Match Report: Southampton 5 Huddersfield Town 0

Mar 3 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Town, however, were rocked when Saints scored a second in the 25th minute.

Hammond did the damage with a run and cross from then right and Barnard climbed high to loop a header over Smithies’ reach.

The home side were looking strong and Barnard came close to netting his second with a shot on the turn.

The third goal duly arrived in the 34th minute with Barnard the creator.

His break through the middle set up Puncheon who cut in to penalty area and left Smithies flailing with curling left foot shot into the corner of the net.

Town were reeling and it took a great save from Smithies to prevent Lambert increasingly the lead still further on 38 minutes with a 30 yard free kick which the keeper tipped on to the bar.

On the stroke of half-time Smithies parried a Barnard shot and Lallana put the follow up wide.

Town boss Lee Clark rang the changes early in the second half.

Having replaced Dean Heffernan with Krystian Pearce at the break, giving the former Birmingham City man his Town debut at right back, he brought on Nathan Eccleston for Roberts after 56 minutes and Theo Robinson for Lee Novak after 63 minutes.

But the Saints were still having the better of the game with Puncheon firing over from 25 yards and then sending in a corner from which Hammond brought another good save from Smithies with a strong header.

In the 63rd minute Morgan Schneiderlin had a low shot through a ruck of players parried by the Town keeper.

In a rare Town attack Robinson’s header from a Danny Drinkwater free kick was comfortably collected by Davies.

Town conceded a fourth goal when Hammond burst through to meet Puncheon’s corner and head home on 64 minutes. The rout was completed with six minutes remaining when N’Diaye broke through one-on-one with Smithies and slid the ball home despite the keeper’s effort to keep the ball out.