Look back at Preston North End's 1992 victory over Huddersfield Town
Preston North End’s last win on Huddersfield Town turf came back in February 1992 and was somewhat against the odds too.
It was at the Terriers’ old Leeds Road ground, a venue they left in 1994.
North End had crossed the Pennines on the back of six straight defeats in league and cup action.
Huddersfield were also pushing for promotion, so this result was very much a coupon buster.
A back injury suffered by Town goalkeeper Tim Clarke helped PNE to an extent.
Clarke couldn’t get down to deal properly with a shot which led to the opening goal.
He could only get a touch to Lee Ashcroft’s effort and Graham Shaw was on hand to finish it off at the far post.
Had Clarke been fully fit there was little he could have done about PNE’s second goal, though, Lee Cartwright finding the net superbly.
Both Preston goals came late in the game – in the 73rd and 81st minutes – but there was still time for Huddersfield to pull one back and set up a nervous finale from a PNE perspective.
It was only the second away win of the season, on top of draws at Swansea, Leyton Orient and Hull.
No wonder the loyal mass of North End supporters danced a collective jig of delight on the open away terrace at the final whistle.
In the first half, the visitors had to ride a great deal of pressure from their hosts.
They were indebted to goalkeeper Simon Farnworth who made a number of saves to keep the scoreline blank.
Farnworth kept out efforts from Nigel Callaghan, Iffy Onuora, Neil McNab and Iwan Roberts, with Onuroa also putting a header against the far post.
In the second half, North End started to play with more confidence and moved the ball well, happy to build from the back.
Clarke appeared to strain his back and that proved to be a key moment in the game.
When Ashcroft collected a pass from substitute Matt Lambert, he moved down the left and into the box.
He struck a low shot which Clarke dived in some discomfort to try and save.
The ball went under his body and as it ran across the six-yard box towards the far corner of the net, Shaw slid in to help it over the line.
North End doubled the lead within eight minutes with a fine Cartwright effort.
He knocked the ball between two defenders, checked inside on to his right foot and beat Clarke with the most sweetly struck of finishes.
North End didn’t make it easy for themselves though, conceding in the 83rd minute.
Roberts rose to meet a cross and sent a header into the net off the underside of the bar.
In the closing stages, the home side threw everything they had a Preston.
Farnworth saved superbly from former PNE midfielder John Kelly who was on as a substitute.
They managed to hang on though, a fine three points gained when least expected.
While 28 years is an awful long time for North End not to have won at Huddersfield, trips there haven’t exactly been frequent since.
They have played them five times away in the league and once in the Auto Windscreens Shield.
The 1993 AWS clash was PNE’s first game to go to penalties, with them losing in the shoot-out.
Their last visit was in April 2017 when Aiden McGeady and Jordan Hugill netted in a 3-2 defeat.