Earlier this afternoon Huddersfield were promoted to the Premiership. Back in the 2008/09 season they were in Division One as were Hereford United.
Here's a look back to December 20th 2008:
Huddersfield humble hearty Hereford
Huddersfield
Town got their Lee Clark era under way with a 2-0 home victory over
Hereford United this afternoon at the impressive Galpharm Stadium. The
Bulls created a host of chances at the start of either half but failed
to convert any of them. United were ultimately punished by their hosts
when Nathan Clarke scored from close-range and the advantage was doubled
when Gary Roberts finished a flowing move.
The Bulls
were unchanged following on from their two match unbeaten run although
Robbie Threlfall returned to the bench in place of Clint Easton, after a
lengthy period out injured. Huddersfield included three ex Accrington
men in their starting line-up with Roberts joining Robbie Williams and
Ian Craney. Keigan Parker returned after a three match ban with former
Everton striker Danny Cadamarteri having to be content with a place on
the bench.
The away side made a lively start to the
game with Josh Gowling nearly scoring his first goal for the club;
Lionel Ainsworth sent in a corner which was nodded on and at the
back-post Gowling headed towards goal and was only denied by a goal-line
clearance. Richard Rose had a powerful effort blocked before Andy
Williams sliced over the rebound whilst a Guinan header, this time from a
Done corner, was held by the impressive Huddersfield ‘keeper Alex
Smithies. The home side came into the game and soon started creating
chances of their own with Jim Goodwin hitting the side-netting with a
placed effort after good hold-up work from Parker. Goodwin then turned
provided as he sent in a deep cross which was met the back-post by R.
Williams but his header was denied by a fine save from Craig Samson as
he pushed the ball over the bar.
The Scottish ‘keeper
was again the hero moments later as Roberts sent an in swinging corner
with Clarke meeting it in the area but once more, Samson made an
excellent close-range save. The former Ipswich man was starting to get
into the game and he sent a shot into the body of Samson, before setting
up Craney who shot wildly into the away fans. The combative central
midfield man went a little closer with his next effort however, as a
pass from Parker made its way to Craney and he fired just over from 20
yards. United looked threatening on the break and a snapshot effort from
Guinan from all of 30 yards had Smithies scrambling to hold the shot.
The
home side continued to press with Roberts running at the Bulls’
back-line, eventually turning past Beckwith before curling just past the
far-post with his un-favoured right-foot.Two neat passing moves, a
highlight of Huddersfield’s play, resulted in chances for both R.
Williams and Roberts once again but Samson was on hand to make routine
saves. Clarke ventured forward from the back to skip past Toumani
Diagouraga but gave a ‘defender’s finish’ as he failed to trouble Samson
whilst at the other end, Dean Beckwith headed at Smithies from an
Ainsworth corner. The Terriers won a corner of its own and it wasn’t
cleared, falling nicely to Roberts whose control set him up for a strike
which he hit truly but it went just over. In the final moments,
Hereford had arguably their best chance of the half with Ainsworth
instrumental in a superb counter-attack; the Watford loanee used some
tricks to get Hereford out of trouble at the back, before bringing both
Guinan and A. Williams into play whilst continuing his run. The ball
made its way to Ainsworth down the right-wing and in front of the
back-line but he decided to take the shot a little early and sent it
just past the near post.
The Bulls came out in the
second-half in confident fashion and dominated the opening proceedings
to silence the vocal home support. A. Williams used his body to spin
past a defender before touching past another but he couldn’t beat the
‘keeper from 20 yards as Smithies denied his powerful strike. Ainsworth
was the danger man, as has been the case in the last two matches,
playing a one-two with Guinan before breaking into the box but he
couldn’t keep his composure as he blasted over from a fine position. A
beautiful left-footed cross from Kris Taylor was flicked onto the roof
of the net by Guinan at the near-post before a looped cross from
Ainsworth was tamely headed wide by A. Williams. In a carbon copy of the
earlier chance, Taylor again whipped in a superb cross for Guinan with
this time the experienced striker heading, under pressure, inches past
the back-post. Phil Jevons replaced James Berrett as Clark added another
attacking threat to his team and the former Bristol City man nearly
made an instant impact as he headed just over after good-work on the
wing from Roberts.
Guinan picked out a decent pass to
release Matty Done down the wing and he crossed into the danger-area
where Ainsworth popped up at the back but his half-volley was hit into
the ground and was easy for Smithies. Guinan was also involved in
setting-up Ben Smith after good hold-up work, the Bulls’ captain smashed
goal wards with Smithies finger-tips diverting it over. United were
denied a penalty after A. Williams appeared to be tripped inside the
area but the referee turned down the strong appeals; he did however send
John Trewick to the stands for his protests. Cadamarteri took to the
field in place of Craney and was involved as Huddersfield broke the
deadlock. Taylor had deflected a shot from Parker out for a corner and
after this was cleared, the lack of players up-field for United
contributed to it coming straight back into the box; Cadamarteri found
room on the right-wing and crossed into a superb area where Guinan tried
his best to head it clear but it went straight to Clarke who tucked in
from close-range.
It appeared to be the story of
Hereford’s season, too many chances not taken and teams then going onto
punish them. The Whites had a golden chance to equalise but failed to
take it; Taylor again gave an excellent option on the wing by crossing
and it made its way to Ainsworth who saw a powerful right-foot effort
parried before the re-bound was sliced just wide from a stretching
Guinan. Clarke tried his best to double his goal tally for the day but a
header was denied by Samson. Parker curled past the far-post after
turning 25 yards out before the Terriers doubled their lead. Roberts and
Jevons linked up superbly down the left-hand side and into the box
before the ball made its way to the winger who made no mistake by
powerfully toe-poking past the despairing dive of Samson.
Credit
must be handed to Hereford who kept on going with Guinan having a 20
yard shot pushed behind by Smithies whilst Parker dragged a shot past
the post at the other end. A. Williams was nearly rewarded when he
closed down a sloppy back-pass to challenge the ‘keeper but the ball
deflected off the striker and bounced just over the open goal. Simon
Johnson and Nick Chadwick came on for A. Williams and Done late on and
the pair linked-up to release Chadwick but the former Plymouth striker
saw his shot deflect wide. Jon Worthington came on for Parker before in
stoppage time, Taylor saw his curling free-kick from 25 yards well saved
by Smithies.
Under the guidance of the new manager
and the backing of the majority of the 13,070 crowd, Huddersfield came
through a tricky test although the away following of 214 will be
encouraged by Hereford’s performance. If United had managed to get the
first-goal, the game could have taken a much different path but the
killer instinct still appears to be lacking up front. For all A.
Williams hard-work up top, he rarely looks like he will pop up with a
goal. Next up United is the Boxing Day visit of Tranmere Rovers, before a
trip to league leaders Leicester City two days later.
Hereford: Samson, Rose, Gowling, Beckwith, Taylor, Ainsworth, Diagouraga, Smith, Done, Guinan, Williams.
Subs: Broadhurst, Threlfall, Gwynne, Johnson, Chadwick.
Huddersfield: Smithies, Berrett, ,N. Clarke, Goodwin, Butler, Williams, Holdsworth, Craney,Collins, Parker, Roberts.
Subs: Glennon, Worthington, T. Clarke, Jevons, Cadamarteri.