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1994-1995-RESULTS, SCORERS, ATTENDANCES 1994-1995 RETRO INDEX
Huddersfield Town 0
Wycombe Wanderers 1
Saturday 20th August 1994
Football League Division Two

A Simon Garner goal on 41 minutes spoilt the day for Huddersfield Town on the opening day of their new £16m stadium - Wanderers snatching a 1-0 victory in front of an all-ticket gate of over 13,000.

Martin O'Neill's side went into the game without the injured defensive pairing of David Titterton and Matt Crossley but they were ablely replaced by Glyn Creaser and Steve Brown who along with an amazing display by Wanderers 'keeper Paul Hyde, keep the home side at bay throughout.

With only two sides of the ground open, Wycombe fans were allocated just a few hundred tickets but it was the travelling fans who were cheering the loudest when Garner struck from the edge of the box four minutes before the break.

Andy Booth went closest for the home side with a free header in the 69th minute and a frustrating day for Town and their fiery Manager Neil Warnock was completed in the dying moments when defender Pat Scully was sent off for a second bookable offence.

The victory left Wycombe with a 100% League record after their first two games in the third tier.

Reporting for the Bucks Free Press at Huddersfield, Claire Nash wrote: 'Wycombe Wanderers were supreme party-poopers on Saturday when their gritty all-round performance secured a victory to spoil Huddersfield's historic opening game at their new futuristic £16-million stadium.

Blues staunchly defended a slender lead in front of a 13,334 crowd, courtesy of Simon Garner's well-taken goal just before half time. Paul Hyde pulled off a series of magnificent saves under immense pressure - one an instinctive block from a point-blank header to ensure Blues clinched three welcome points at the McAlpine Stadium and preserve a 100 per cent Division Two record thus far.

Martin O'Neill's men held on throughout an epic nine minutes of stoppage time to protect their advantage. Five minutes were added on after Hyde was left writhing in agony from an Andrew Booth challenge. He required lengthy treatment after the striker's boot caught his midriff as both went for a cross. Although painfully bruised, Hyde was not unbowed. "It was a good·game. Huddersfield weren't a bad side and were very physical." He said Blues would have been satisfied with a draw at their highly-fancied opponents' Premiership-style venue.



Apart from Hyde's heroics, Wycombe's efforts in getting bodies back to soak up Huddersfield's pressure in the second half undoubtedly won the match. Timely last-gasp clearances frustrated the hosts who were intent on giving their supporters something to celebrate on a momentous occasion for the town.

Wycombe did not produce an attacking build-up until the 82nd minute. Huddersfield could not find the target, though, and when they did, Hyde twisted the knife. Huddersfield skipper Phil Starbuck and winger Simon Baldry caused early problems and the hosts' talented home-grown striker Booth menaced Wycombe's defence.

Huddersfield were awarded an indirect free kick on 18 minutes when Hyde picked up the ball after it rebounded off Steve Brown, who played at left back in place of the injured David Titterton. Wycombe's first promising move came on 23 minutes when Brown found Dave Carroll in the penalty area with a good cross, but the latter's near-post knockdown, intended for Garner, was snuffed out by Huddersfield keeper Steve Francis.

A scare followed at the other end, with Booth's shot going just over, after Glyn Creaser mistimed his clearance. It was Ryan's perfectly flighted pass over the top which Garner. latched onto and fired past Francis from 25 yards on 41 minutes.

Hyde made the first of a series of match winning saves when he got down to Booth's shot on 58 minutes. Ten minutes later, he instinctively palmed away Booth's close-range bullet header. Three Huddersfield crosses into the box in the space of a minute saw the hosts' forwards piling in over the Wycombe keeper in their quest to connect, but Hyde, although poleaxed at one point, stood firm.

Huddersfield centre half Pat Scully was sent off with six minutes to go after his second bookable offence for a challenge on Garner. The striker limped off with a sore right ankle, much to Huddersfield boss Neil Warnock's chagrin, who thought he was wasting time.

Huddersfield scrambled to glean some reward but were denied any celebration on the pitch on a day they had designated as their own.'
Wycombe: Hyde, Cousins, Brown, Creaser, Evans, Ryan, Carroll, Thompson, Regis, Garner (sub 85 Hemmings), Stapleton - subs not used: Turnbull, Moussaddik
Scorers: Garner 41
Bookings: Hyde, Garner, Carroll
Huddersfield: Francis, Billy, Cowan, Starbuck, Scully, Mitchell, Baldry (sub 63 Dunn). Bullock, Booth, Jepson, Reid - subs not used: Dyson, Blackwell
Scorers: none
Bookings: Scully, Cowan
Referee: T Lunt (Aston-in-Makefield) Attendance: 13,334

Firsts at the Kirklees Stadium included:
First shot: Phil Starbuck after six minutes 28 seconds.
First foul: Cyrille Regis, opening minute.
First player booked: Hyde (followed by Tom Cowan, Pat Scully, Simon Garner, and Dave Carroll).
First dismissal Scully in the 86th minute.
First goal: Garner after 41 minutes.
First substitute:- Iain Dunn after 62 minutes.

Next game - Wycombe v Brighton - Tuesday 23rd August 1994 - League Cup
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