Tranmere Rovers 0 Hudddersfield Town 2: Town close in on Wembley as Rhodes hits double

Such a reaction from the Terriers' top scorer was understandable after his double strike had ensured Lee Clark's side took another giant step towards Wembley.

Carlisle United, the Football League Trophy specialists, now stand between Town and a first return to the national stadium since 1995.

Getting past the Cumbrians in a two-legged Northern final during the New Year will not be easy, as is proved by the Cumbrians' proud record of having made five previous Wembley appearances in the final of a competition that now bears the name of sponsors Johnstone's Paint.

But if Huddersfield can repeat the professionalism that proved too much for Tranmere then Clark's men may just be heading to the capital on April 3 for a showdown with either Exeter City or Brentford, the two clubs who last night secured a place in the Southern Area final.

Both games ended in draws, with penalty shoot-outs needed to decide a winner, Brentford beating Charlton 3-1 on spot-kicks, Exeter edging out Bristol Rovers.

The Yorkshire side took the lead against Rovers in the 18th minute when a long ball from Jamie McCombe was flicked by Alan Lee into the path of Rhodes, who lobbed Gunnar Neilsen with ease from 25 yards out.

Going ahead was deserved reward for the visitors who had only been denied the opener 10 minutes earlier by a brilliant save from Neilsen that left Lee scratching his head as to how he had not finally broken his Town duck with a close-range effort.

The experienced striker was making his 17th appearance in Huddersfield colours and was again out of luck in the second half when Scott Arfield fired across goal from the byline when a rolled pass would have left Lee with a simple tap-in.

Lee, to his credit, did not allow frustration to get the better of him, so much so that it was the former Ipswich and Rotherham United frontman who created Town's second goal of the night midway through the second half with a sublime piece of skill.

First, a deft flick left Rovers defender Ian Goodison trailing before the veteran reclaimed possession wide on the left and rolled an inviting cross that Rhodes really could not miss from three yards out.

It meant that not only had the in-form Terriers striker taken his goal tally to six in four outings, but a tie that Tranmere had threatened to claw their way back into during the early stages of the second half was effectively over.

Rovers' big moment had come 11 minutes after the restart when referee Karl Evans had adjudged Gary Roberts to have fouled

Dale Jennings inside the penalty area.

Town were incensed by the decision but, just moments later, it was their 410 fans who were celebrating after Alex Smithies had beaten away Lateef Elford-Alliyu's spot-kick.

Tranmere Rovers: Nielsen; Wooton, Goodison, Grandison; Elford-Alliyu (Cresswell 71), Bakayogo, Welsh, Taylor, Jennings (McGurk 77); Showunmi, Akins. Unused substitutes: Collister, Blanchard,

Mantom.

Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Peltier, Kay, McCombe, Ridehalgh; Pilkington, Gudjonsson, Arfield, Roberts; Lee (Novak 75), Rhodes (Garner 81). Unused substitutes: Bennett, N Clarke, Atkinson.

Referee: K Evans (Gtr Manchester).