Huddersfield 0 West Bromwich Albion 2: Town now turn their attention to becoming happy travellers

HAVING surrendered their unbeaten home run somewhat tamely, top scorer Jordan Rhodes believes Huddersfield Town are ready to redeem themselves on the road.

Town went into Saturday's third-round tie with a record of 11 wins and three draws at the Galpharm this season but the team with the best away record in English football prevailed.

Lee Clark's League One side were not disgraced against a team who only recently ripped Sheffield Wednesday to shreds in a Championship encounter at Hillsborough but they must be regretting their inability to inject fire and passion into their first-half performance.

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Baggies No 2 Eddie Newton admitted: "We were surprised that Hudersfield did not come at us. We had prepared for a physical encounter in the first 20 minutes and we thought it would be high octane stuff but it did not materialise and we were comfortable without taking advantage of it."

They could have been made to pay in the last minute of the half when Shelton Martis escaped any action when he shoved Rhodes as the striker went for a cross from Lee Novak and when Michael Collins also went down in the area challenging for a free-kick from Gary Roberts.

Rhodes said: "I think there were two or three claims which he should have given. When the defender has got his arms around you in the box and you go in to attack a corner or a cross then that's a foul and anywhere else on the pitch he would have given a certain free-kick.

"There were 13,000 fans who saw that he was pulling and shoving me but the two people that had to see it, the referee and his linesman, didn't."

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Rhodes conceded that the visitors were worthy winners. "They are a terrific side. We did okay for 70 minutes and then their class told and we gave them a chance and they put it away. That's the difference really.

"We have played the Championship's top two and I thought we did okay against Newcastle's B side in the Carling Cup (Town lost 4-3) and gave a good account of ourselves over 70-75 minutes again today but the game's over 90 and that's the difference with the top teams. We have to have that in mind if we want to become a West Brom or be as good as them one day.

"I would say they are a bit more clever and sharper defensively at their level. They are used to movement and most of them have played against such great players in the Premiership such as Rooney, Drogba and Torres. So when they come up to Huddersfield then you have to try and have something that will give them a problem but I don't think we broke them down enough today as we have done against other teams."

Town's second-half performance, however, has left everyone in confident mood for Saturday's League One trip to another team with Championship pedigree, Southampton, says Rhodes.

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"I think it is possibly an even bigger game. Southampton are a terrific side but now it's a fresh start in a new year and we go down there with no fear. Hopefully we can turn around our bad record away from home and one which we are not proud of.

"I have no idea why we have such a poor record (just two wins, two draws and seven defeats) because we have put in some very good performances away from home but with little reward especially against sides in the top six.

"We have played the top sides away and we have to go to the bottom 12 in 2010 so you never know it might be the start of a few away wins and that's what we will aim for."

Town could well have been preparing for a replay at the Hawthorns as they matched the visitors after the interval, Clark shoring up gaping holes in midfield with the introduction of Tom Clarke in a holding role alongside Antony Kay as Collins was pushed up to support Rhodes with Novak making way.

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It could be a useful formation away from home, too, but the experiment had to be shelved when right-back Lee Peltier hobbled off, leaving Tom Clarke to fill his place with Manchester United loanee Danny Drinkwater coming on for a cameo display of probing passes.

A minute before Peltier's withdrawal, however, outstanding defender Nathan Clarke made a foray into midfield and his intended pass to brother Tom was intercepted and the Baggies had four against two on the counter, Chris Brunt accepting the invitation to thread the ball through for Graham Dorrans to atone for a glaring first-half miss by placing the ball beyond Alex Smithies for the 77th-minute opener.

Former Owl Brunt, who Town never got to grips with as he cut in from the right, was again the provider, chipping the ball through for substitute Robert Koren to make the game safe five minutes later, despite the onrushing Smithies getting an arm to the shot.

The scouts were out in force watching Dorrans and Smithies and the Town youth international goalkeeper must have impressed the FA's Joe Corrigan with the save of the match from Brunt, although the post came to his rescue in the second half when he was beaten by a shot on the turn from left-back Marek Cech.

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Town had three decent opportunities after the break, Kay heading and firing narrowly wide and goalkeeper Scott Carson rushing out to smother at the feet of Roberts, who had been teed up by Rhodes following a delightful back-heel from Kay.

Town chief Clark said: "I hope this has shown that we can compete in the Championship. But what it has also shown us is that the higher you go the more the slightest mistakes can get punished.

"The players are hurt and angry in the dressing room because they've not been used to losing on their own patch.

"But they can't beat themselves up too much. We have more than competed with a team that is going to be in the shake-up for who gets into the biggest league in the world so let's not be too hard on ourselves."

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Huddersfield Town: Smithies, Peltier (Drinkwater 78), N Clarke, P Clarke, Skarz; Pilkington, Kay, Collins, Roberts (Robinson 85); Novak (T Clarke 58), Rhodes. Unused substitutes: Glennon, Butler, Ainsworth, Simpson.

West Bromwich Albion: Carson, Jara, Martis, Olsson, Cech; Brunt (Reid 88), Mulumbu, Dorrnas, Teizeira (Koren 66); Cox (Wood 75), Bednar. Unused substitutes: Kiely, Moore, Thomas, Samuels.

Referee: K Wright (Cambridgeshire).

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Nathan Clarke

The central defender, left, just edged out his partner and Town captain Peter Clarke for top honours, even though a mix-up with brother Tom led to West Bromwich opening the scoring.

Villain: Chris Brunt

The former Sheffield Wednesday flank player had too much nous for left-back Joe Skarz, continually cutting inside and making space and providing both goal-scoring passes.

Key moment

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45th minute: Lee Novak crosses and Jordan Rhodes goes down from a push from Shelton Martis but play is waved on.

Ref watch

Kevin Wright: The Cambridgeshire official pleased neither set of fans and believed Rhodes went down too easily.

Verdict

Lee Clark believes his League One side are ready to compete at Championship level but will also know that a couple of key areas need strengthening.

Next game

Southampton v Huddersfield Town, League One, Saturday, 3.00pm.

Quote of the day

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I said at half-time that it was more like a pre-season match than a blood and thunder FA Cup tie.

– Huddersfield Town chief Lee Clark.

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