First Half
The opening stages of the game were dominated by Town, with Caz Simone’s shot from the edge of the box going narrowly wide of the bottom left corner. In the 18th minute Firth’s cut back missed everyone, with Ashley Tiripke’s attempt to get on the end of it leading to injury, which saw her replaced by Kate Mallin.
There was not much to get excited about for those that watched on at the Stafflex Arena, with Kate Mallin seeing numerous great deliveries go unchallenged.
Towards the end of the half an under-hit pass from Serena Fletcher almost led to a Rotherham chance, however Lauren Joyce reacted well to rush off her line and clear it.
Half Time: Huddersfield Town 0-0 Rotherham United
Second Half
Glen Preston made a triple change at the break, with Katie Astle, Leah Embley and Autumn Housley on to replace Scarlett McMahon, Yasmin Mason and captain Beth Stanfield, with Mallin taking up captaincy duty.
The breakthrough came in the 59th minute, with a Mallin cross falling to Firth on the edge of the six-yard box to slot home and give Huddersfield the advantage.
The goal seemed to give Town confidence, with a second almost added immediately, with another great Kate Mallin corner, diverted goalwards by a diving header from Housley, but it went just over the crossbar. Charlotte Stuart was the next to take advantage of Mallin’s excellent delivery, but her header did not worry the keeper as it flew over the bar once more.
Rotherham made a late push for an equaliser, with Alesha Gale curling a free kick wide and having a volley comfortably saved by Joyce.
Town added their second to kill the game in the 89th minute with Embley breaking into the box before squaring it to debutant Katie Astle who did not hesitate in tapping in her first goal in Blue and White.
Full Time: Huddersfield Town 2-0 Rotherham United
Next up is the second of three consecutive home games, this time up against Leeds United on Sunday 26th January. Leeds sit 3rd in the table, two places above Town.
Substitutions:
22’ Mallin (Tiripke)
45’ Astle, Embley, Housley (McMahon, Mason, Stanfield)
Match Report: Ben Thirkell
Photo Credit: Nathan Lewis
