IWAN'S IN TO HAND CITY ANOTHER DEFEAT

Exeter City 0
Huddersfield Town 1
(Roberts, 52 min)

PROLIFIC Huddersfield marksman Iwan Roberts condemned fumbling Exeter to their fourth home defeat of the season. Roberts lifted his goal haul to 31 with a 52nd minute strike which proved sufficient to give Town their third consecutive victory and keep them on course for promotion. The Terriers, though, could and should have won by a greater margin against a clueless Exeter outfit. Phil Starbuck and Chris Marsden both missed great chances after rounding City keeper Kevin Miller, while the Grecians managed to bring Miller's counterpart Tim Clarke into the match just once and took 81 minutes to force their only corner. Assistant Manager Steve Williams-facing an FA hearing on Wednesday after passing the 40-point disciplinary threshold - was omitted by City boss Alan Ball, and Exeter ran into further midfield trouble after 12 minutes when Paul Wimbleton limped off with a recurrence of the knee injury he sustained at Hartlepool in mid-week. Two minutes later centre back Scott Daniels fumbled when in the clear after Steve Moran flicked on a Vince Hilaire free kick and that was just about City's clearest opportunity wasted. For all their possession, Exeter were unable to make any real headway against unambitious Town, and it took a weak back pass from the visitors' Chris Barnett to liven up the proceedings, Ian Thompstone just failing to reach the ball before Clarke. Three minutes into first half injury time, Town should have scored when a Chris Billy pass freed Starbuck, but after passing Miller, Starbuck drove against the upright and Barnett lifted the rebound over the bar. Huddersfield were again guilty of careless finishing after 50 minutes when Starbuck put Marsden through. But after lobbing the ball over Miller, the Town mid-fielder looked to find Roberts instead of rolling the ball into an empty net, and Miller rushed back to intercept.
Within two minutes, Exeter produced their only on-target effort, Andy Cook crossing for Gary Marshall to head straight at Clarke, and immediately City fell behind. The keeper's long clearance was helped on by Pete Butler and Roberts evaded Miller's desperate challenge before side-footing home.
Cook prevented a certain second in 58 minutes when he dashed back to clear a Starbuck centre from Roberts' toes.

Exeter City:
Miller. Cook. Brown. Hiley. Daniels. Wimbleton. Whiston. Thompstone (inj). Moran. Kelly. Hilaire. Subs: Morris (Thompstone 73), Marshall (Wimbleton 12)

Huddersfield:
Clarke; Trevitt, Charlton, Marsden, Mitchell, Jackson, Billy, Butler, Roberts, Starbuck, Barnett; subs., O'Regan, Wright.

Referee Paul Scoble (Portsmouth)
Attendance  3,047

Bookings:
Roberts, Butler, Jackson all Huddersfield