The 175th goal of Andy Booth's professional career proved to be enough to give Town a victory over Tranmere Rovers in what was a scrappy game at the Galpharm Stadium, but Gerry Murphy must be pleased with a third consecutive clean sheet and another three points. Booth tapped in after a good run and shot from Michael Collins, but the game was devoid of the quality shown against Leeds on Tuesday evening.
Town started the game in their new 3-5-2 formation, with goalkeeper Matt Glennon lining up behind central defenders David Mirfin - who turned 23 yesterday - Nathan Clarke and Captain Robert Page. Tom Clarke made his first start for eighteen months at right wing-back with Robbie Williams on the left, leaving Joe Skarz, Andy Holdsworth and Michael Collins to form the central midfield trio. With Chris Brandon out injured, Malvin Kamara partnered Andy Booth in attack.
No shots came in the first ten minutes of the game, but the visitors probably shaded possession. Rovers were looking for long diagonal balls towards their wingers at every opportunity, but Rob Page looked as solid as solid as ever at the back for the Terriers.
Tranmere did muster a shot in the 15th minute; a deep Chris Shuker free-kick found Shane Sherriff's head and from his knock-down, defender Chorley hit a fierce shot towards goal. The ball cannoned off Nathan Clarke's body to safety, with referee Bratt quickly turning down the muted handball appeals from the visitors.
The Terriers lacked fluency in their attacking play and a set-piece looked the most likely source of a goal. Michael Collins' in-swinging free-kick from the right narrowly evaded the head of Nathan Clarke at the near post in the 22nd minute and kindly dropped into the waiting hands of Rovers 'keeper Coyne.
Tom Clarke made a vital interception to deny Sherriff him a good shooting opportunity a minute later, before a header from his brother Nathan from a Town corner drifted just wide of the far post in the 26th minute.
Tranmere then created the best chance of the game so far in the 32nd minute, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Matty Glennon. The move started with a clever ball inside from left winger Sherriff to striker Ian Moore, who in turn fed a pass into the penalty area for Chris Shuker. The right winger had ghosted behind Page and bore down on goal, but Glennon came out quickly to block his eventual shot before diving on the loose ball.
The Town custodian has to be alert once more with five minutes of the half remaining to collect an Ian Moore flick-on ahead of Tranmere striker Greenacre at the far post.
All in all, the half had lacked all the intensity that made Tuesday night's game against Leeds such an enjoyable spectacle. Tranmere had enjoyed the better play in the opening half and truly threatened the Town goal on a couple of occasions, but neither side had managed a goal by the interval.
Half-Time: Huddersfield Town 0 Tranmere Rovers 0
Town started the second-half a little brighter and Booth headed a long throw from Nathan Clarke towards goal in the 48th minute; the effort had 'keeper Coyne back-peddling, but in the end it was a fairly comfortable save.
Tranmere fought back and striker Moore headed a Stockdale cross from the right powerfully over the bar in the 51st minute.
SUB - Gerry Murphy was clearly not happy with the situation and he tried to change things by introducing Danny Schofield in the 52nd minute; he was a direct replacement for Malvin Kamara up front.
Schofield immediately got involved and it was only a good block from centre-back Goodison that denied him a clear shot on goal four minutes later after he latched onto Andy Holdsworth's cleverly disguised through-ball.
Robbie Williams then hit a solid right footed shot straight at the Tranmere goalkeeper in the 60th minute after collecting a Booth header from a Holdsworth cross at the far post.
GOAL - Town took the lead a minute later and it was a real piece of quality play from Michael Collins that led to the goal. The midfielder picked up the ball in the centre circle before playing a one-two with Joe Skarz and surging into the box, skipping over the sliding challenge from centre-back Chorley. Slightly to the left of goal, Collins tried to prod the ball across the goalkeeper with his right but Coyne stopped it - only for Andy Booth to follow up and tap the ball home for his 175th career goal.
Schofield's introduction has given Huddersfield more of an outlet up front and his clever movement into the channels was taking the Tranmere centre-backs into the wide areas of the pitch. However, Tranmere were back in the ascendancy with twenty minutes left.
Town almost scored after a goalmouth scramble in the 74th minute; a Holdsworth corner was not effectively cleared, but Coyne dived on the ball just as Booth came to tap another one in.
BOOKING - Nathan Clarke was booked in the 75th minute; not for that particular foul on Chris Shuker, but for an accumulation of fouls throughout the game. It was Nathan's tenth booking of the season.
SUB - Tranmere made a double change in the 76th - Ian Moore and Shane Sheriff were replaced by Craig Curran and John Mullin.
Schofield almost scored a second for Town a minute later after he was put in on goal by a superb Michael Collins through-ball, but 'keeper Coyne did brilliantly to rush out and smother the shot at the striker's feet.
SUB - Luke Beckett came on in Town's second substitution of the game with nine minutes left, replacing goalscorer Andy Booth.
Rovers were playing three up front by this point, but the Town centre-backs were dealing admirably with the added threat and looked on course to gain their third consecutive clean sheet. Tranmere piled on the pressure but the Terriers almost created a couple of late chances on the break. As it was, this scrappy game ended 1-0.
Full-Time: Huddersfield Town 1 Tranmere Rovers 0
Huddersfield Town:
Matt Glennon, Andy Holdsworth, Joe Skarz, Michael Collins, David Mirfin, Nathan Clarke, Robbie Williams, Tom Clarke, Malvin Kamara (Danny Schofield 52), Andy Booth (Luke Beckett 81), Robert Page (c)
Unused Subs: Alex Smithies, Aaron Hardy, Spencer Harris
Attendance: 8,315
Visitors: 491
