Craig Maskell scored twice as Huddersfield Town completed a smash and grab victory over Fulham at Leeds Road this afternoon.
Fulham had by far the better of the first half but couldn’t make the most of their dominance. Captain Rob Wilson came the closest when he bent a brilliant free-kick past Steve Hardwick but against the far post after Paul France had pulled down Ronnie Mauge. Andy Sayer sent two presentable headed opportunities wide – but Huddersfield got through to half-time all square and appeared transformed by Eoin Hand’s team talk.
Andy May, anonymous in the first half, was almost unstoppable after the interval and he put Craig Maskell through on goal with a precise pass ten minutes after half time. The 20 year-old striker did superbly to hold off a challenge from Sean Gore and slot a calm finish past the advancing Fulham goalkeeper Jim Stannard.
Peter Ward then replaced the injured Mick Byrne and created the crucial second goal within three minutes of coming off the bench. He won the ball strongly after challenging Justin Skinner in midfield and then produced a wonderful defence-splitting ball to put Maskell in on goal again and the young striker kept his composure to beat Stannard for a second time. Graham Mitchell could have added a third for the Terriers, but Fulham continued to push forward as they sought a route back into the contest.
Wilson and Mauge both had shots blocked inside the six-yard box after a goalmouth scramble before Gary Barnett somehow managed to shoot over the bar from the rebound with an empty goal gaping. The hard-working midfielder then steered a finish wide of the target after substitute Gordon Davies had intercepted a slack backpass and rounded Hardwick before unselfishly setting up a team-mate. That proved it wasn’t going to be Fulham’s day.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: Hardwick; Trevitt, O’Regan, May, O’Doherty, France, Mitchell, Holmes, Byrne (Ward 56), Maskell, McInerney (Bent 77).
GOALS: Maskell (55, 60).
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Gore, Peters, Thomas, Skinner, Mauge (Davies 60), Barnett, Wilson, Cole (Marshall 71), Sayer.
BOOKED: Skinner, Eckhardt.
REFEREE: J. Watson (Whitley Bay).
ATTENDANCE: 4,576.
