Five-star Terriers crush Cherries
JAMES Vaughan’s hat-trick ensured Huddersfield made it back-to-back league victories as they recorded their best start at this level since 1996.
Vaughan’s treble, sandwiched by superb individual goals by Adam Hammill and Adam Clayton powered boss Mark Robins to the 100th win of his managerial career despite Marc Pugh’s consolation.
After the battle with injuries Vaughan endured at the start of his career, he has netted seven times in just five games this season and Robins was quick to praise the striker.
“Scoring goals is what he’s there for and that is what he lives for,” he said. “He’s working hard, he wants to do well and he’s got the rewards for that.
“He came in on loan last year and his performances were such that the fans demanded we made it a permanent move and he’s carried on this year.
“I’m delighted with his application and I’m delighted with everybody’s application.
“At home, it’s interesting because we get to see and hear how the crowd react to our passing. We saw it here, there was a quiet spell and it went a bit flat but we were just being patient.
“Bournemouth are a very good team and caused us problems. I know that’s easy to say when you’ve just won but it is true.”
Hammill showed great individual skill to fire the Terriers in front on 14 minutes, receiving the ball in the area before jinking through three tackles and poking home.
Bournemouth responded well and Lewis Grabban could have equalised six minutes later, but failed to beat Alex Smithies with a close-range header.
As Town began to take control, only saves by Cherries’ stopper Ryan Allsop denied first Vaughan and then Jonathan Hogg on the halfhour.
But the hosts’ pressure soon told, as Vaughan met Ham- mill’s inventive outside-foot cross to double the lead with a powerful 37th-minute header.
Five minutes later,Vaughan got his second of the game, racing on to Martin Paterson’s well-weighted through ball to score.
And Vaughan completed his hat-trick on 57 minutes, converting from the spot when Simon Francis caught Jake Carroll late.
Substitute Pugh pulled one back on 68 minutes with a header across goal, but it proved little more than a consolation.
Clayton sealed a comprehensive home victory in the 78th minute with a stunning left-footed 25-yard strike into the top corner.
For the visitors it follows their 61 thrashing at Watford in their last away game, but boss Eddie Howe insists they will not be changing their attacking style.
“We encourage that style of play – we work on it all the time and that won’t change,” he said. “Win, lose or draw, that’s how we want to play.
“It was a similar story for us at Watford really. I thought we made a bright start, I thought we were in the game but we conceded some poor goals.
“We certainly need to improve defensively, but our main downfall I thought was with the ball.
“For a few goals I remember us giving the ball away in good areas and you can’t do that at this level.We reacted really well to the defeat at Watford though and the challenge is to do the same.”