Town were simply second best at the Banks's Stadium this afternoon as they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of an in-form Walsall side. Andy Ritchie's men simply couldn't get going this afternoon against the Saddlers, going in 2-0 down at half-time and then having Frank Sinclair sent-off early in the second-half for a second bookable offence.
Town lined up in their expected 4-4-2 formation as referee Lee blew his whistle to start the game, with 'keeper Matt Glennon behind a back four of Joe Skarz, Richard Keogh, Nathan Clarke and Captain Frank Sinclair. In midfield, Matthew Young and Michael Collins occupied the right and left wings respectively with Andy Holdsworth and Ronnie Wallwork continuing in the centre. Up front, Luke Beckett was joined by Malvin Kamara.
Town took the kick-off and within the first 13 seconds of the game had managed a shot. The ball fell to Matthew Young around 35 yards out and his volley was not too far over Clayton Ince's bar.
Ince then set up the Saddlers first effort after 3 minutes, his massive clearance eventually finding right-winger Sonko who pulled his shot badly to the left of Matt Glennon's goal from well outside the box.
Nathan Clarke then almost cost the Terriers a goal in the 6th minute with a bad misjudgment. He let a big headed clearance go over his head thinking that Matt Glennon would easily claim, but veteran striker Tommy Mooney read the situation and ended up in on goal. Thankfully for Town, the angle was acute and Glennon was able to get down low and block the shot from 10 yards out.
A very similar situation almost allowed Luke Beckett to capitalize after 11 minutes. A Town corner was cleared to Frank Sinclair, who lofted a high ball back towards the edge of the box. Richard Keogh did well to win the header and Beckett then did equally well to out-strength Mooney inside the box before putting his shot wide of the left-hand post. Beckett felt he had been impeded by his opponent as he took the shot, but the referee had none of it.
Eddy Sonko then broke free on the break after a clever pass from Mooney three minutes later, but his shot was fairly feeble on his weaker left foot and it trickled across Glennon's goal.
The best move of the game so far came courtesy of the home side in the 24th minute. Mark Bradley robbed Ronnie Wallwork of the ball just inside the Town half before setting Dwayne Mattis away down the right side; his intelligent low ball to the near post found Eddy Sonko, but he could only screw his shot wide of the right-hand post with Richard Keogh nearby.
Ronnie Wallwork then took a free-kick from 30 yards out in the 29th minute after picking himself up following a Mattis foul, but he hit a defender with his drive. Matthew Young then tried to volley the rebound home from similar distance, but his effort went well wide of the post.
GOAL - Town had been giving away a few too many free-kicks in the game and were finally punished on the 31st minute by defender Anthony Gerrard. Ronnie Wallwork gave away the set-piece after fouling Eddy Sonko on the right and the in-swinging delivery from left-back Daniel Fox was pacy enough for Gerrard to glance home past Glennon's right.
Town tried to fight back immediately and Ince had to tip over a Luke Beckett cross a minute later. From the Andy Holdsworth corner, Ince saved well at his feet from a Nathan Clarke back-post header.
BOOKING - Andy Holdsworth was booked in the 39th minute for a clumsy looking challenge on Ishmel Demontagnac. From the resulting free-kick, Scott Dann headed over the bar.
GOAL - Walsall made it two in the 43rd minute through Edrissa Sonko. The wide-man came in off the wing to beat Joe Skarz to a Tommy Mooney flick-on and made no mistake in beating Matt Glennon with his left-foot from close range.
BOOKING - Immediately afterwards, Dwayne Mattis was booked for a late challenge on Ronnie Wallwork.
BOOKING - An altercation between Ishmel Demontagnac and Frank Sinclair led to both being booked in first-half added time. Many other referees would have sent the Town Captain off, as he grabbed the opposition player by the neck due to his anger at Demontagnac's initial challenge.
In what was the last meaningful action of the half, Ronnie Wallwork hit a curling effort straight at Clayton Ince from just outside the box.
Half-Time: Walsall 2 Huddersfield Town 0
GOAL - The home side scored a third from an Eddy Sonko corner in the 50th minute, with Mark Bradley ending up in the right place at the right time. The ball was challenged for by Luke Beckett and Dwayne Mattis at the near post and, following a series of headers up in the air from both sides, the ball dropped to the midfielder who knocked it in from around 3 yards out.
SENDING-OFF - Frank Sinclair got his marching orders after picking up a second yellow card in the 55th minute for a trip on Demontagnac down the Town right. Andy Holdsworth took the right-back position and the Captain's armband.
Town switched to a 4-4-1 formation following the dismissal, with Kamara moving into Holdsworth's right-wing position to leave Luke Beckett alone up-front.
Mark Bradley then fired a powerful header over the bar from a Demontagnac cross in the 63rd minute.
SUB - Andy Ritchie made his first change of the afternoon after 64 minutes, with David Mirfin coming on in place of Andy Holdsworth. Mirfin went in at right-back, with Town switching to 4-3-2; Kamara rejoining Beckett up front. Nathan Clarke became Town's third Captain of the afternoon in the process.
GOAL - Walsall were dominating by this point and got a fourth of the afternoon in the 68th minute through Tommy Mooney. A right-wing cross evaded everyone until it reached the veteran striker at the back post, who nodded the ball over a stranded Matt Glennon to get his third goal of the season.
SUB - Ishmel Demontagnac was replaced by Paul Hall in the 70th minute in Walsall's first change of the afternoon.
SUB - Andy Booth then came on for Matthew Young a minute later. The Huddersfield legend went up front to partner Luke Beckett, with Malvin Kamara dropping into an attacking midfield position.
BOOKING - Joe Skarz entered the referee's book in the 73rd minute for a foul on Eddy Sonko.
SUB - Tommy Mooney got a standing ovation from the home fans when he was replaced in the 75th minute by Troy Deeney.
Eddy Sonko, now a key figure in every Walsall attack, tried to get around Dave Mirfin in the 79th minute but found out just how strong the defender is, eventually screwing his shot badly wide.
SUB - Walsall's final change came in the 80th minute when Eddy Sonko was replaced by David McDermott.
SUB - Lucas Akins came on with eight minutes left to replace Luke Beckett.
The last action of the game saw sub Troy Deeney hit the post after he robbed Richard Keogh of the ball.
Huddersfield Town:
Matt Glennon, Andy Holdsworth (David Mirfin 64), Joe Skarz, Michael Collins, Nathan Clarke, Frank Sinclair (c), Richard Keogh, Malvin Kamara, Ronnie Wallwork, Matthew Young (Andy Booth 71), Luke Beckett (Lucas Akins 82)
Unused Subs: Alex Smithies, Danny Schofield
Booking: Andy Holdsworth (39), Frank Sinclair (45), Joe Skarz (73)
Sending-off: Frank Sinclair (55)
Attendance: 5,112
Visitors: 670
