Lee Clark Talks About The Game

Last updated : 09 February 2011 By Thetashkentterror
Lee Clark
Huddersfield boss Lee Clark spoke to BBC Radio Leeds and his club's official website after his side's 3-0 Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Area Final second leg win at home to Carlisle, Clark saying that everyone at Town should have immense pride despite the two-legged result seeing the Terriers lose 4-3 on aggregate :


"Everyone connected with Huddersfield Town Football Club can have immense pride tonight, as much as we did when we left the Emirates because we have put in one hell of a performance tonight.

"We have scored three goals, but we have missed one or two opportunities and the keeper (Adam Collin) has made one or two saves, so I think on balance we deserved to at least get back level-pegging. It wasn't to be but I just cannot praise the performance enough of every single player.

"I think my players have shown everything tonight, they have shown their willingness to battle and to work hard, we didn't give Carlisle many chances. We have shown when to make good decisions in terms of when to go a little bit longer into Alan Lee and when to pass the ball, and we have made that one big contribution tonight.

"Alan Lee was outstanding, absolutely outstanding, he is one of some absolutely brilliant performances by the players. To a man I can't fault them, everything that I have asked them to do leading up to the game they have done in abundance."



"We just ran out of a little bit of luck, you need a little bit of luck as well to take you over that line, especially when you are chasing such a big deficit. It just deserted us a little bit but I have got to pass on my congratulations to Carlisle and to Greg (Abbott) and his staff and his players.

"Two years on the bounce to a Wembley final, a fantastic achievement and I wish it was us. I would have loved it to have been us but well done to them and I can't praise my players enough tonight.

"Nick Colgan made a fantastic save for us in the game and it just shows the quality that we are bringing in. Ian (Bennett) was just feeling a bit tight, he kicked so many balls on Saturday down at Exeter and being 40 years young it is a little bit more difficult, so I wanted to take some precautions.

"Gary Naysmith is the same, he has come off the back of no reserve games or development games straight into the first-team and for him to play three games in a week you are asking for trouble.

"So, we just had to make one or two decisions like that, obviously Jack Hunt couldn't play, he wasn't eligible afer playing for Chesterfield. But, I thought that Scott Arfield was outstanding, he came into the side and gave one of his best performances of the season. So, I can't be more fulsome in my praise of the players."



"Every game from now until the end of the season is like a cup final for us. Over the last couple of weeks our performances have been of the highest order and the results have come on the back of that. We have proven very resolute without losing our attacking threat.

"The key now is that we take this performance into Saturday's game against Oldham. Paul Dickov is having a superb season in charge of them and we know how tough they will prove on Saturday.

"Damien Johnson is an excellent professional but he won't return from his injury until next season. Jordan Rhodes is recovering very well, we don't really want to put a timescale on his recovery but he could potentially be back with us for the Bournemouth game.

"Benik Afobe will be back with us for the weekend and Tom Clarke might be another week to ten days. Hopefully Alex Smithies may be able to get back amongst the group in a couple of weeks; however, we know that we have two fantastic 'keepers in Alex's absence which means I don't have to rush him back into action."