Huddersfield Town: The Play Offs

Hello my friends and welcome to the final installment of the 2010 — 11 season as we fight for the final promotion spot. Let’s see what happened.

It was time for the first leg of the play offs away to Bristol Rovers and confidence amongst the players was at an all time high. However that soon disappeared once the game started and we found ourselves on the back foot and constantly retreating towards our own goal. Rovers broke through our lines after 24 minutes with Chris Lines totally unmarked in the six yard box. Duffy would add a second for the home side nine minutes later and by half time the heads were down. I told the lads I needed to see more from them and Steve Gohouri led by example heading in from a corner six minutes after the break. We kept on pressing and searching for the equalizer which came from Gasmi who made a Giggs like run into box going past three defenders before burying into the net. That was just the tonic we needed and we added two more goals through Sigborsson and Roberts in the last ten minutes to come away with a two goal advantage.

In front of the biggest crowd of the season we welcomed Bristol Rovers for the second leg of the play off semi-final. Having beaten them a few days earlier we now held a two goal advantage but still the players stared the game very cautiously and both teams had chances in front of goal. In the end though it was that man Steve Gohouri who opened the floodgates starting things off with a header in from a corner that seems to be his trademark. Sigborsson added a second with a typical placed shot just before halftime to further our advantage. After the break Rovers threw everyone forward in a desperate attempt to pull something back and were finally rewarded with a goal in the 68^th minute but a defensive error 7 minutes later resulted in a penalty converted by Dean Hefferenan which killed off any hope of a Rovers revival. Substitute Daniel Kearns put the final nail in the coffin with a run down the right flank, turning inside past two Rovers defenders before curling into the top corner of the net for our fourth goal. It was a superb way to end the game and send us to the final where we will meet Millwall who came from two down to score seven against Watford in the second leg.

So we have finally reached the end of a long and arduous season but what better place to finish than at Wembley Stadium and it’s our second visit this season. As I led the team out I realized this could be my last match in charge as the board had not offered an extension to my contract which expires in July. The opening twenty minutes of the match was very cagy and it was our opponents Millwall who got the first attempt on goal which Jansson pulled of an incredible double save from short range. Our first real assault on goal came six minutes from the interval when what looked like a harmless cross by Skarz was met by the head of Pilkington and ended up in the net. The second half carried on where the first half started with both teams afraid to get too far forward but eventually Milwall did and found the equalizer twenty minutes from the end. I was thinking extra time and I had to replace Gasmi who picked up a knock. Millwall though suddenly sensed victory was at hand and pushed everyone forward but Sigborsson caught them on the break and was pulled down running into the box. Penalty!! Lee Peltier stepped up and smashed it straight down the middle, 2-1. Millwall threw caution to the wind and got caught again and from the conceded corner it was that man Steve Gohouri who headed in our third. Charlie Austin who came on for Moguena put the icing on the cake with an explosive volley from a Kearns cross as we left the Millwall defence stranded in the middle of the Wembley surface. It was a fantastic victory to end the campaign and we can look forward to life in the Coca Cola Championship next season.

After last season which featured moaning players, my job always in jeopardy and poor results this is a fantastic turnaround and I’m absolutely delighted at getting promoted. Following the game  I was offered a new contract which I duly accepted.

So that concludes this season and now comes a well deserved break before preparing for life in the Championship.

Thanks for reading and have a good and safe weekend.