PETER CLARKE believes the Everton connection will provide an effective route to goal for Huddersfield Town this season.

The skipper, himself a Goodison Park product, is delighted fellow former Toffeemen James Vaughan and Jermaine Beckford have been reunited by loan moves to the John Smith’s Stadium.

And Clarke believes the pair, who linked up impressively to help Town win 1-0 at Birmingham last Saturday, already had an understanding of each other’s play thanks to their shared time on Merseyside.

Vaughan, who while born in Birmingham, came through the ranks on the blue side of Stanley Park, is on a season-long loan from Norwich, who splashed out £2.5m for his services in May 2011.

Meanwhile Beckford, who made his name while playing under Town boss Simon Grayson at Leeds and is at Town until December 29, was at Goodison from May 2010 until August 2011, when Everton accepted Leicester’s £3m bid.

Beckford, who fired home a spectacular strike in Belfast on Wednesday, when Town played in a testimonial for Crusaders captain Colin Coates, bagged his first Town goal in his second appearance at Birmingham.

The energetic Vaughan, who had loan stints at Derby, Leicester and Crystal Palace while at Everton, was the creator, taking Adam Clayton’s pass and crossing low from the right for Beckford to sidefoot home.

That 25th-minute passage of play highlighted the way Vaughan and Beckford worked in tandem, their speed of thought and understanding of each other’s positions and runs appearing instinctive.

“James and Jermaine were brilliant for us,” said Clarke. “They both have a great work ethic and are really good foils for each other.

“When the chance came Jermaine finished ever so well, and it’s great to have people up there you know are going to get goals.

“They’re both hungry individuals, they’ve both got a desire to play and to work hard. They want to succeed and they want to score goals, which are great attributes for strikers.”