Bristol Rovers 0 Huddersfield Town 1: Defence holds firm to seal win after Rhodes steps in to find the net

Replacement referee Chris Powell, who took over the whistle from the injured Brendan Malone on 75 minutes, incurred the wrath of Memorial Stadium fans by disallowing two goals for the home side. But Clarke’s players felt both decisions were justified and he preferred to focus on a fine defensive display in which Peter Clarke and Jamie McCombe excelled.

He said: “I was a long way from the incidents that caused the two goals to be ruled out, but one was deemed to be offside and the other a push on our goalkeeper.

“You always fear the worst when the ball goes into your net, but we played some good football going forward and showed great desire and determination in our defending at the end.”

Jordan Rhodes was Huddersfield’s match-winner. Having originally been named on the substitute’s bench, the striker made the most of a late call-up to hook a well-placed shot past Conrad Logan from the edge of the box on five minutes.

Clarke explained: “Gary Roberts was ill before the game and we were forced into a late change. But we have strength in depth and Jordan’s performance, along with those of the three substitutes we used, proved that.”

Rhodes later had a 54th-minute penalty saved by the legs of Logan, while Joey Gudjonsson hit a post for the Terriers with a brilliant 12th-minute effort, curled in from the corner of the area.

McCombe’s every touch was booed by Rovers fans as an ex-Bristol City player, but he emerged smiling: “I must have done something right for City to be remembered so well. It’s a big result for us.”

Bristol Rovers: Logan; Senda, Tunnicliffe, Coles, Sawyer; Pell (Reece 68), Campbell (Richards 86), Lines, Hughes, Williams (Kuffour 50); Hoskins. Unused substitutes: Green, Blizzard, Bolger, Kalala.

Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Hunt, McCombe, P.Clarke, Jordan; Cadamarteri (Chippendale 65), Gudjonsson, Kilbane, Arfield; Afobe (Lee 78), Rhodes (Novak 68). Unused substitutes: Colgan, T.Clarke, Ridehalgh, Atkinson.

Referee: Brendan Malone (Wiltshire).

Man of the match: Peter Clarke.