking sense for the most part. Other than the goal, I don’t think they had any clear-cut chances.

“If we can carry on like that as a team, while tweaking little bits and pieces going forward, I’m sure we’ll pose a real threat and be in for a good campaign.” 

Peter is particularly keen to make a positive impression on Town’s home faithful as they get their first glimpse of the team this season:

“We showed glimpses of what we can do in the Betis friendly, but when you get back on your home turf for the first competitive game of a season you want to put on a good show for the home supporters. We want to give our fans something to shout about. 

“Hopefully our fans will see the work that has been put in on the training ground during pre-season, both tactically and in terms of fitness.”