Huddersfield Town 2 Port Vale 1

Last updated : 26 December 2004 By Footymad Previewer
Forward Pawel Abbott secured Huddersfield's first home win for two months with his 16th goal of the season and his third strike in four games.

Abbott latched onto midfielder Chris Brandon's audacious back-heel on 8 minutes and lashed in a curling drive that left Vale keeper Jonathan Brain dumbstruck.

It was also Abbott's fourth goal against Vale this term - the Poland under - 21 international bagged the hat-trick in a 3-0 win at Vale Park in September.

Just minutes earlier Danny Schofield, restored to the side in a new 4-4-2 formation, put Town ahead with a crisp finish from 20 yards after he was put through by Tony Carss.

Town looked more threatening with a switch away from their usual 3-5-2 shape and should have had the game wrapped up not long after Abbott doubled the home side's advantage.

Brain blocked with his legs to deny Abbott a second goal after he was put clear by John McAliskey's pass.

It could have proved a costly miss as the home side allowed Vale to dominate the remaining 75 minutes.

Youngster Simon Eldershaw scored his first goal for the Valiants on 38 minutes with a downward header that bounced over the line from Christopher Birchall's byline cross.

Vale then had four efforts at goal either blocked or saved in a mad scramble in the six-yard box just before the break and soon after the restart Town keeper Paul Rachubka twice denied Jeff Smith.

The visitors pressed for an equaliser with manager Martin Foyle making a double substitution on 78 minutes in a bid to secure a richly deserved leveller. Levi Reid and Lee Matthews came on for Robin Hulbert and Eldershaw and the pair made an immediate impact.

Reid's through ball put striker Billy Paynter in the clear but Paul Rachubka saved with his legs and the impressive stopper was on hand again to deny Mathews what seemed a certain equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time with a fine parry to flick away the Vale player's goal-bound header.

Town hung on to a record their first home win since a 3-1 success over MK Dons in October.