Huddersfield Town v Middlesbrough
The Sky Bet Championship
Friday December 29th - 19:45 ko
at the John McAlpharm Stadium

Quote:That’s what we’re talking about!

A nice Boxing Day gift for all!!

Very proud of the staff and especially the players for going all out when shorthanded. Everyone played together and we got a much deserved result!

Very pleased to give the home supporters an entertaining match, now let’s get some momentum going this weekend.

Can’t WAIT to get out there for the month and pitch in.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but today was a great start!!

The most recent game was a 1-1 draw up at the Riverside Stadium. Our London Welsh wizard, Sorba Thomas fired in a corner from in front of the Town fans, which appeared to go straight in. Replays showed that it went in off the unfortunate Dael Fry to be the first of "Own Goals" entries into our leading scorers chart this season.

That was shortly after half time. Boro equalised on the hour through Hayden Hackney.

That match came just a week and a bit after we had met in the Carabooboo Cup first round. We lost 3-2 after taking an early lead through the nasty wee prick, Kian Harratt, after good work from Josh Austerfield winning the ball off an over elaborate Boro side trying to play out from the back.

They went route 1 for the next significant happening in the match when with less than a quarter of an hour on the clock, a long ball played over the top ended with Jaheim Headley inadvertantly touching one of the Boro attackers and getting sent off. That changed the game and within five minutes, Boro were level.

They went 2-1 up and then 3-1 up in the second half before Kyle Hudlin stooped higher than the Boro defence to score his first first team goal for the club in injury time to make the final score 3-2 to Middlesbrough.

Boro went on to get knocked out by (checks Wikipedia).....they're still in it. Having beaten us, they then won at Bolton 3-1, won 2-0 at the Manningham Tip, won 3-2 at St James' Park, Exeter. Then just before Christmas, won 3-0 at Port Vale. So all away ties, but against lower league opposition.

If only we'd take that competition seriously once in a while.

They'll play Chelsea in the New Year over two legs to see who will play Liverpool or Fulham in the Final.

Quote:Huddersfield Town manager Darren Moore told BBC Radio Leeds:

"I said to the players 'keep your heads up because you certainly didn't deserve that tonight'.

"But what's doing Huddersfield Town at the moment is lapses in concentration and I think that's what did us today.

"We're all gutted for Jacob because it was an outstanding save from a decision that was 50-50, but we gave the referee a decision to make, but he's pulled off a wonderful save.

"But for that to come 30 seconds afterwards, we're disappointed really, but there's plenty of positives to take from it and we need to take from it and need to learn from it going forward."

Quote:Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick told BBC Radio Tees:

"I thought the other day at Rotherham we played some very good football and for the most part were very good.

"Today was a bit of a grind for us if we're honest, it was tough and credit to them they pressed us, they made it difficult, they're very good in transition and they make you defend big spaces so you can never really settle.

"It just felt like one of those games and it was a bit of a struggle. We said at half-time that if it's going to be chaos, let's win the battle of chaos and the boys found a way in the end.

"I'm buzzing for Jonny, really delighted for him because it was a good save for the penalty, but you can see the spirit in the group celebrating the second goal like they did all together meant so much everybody."