Match Report: Southampton 5 Huddersfield Town 0

Mar 3 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOWN were left shell-shocked on the south coast as Southampton inflicted their heaviest defeat of the season.

First goals from Rickie Lambert, Lee Barnard and Jason Puncheon left little way back for Lee Clark’s side.

And Dean Hammond and Papa Waigo N’Diaye compounded the misery for Town’s 684 travelling fans with further goals in the final 15 minutes.

It was the second successive game in which the Saints have scored five goals, and a first defeat in 12 games in the League for Town, who must regroup before Saturday’s trip to Gillingham.

Town were forced into one change after Lee Peltier failed a fitness test on his ankle injury, Tom Clarke coming in at right-back and Robbie Simpson taking his place on the bench.

Southampton, like Town unbeaten in League I in 2010, had 16-year-old winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among their substitutes.

Clarke, up against the dangerous Adam Lallana, was soon in the thick of things being forced to concede a second minute corner from which Dean Hammond headed just wide.

Southampton had the better of the opening exchanges, but town came close to scoring on 12 minutes.

Striker Jordan Rhodes pressurised Radhi Jaidi into giving away a corner and Peter Clarke’s glancing header from Gary Roberts cross was only just off target.

Southampton responded instantly with a curling 20 yard shot by Lallana which Alex Smithies saved.

However, there was little the keeper could do two minutes later as the home side went ahead.

Peter Clarke prevented a corner, but from the subsequent throw-in the ball was worked across to Lambert to head home at the far post.

Town tried hard to try and force their way back into the game and Lee Barnard did well to clear a Roberts corner before Lee Novak brought a fine save from Kelvin Davies in the Southampton goal with a hooked shot again after Roberts had produced a neat delivery.