9:45pm Tuesday 4th March 2008
By Andy Cryer
A CRAIG Easton double helped nine-man Town revive their play-off push but not before an explosive and controversial second half.p>
The midfielder struck twice after Billy Paynter had gven the hosts a deserved early lead to hand Town a comfortable 3-1 half time advantage.
Two second half sending offs for the hosts though, for Lee Peacock and Billy Paynter, saw the visitors peg Town back to 3-2, with their second penalty of the game, but they held on in an anxious last few minutes.
Referee Ray Lee was jeered off at the final whistle after a second half which saw him lose control.
Jack Smith was a last-minute inclusion in tonight's Town side, with Jamie Vincent being withdrawn after feeling his groin injury in the warm up.
Smith lined up at right back, with Miguel Comminges switched to the left, while Sofiene Zaaboub came into the squad and onto the bench.
Maurice Malpas has again tinkered with his wingers as Town look to revive their play-off bid in tonight's home clash with Huddersfield.
Anthony McNamee will start on the left wing, with Christian Roberts dropping down to the substitutes bench, while Craig Easton will continue on the right side of midfield.
Town were given the ideal start within five minutes, with Billy Paynter grabbing his ninth of the season.
McNamee's clever ball down the left sent Simon Cox clear and his cross was flicked home by the former Port Vale man.
Huddersfield hit back though and almost levelled on 14 minutes. Phil Smith punched Frank Sinclair's long throw clear but Andy Holdsworth's looping header sailed over him and was cleared off the line by Lee Peacock.
McNamee was making the most of his start and a mazy run past Sinclair ended in a deep cross towards Cox, but the striker could only volley wide from an angle on 20 minutes.
The former Watford man ghosted past Sinclair again just two minutes later and a replica deep cross was this time volleyed home at the far post by Craig Easton to double Town's lead.
Chris Brandon then volleyed wide after Smith's punch fell to him on the edge of the area on 27 minutes.
Smith two minutes later bravely denied Huddersfield a route back into the game, diving at the on-rushing Michael Collins' feet when he had been sent clear on goal.
Town were 3-0 ahead on 31 minutes, with Easton grabbing his second of the game. Cox held up Smith's long clearance, laid the ball off to Paynter and his square pass to the right was fired into the net by Easton, via a big Robbie Williams deflection.
The visitors were controversially handed a lifeline when referee Mr Lee pointed to the penalty spot after Collins went down under the challenge of Lee Peacock and Comminges. Phil Jevons cooly slotted home the spot kick on 39 minutes.
Chris Allen saw a rasping drive from 20-yards tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Matt Glennon in the dying seconds of the half.
Sinclair should have scored on 53 minutes when he headed wide from eight yards after Williams' right wing corner found him unmarked.
A quiet second half was suddenly brought to life on the hour mark when Lee Peacock was sent off for a late tackle on Malvin Kamara. The midfielder and Town fans were stunned by the decision..
Town boss Maurice Malpas immediately withdrew Simon Cox for Jon-Paul McGovern as he looked to bolster the midfield in Peacock's absence.
Huddersfield piled forward looking for a way back into the game but, to Town's credit, Smith's goal remained relatively untroubled.
It was the hosts who almost scored the next goal, McNamee seeing an audacious 35-yard lob well held by Glennon on 70 minutes.
Referee Ray Lee incensed the home faithful further on 75 minutes when he sent Paynter off for handball on the line and awarded Huddersfield another penalty. To be fair this time he had no choice, with Andy Booth's goalbound header punched off the line, and Jevons converted the spot kick.
Luke Beckett was then fortunate to escape a red card of his own, after his elbow connected with Jack Smith.
Phil Smith produced a brilliant tip over with six minutes remaining from Booth's header as nine-man Town valiantly held on.
Huddersfield even pushed goalkeeper Glennon up for a late corner in the dying seconds but they were unable to secure a point.
TOWN: Phil Smith, Jack Smith, Lee Peacock, Jerel Ifil, Craig Easton, Miguel Comminges, Hasney Aljofree, Billy Paynter, Chris Allen, Anthony McNamee, Simon Cox SUBS: Peter Brezovan, Sofiene Zaaboub, Christian Roberts, JP McGovern, Moses Ashikodi
HUDDERSFIELD: Matt Glennon, Andy Holdsworth, Michael Collins, David Murfin, Nathan Clarke, Chris Brandon, Robbie Williams, Frank Sinclair, Phil Jevons, Malvin Kamara, Andy Booth SUBS: Simon Eastwood, Joe Skarz, John Worthington, Danny Schofield, Luke Beckett
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