Huddersfield Town 1 Arsenal 2

Fabianski, Hoyte J, Hoyte G, Djourou, Gibbs, Lansbury, Ramsey, Randall, Wilshere, Walcott & Vela was our starting line-up and they played in the away kit with just plain numbers on their backs and no names. Whereas for Huddersfield in their familiar blue and white stripes probably Unsworth and Calamatri were their best known players. That said Huddersfield played well before the break with their stronger physical players winning far more of the 50-50's and Arsenal guilty of quite a bit of sloppy play, particularly so when it game to cheaply giving the ball away. Huddersfield were in our face so to speak, but without being crude about it. Both teams had big games coming up so neither needed injuries at this stage of the season.

Arsenal had their fair quota of shots but most of them were not convincing and it has to be said that Fabianski was the busier keeper for a while. Djourou, as captain, was our best defender while Gibbs looked fairly cool and composed at left back. Vela and Walcott didn't receive too great a service while Calamatri looked a threat and Huddersfield's pressure was reasonably intense in short bursts.

A couple of shots from Vela and Walcott were well saved but a number of others including those from Randall, Lansbury, Vela and Walcott were unconvincing. Wilshere showed the odd touch of class and one neat dribble but he was as wont to over-run the ball or play a loose ball as anyone on the pitch. And with Ramsey being the only one prepared to stick in a tackle our tracking back and marking in midfield was not always what it might have been.

The nineteen thousand plus crowd was huge by Huddersfield standards and must have done them a huge favour in this their centenary year, as did the three and a half thousand Gooners who attended.

After the break a plethora of changes disrupted both teams and their subsequent flow. Jay Simpson, Watt, Barazite, Mannone, Emmanuel-Thomas, Fonte, Frimpong, Bartley and Nordtveit all made appearances at some point but Simpson, on after the break, had the biggest effect for Arsenal and for my money was our key player of the second half.

Randall grew as the game progressed and showed quick feet when he nearly squeezed through on goal but, against what seemed at the time to be the run of play, it was Huddersfield who scored first. A typical goal against Arsenal, a long throw followed by a partial headed clearance followed by a deflected shot from Berrett that gave Mannone no chance. 1-0 Huddersfield.

Pleasingly the youngsters reacted well and we equalised through a great run by Simpson on our right, who cut back for Watt to fire home after his initial shot was blocked. 1-1 on 78 minutes and the game could have yet gone to the penalties which might decide who got the destination of the glass trophy. Gibbs cracked one wide following good build up play and the Huddersfield subs didn't appear to quite have the qualities their first team showed before the break as Arsenal gradually built the pressure through the half.

Arsenal clinched the winner thanks to a great turn by Barazite and followed by a shot which dipped over the keeper whose hand was not quite strong enough to prevent the 87th minute goal. 1-2 Arsenal and despite a couple of late chances Huddersfield couldn't pull it back. A decent work out for our reserves but probably only at a level they might expect to encounter throughout the season. That said this match had more pace about it than our pre-season matches thus far and was certainly beneficial to all concerned. Not least one would imagine because of decent little earner for the Terriers.