Thats 2 out of 2!
By Peter Lodge
August 14 2002
Last night Town lost 2-1 down to late goal from Plymouth...

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2-1 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

The team came out in a 4-3-3 formation with John Thorrington on his favoured right wing.  Town played well on the wings with some good overlapping and within the first 20 minutes had plenty of opportunities to score.  They kept the ball well but Plymouth were no pushovers and tested Town more than once.

John Thorrington was playing very well and linked up with Jenkins superbly.  The midfield was also a lot more promising than in the Brentford game, especially Kenny Irons, whose passing really helped Town up the tempo.

In the first 15 minutes or so Town had two chances which both involved Boothy.  One was his header from a corner which just went wide of the post and the other was when he linked up well with Thorrington whose run almost gained a free-kick on the edge of the area.

But Argyle threatened in the opening periods of the match and there were two scary moments when Michael Evans' shot went just wide of the post and when Hodges was clean through, however, Thorrington was quickly on hand to clear the danger.

Town played very well in the first half and Booth and McDonald both had chances which came from the right wing, where Jenkins and Thorrington were causing no end of trouble.  On 35, Booth looked like he would put us ahead when his powerful left-foot drive had the keeper well beaten but defender Stuart Malcolm cleared it with his toe. 

HALF TIME SCORE: 0-0

Town looked determined right from the start of the second half and Mattis and Booth both had good chances to put us ahead.  Boothy's flick-on from a Kevin Sharp cross found Mattis but he was off balance and with defenders closing in on him rapidly his header went wide.  Boothy's chance came just a minute later, a short ball from Mattis found him in the area but his shot was saved by a quality piece of goalkeeping from Larrieu.

Booth was again denied on 53 when he linked up with Chris Holland but his shot was saved by the acrobatics of the Plymouth keeper.

But Town suffered a shocking blow on 57.  McDonald's foul led to a Plymouth free-kick which found Hodges at the back post.  He headed back and David Friio was on hand to turn the ball in before any of the defenders could stop him.

After the goal, Town threatened again but failed to convert any chances.  There was a glimmer of hope when left-back McGlinchley was sent off on 81 after collecting two yellow cards when he kicked the ball away after the whistle had blown for a free-kick.

Lowndes nearly put Town out of their misery on 85 but on-loan keeper Scott Bevan was on hand to make a superb save.  But Town got the equalizer 2 minutes from time when Sharp's deep cross found Thorrington and he headed home.

But it was not to be as Eddie Youds gave away a seemingly harmless free-kick in stoppage time which was 40 yards out.  However, Jon Worthington kicking the ball away led to the free-kick being moved forward another ten yards, from 30 yards Plymouth might have someone who could, well...score.  And they did, in the form of skipper Watton, he drilled the ball past Bevan's flailing hand into the back of the net.

It was a disappointing game which Town should have won.  The question now will be whether Town have enough stike-force to convert all the chances the likes of Thorrington and Sharp are creating.

FULL TIME SCORE: 2-1

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