STEVE KINDON claimed the headlines asHuddersfield Town stormed fortress Exeter.

The Devon side, setting a brisk pace in Division III (League I) hadn’t tasted defeat on home turf in the previous eight months, while Town had never won at St James’ Park.

But all that changed as Mick Buxton’s side clinched a fourth consecutive win by an impressive 4-1 margin to go fourth while Exeter slipped to eighth.

Kindon, pictured, set the ball rolling with a 90-second opener to stun expectant home fans in a 4,769 crowd.

Exeter equalised on 18 minutes, but within five Town were back in front through Brian Stanton.

Kindon slotted his second on the half hour, and ended any chance of a Grecians fightback with a third after 72 minutes.

It was only a second hat trick for the big frontman and his first in 11 years (Nottingham Forest had been on the receiving end when he struck for Burnley in the top flight).

And Buxton, who had signed Kindon the previous December to bolster Town’s Fourth Division promotion hopes – they had finished as champions – said: “If anyone doesn’t take us seriously now, they’re stupid.”

Buxton’s side made a storming start to the game, attacking from the kick-off and forcing a corner which Dave Cowling flighted in.

Defender Chris Topping, in for broken-nose victim Dave Sutton, climbed to nod the ball on for Kindon to lash home a left-foot volley.

Exeter regained their senses, however, and hit back with a string of attacks which culminated in the leveller, lashed home by Peter Rogers from Tony Kellow’s nod down.

The stage seemed set for the home side to turn the screw.

But it was Town who took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Kindon picked out Stanton with a neat pass and the midfielder deceived keeper Ian Main by shaping to cross but instead drilling a low shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

The pair combined again as Town made it 3-1, this time Stanton crossing for the lurking Kindon to bullet home a header.

Town had to ride a storm in the early stages of the second half as Exeter pushed.

Steve Neville was denied by Andy Rankin’s save, Peter Rogers smacked a shot into Keith Hanvey’s blocking frame and Kellow, a £70,000 signing from Blackpool, screwed a header into the side-netting.

But the game was put beyond doubt when Kindon notched with another header after slick approach play by Mick Laverick, Ian Robins and Cowling.

The Town man was denied a fourth in the 79th minute when the stretching Main managed to fingertip a goalbound shot over the bar.

Exeter: Main, M Rogers, Hatch, Prince, Giles, Roberts, Pearson (Forbes, 57mins), Neville, Kellow, Davis, P Rogers.

Town: Rankin, Brown, Robinson, Stanton, Topping, Hanvey, Laverick, Kennedy, Kindon, Robins, Cowling. Sub not used: Lillis.