Huddersfield Town 2 Southampton 0: Pilikington on target for Terriers

On arrival at the Galpharm, however, it was pointed out that the alpine-style transportation will have to wait until the completion of the 100m shopping and leisure complex stretching over 51 acres from the ground and up Leeds Road.

So it will be at least five years before Town can taunt small groups of travelling supporters with: "Gondola, you must have come in a gondola!"

What they can sing about now, however, is their team's push for promotion, which is firmly on track after ending Southampton's five-match unbeaten run under new manager Nigel Adkins, the former Scunthorpe chief.

Though Town had ended the division's remaining unbeaten record the previous week with victory at Colchester, this was a far more important victory.

Manager Lee Clark said the after-match celebratory huddle in the centre circle was more to do with how his side have bounced back from three successive defeats but he admitted that he certainly expects 15th-placed Saints to be in the promotion mix come the end of the campaign.

In many ways, Town must prefer facing clubs whose ambitions match their own for they are not content to merely sit back and frustrate Clark's side.

The opening 45 minutes certainly proved of Championship quality and intensity.

Saints tried to play everything out from the back but were continually harried into mistakes, strike duo Alan Lee and Lee Novak proving the first line of defence.

Joey Gudjonnson and Damien Johnson dovetailed perfectly in midfield, their manager claiming: "They were outstanding. I said before they went out that this is a big game and in the big games the big players come out to play.

"They have played at the highest level, they are both international footballers and they came out to play today."

Injury permitting, they look set to hold centre stage for the rest of the campaign so Antony Kay must be delighted he has found a new niche dropping back into central defence initially as cover for suspended Jamie McCombe but now there by right alongside captain Peter Clarke.

Another to make the most of his chance is injured international full-back Gary Naysmith's replacement, Academy-product Liam Ridehalgh, who snuffed out the threat of the vaunted Jason Puncheon.

"I had heard a lot about him and had seen him play before but you have to forget about that and treat him like any other winger," said the youngster. "I do feel part of the first team set-up now and Gary Naysmith was very supportive on my debut and told me to believe in myself and I think I have done that.

"Hopefully, if we play like we did today then I feel there is nothing to stop us getting automatic promotion."

Town certainly looked promotion material in that opening half, Anthony Pilkington scoring his fourth goal in three games in the sixth minute, pouncing on the rebound after Gudjonnson's shot had cannoned off the post following a corner conceded after a great save by Kelvin Davis had sent Graham Carey's cracking free-kick onto the bar.

Southampton tried to play their way back into contention but were given no respite and Lee could have done better when he lobbed over the bar as Davis back-pedalled after Jose Fonte had lost control to present the Town striker his opportunity.

Saints went close to equalising before the break when Johnson cleared Rickie Lambert's goalbound header but the visitors went in 2-0 down after Fonte headed out a free-kick from Carey and Icelander Gudjonnson hit a first-time low drive beyond Davis in the 45th minute.

It was no more than Town deserved but the game could have turned straight after the interval when Saints attacked down the right and a clever dummy from Richard Chaplow set up the opportunity for Guly Do Prado, who was denied by a terrific sliding challenge from Lee Peltier, who had to retire shortly after with calf trouble.

Pilkington was also withdrawn to protect a tight hamstring and Saints dangerman Lambert left with concussion after having his forehead bandaged following a clash with Clarke. But the biggest delay was caused when linesman Mark Sutton withdrew feeling dizzy and it took six minutes to locate Town's head of accounts, Gary Kellett, a qualified referee, to take over the fourth official's duties from Jason Tyas.

It resulted in 11 minutes of stoppage time but Saints, who had done more of the pressing during a half which was continually disrupted by free-kicks as neither side gave an inch, rarely tested Ian Bennett.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett, Peltier (Arfield 52), Kay, P Clarke, Ridehalgh; Pilkington (Garner 60), Gudjonnson, Johnson, Carey; Novak, Lee (Rhodes 81). Unused substitutes: Colgan, McCombe, N Clarke, Atkinson.

Southampton: Davis, Butterfield, Fonte, Scaborne, Harding; Puncheon (Schneiderlin 77), Hammond, Chaplow, Lallana; Do Prado (Barnard 67); Lambert (Bignall 70). Unused substitutes: Bialkowski, Jaidi, Richardson, Oxlade-Chamberlain.

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Alan Lee

Missed a glaring opportunity to score, but the Town fans gave him a standing ovation on being substituted after a robust display which would have even troubled the heavyweight boxing Klitschko brothers.

Villain: Jose Fonte

The Portuguese central defender obviously thought he could play the game at his own pace and became more than a touch petulant when he realised he could not. Lasted until the '99th minute' before being booked.

Key moment

46 minute: Brazilian Guly Do Prado looks to have an open goal until Town's Lee Peltier slides with a great challenge.

Ref watch

Colin Webster: None of his decisions affected the outcome but it became a lottery over when a challenge merited a booking or not.

Verdict

Southampton remain capable of living up to their billing as pre-season favourites but they met their match in Lee Clark's fired-up Huddersfield side.

Next game

Plymouth Argyle v Huddersfield Town, League One; Saturday October 23; 3pm.

Quote of the day

I have never experienced 11 minutes of stoppage time before but the delay killed the game and our tempo and made it even harder.

– Southampton's Jose Fonte on the search for a fourth official.

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