Town 2-1 Huddersfield
Sunday, 13th Feb 2000 22:37

As was inevitable Marcus Stewart was the man that ultimately made the difference between Town and Huddersfield, his former employer. The £2.5 million man hit the Blues' second in the 73rd minute after James Scowcroft had scored Town's first and Dean Gorre had hit an equaliser for the Yorkshire side.

Town lined up as last week with the exception of the missing Gary Croft. The wing-back had injured his groin in training and was on the bench. Fabian Wilnis took his place.

Town started the brighter and Marcus Stewart had a header saved when he might have done better. At the other end his former strike partner Clyde Wijnhard put a cross over from the right which Richard Wright had a few problems with. The ball seemingly clipped the woodwork before being cleared down Town's right flank.

Town went ahead in the 28th minute when excellent work down the left from Wayne Brown and Jamie Clapham saw the former Tottenham man put a cross over for Matt Holland about fifteen yards out. The Town skipper headed powerfully goalwards but saw the ball cannon back off the post to the right hand side of the goal where James Scowcroft finished clinically. A well-deserved lead for Town and one they would take into half-time.

The second half started with drama as James Scowcroft was pulled down just inside the penalty area. It was an obvious penalty and David Johnson and Matt Holland both went to grab the ball. They appeared to beckon club penalty-taker Jim Magilton over whilst the Ulsterman tied his shoelace and waved them away.

Johnson placed the ball, but seemed reluctant to take the kick. As he started his run-up the referee blew his whistle which caused the Town striker to stop in his tracks.

What caused the ref to blow his whistle is a mystery, although Jon Dyson had encroached some way into the box, however if that was the case referee Roy Pearson failed to have words with the player.

Johnson started his run again and hit the ball to Vaesen's left, but too close to the Belgian who made the save. This blow rattled Town for a while, but they were back dominating the game again within about ten minutes when ironically the Terriers equalised. As against Sheffield United the goal came out of the blue with Gorre stealing his way into the penalty area unhindered and planting the ball wide of Richard Wright. Wayne Brown might look at his levels of concentration as Gorre appeared to be his man.

Town continued to push for a second and it came through the boot of Marcus Stewart with 17 minutes left. Jamie Clapham played the ball into Stewart who turned and fired past the static Vaesen for his second goal for Town. The striker appeared to run towards the dug-outs after scoring, perhaps making a point to Steve Bruce, the man who sold him two weeks ago.

Town could perhaps have added more late on with a run from Richard Naylor halted when the striker was upended. The referee deemed the ball to have been the target of the defender's tackle, although many in the North Stand felt otherwise.

With virtually nothing left but four minutes of injury time (where did that come from Mr Pearson?) substitute Gary Croft went in for a challenge with Dyson and came off worse. The Town defender was on the ground for several minutes as play continued and was then stretchered off. What seemed a very serious injury at the time turns out to be a gash which will keep him out of the side for three weeks.

Another good win over promotion rivals then and with Crewe Town's next opponents the pressure is being kept on the two teams above us.

R Wright 6 Fluffed cross

Wilnis 6 Again poor

McGreal 8 Very solid

Mowbray 8 Equally solid

Brown 7 Good, but at fault on goal

Clapham 8 Excellent performance (Croft 85 (Stockwell 90))

Holland 8 Tough tackling, ball winning, header taking...

Magilton 9 Ran the midfield again

Scowcroft 8 Another classy show

Johnson 6 Not at his best at the moment. Needs a goal (Naylor 87)

Stewart 9 Is taking his chances and looked busy all afternoon