Bristol Rovers can't find a way past Huddersfield defence in first half

Half-time: Bristol Rovers 0 Huddersfield Town 0. Bristol Rovers could find no way through against a resolute Huddersfield defence in the first half of their clash with the Terriers at the Memorial Stadium.

Despite sticking with the formation that brought the 2-0 weekend win against Stockport, the Pirates struggled to create clear chances against the visitors, who looked far more formidable opponents than the Hatters had done three days earlier.

Rovers made one change from the side that had started that game. Ryan Green returned at right-back following his recovery from a knee injury, and Aaron Lescott dropped to the bench.

The Pirates again began with a 4-3-3 formation, top scorer Rickie Lambert playing a withdrawn role behind fellow strikers Darryl Duffy and Jo Kuffour.

It was Lambert who was instrumental in setting up the home side's first shooting opportunity when an astute pass presented Craig Disley with the chance to advance.

But goalkeeper Alex Smithies had plenty of time to size up the midfielder's shot from 20 yards and made a comfortable low save.

Anthony Pilkington sent a shot a yard wide of Steve Phillips' left-hand post before Huddersfield survived a scramble on the edge of their six-yard box in the ninth minute.

Lambert, Kuffour and Duffy were all involved, but could not get a clean shot away as the Terriers' defence closed them down.

Michael Flynn sent a 22-yard snapshot over the bar as Huddersfield glimpsed a 15th-minute half-chance, but it was Rovers who almost made the first breakthrough after 20 minutes when Lambert fed Kuffour, who unleashed a fierce shot on the turn which Smithies did well to beat out.

Huddersfield were causing problems too and when Anthony Pilkington sped past Joe Jacobson and delivered a dangerous pass, it needed a good intervention by Steve Elliott to deny Gary Roberts.

Then, as Rovers broke, Chris Lines aimed a useful angled pass towards Duffy, but the striker failed to bring the ball under control and it ran out for a goal kick as home fans started to get frustrated.

The Pirates weren't holding the ball well enough up front and a lack of width also hampered their attempts to unlock the visitors' defence.

They did threaten again from a Stuart Campbell free kick three minutes before the break. It was nodded across goal by Duffy but Byron Anthony was pipped to the ball by Andy Butler at the expense of a corner, which came to nothing.

Then, seconds before the break, Lambert saw a 25-yard free-kick deflected just over the top by a defender – but the half-time whistle blew before Rovers could take the resulting corner.

Bristol Rovers (4-3-3): Phillips, R Green, Anthony, Elliott, Jacobson, Disley, Campbell, Lines, Kuffour, Lamnbert, Duffy. Subs: Hinton, Hughes, Hunt, Lescott, St Louis-Hamilton.

Huddersfield (4-4-2): Smithies, T Clarke, Butler, N Clarke, Kelly, Goodwin, Collins, Flynn, Roberts, Cadamarteri, Pilkington. Subs: Craney, Berrett, Booth, Ainsworth, Eastwood.