Town demolished local rivals Bradford City at the Galpharm Stadium this evening, netting four second-half goals to progress to the second round of this season's Carling Cup.
Man of the Match Gary Roberts (pictured) opened his Town account with a brace, with the other goals coming via Jon Worthington and a stunning Robbie Williams free-kick, but it was a real team effort - the defence were magnificent throughout and Danny Cadamarteri was a constant menace to the Bradford backline.
Town boss Stan Ternent lined his side up in a 4-4-2 formation for the start of the game, with goalkeeper Matt Glennon making the 350th appearance of his career in goal. Robbie Williams came into the side at left-back with Andy Butler, skipper Chris Lucketti and Andy Holdsworth completing the defence.
Michael Flynn and Gary Roberts continued on the left and right wings respectively with Jon Worthington and Jim Goodwin forming a combative central midfield partnership, leaving Luke Beckett to partner former Bantam Danny Cadamarteri in attack.
'Cads' was getting roundly booed by the sizeable Bradford support as Town attacked the Pink Link end in the first-half and although he started the game brightly, it took eight minutes for the first effort on goal. That came from Williams, whose long-range volley was deflected behind for a corner by City striker Conlon; from that Jim Goodwin set-piece. Butler headed well wide at the near post.
Town Captain Lucketti was the next to try his luck in the 12th minute when he latched onto a back-post free-kick taken by Andy Holdsworth; unfortunately for the home fans, he blasted well over from around fifteen yards out at an acute angle.
Bradford skipper Graeme Lee had the visitor's first effort on target, hammering a 30-yard free-kick over Matt Glennon's crossbar two minutes later.
Referee Haines turned down a Town penalty appeal down in the 15th minute when defender Clarke clambered all over Luke Beckett, but as play continued Cadamarteri did brilliantly to find Gary Roberts - his over-hit cross having to be tipped over by Bradford custodian Evans.
That chance was a prelude to Town taking over the game, with the Galpharm faithful vocally backing their side as they went on the attack. Andy Butler miscued a header when in a good position inside the Bradford box from another quality Roberts set piece in the 20th minute after good initial work from Flynn, but Matt Glennon had to keep on his toes and he pushed away a powerful shot from lively winger Omar Daley two minutes later.
Town showed real pace on the break in the 24th, moving swiftly from the edge of their own box to craft one of the best chances of the game so far. Jon Worthington started the move with a crunching tackle, with the loose ball being picked up by Holdsworth. He advanced down the right, using the run of Cadamarteri as a decoy, before playing Gary Roberts the ball in the centre. He beat one man, but his left-foot shot from just inside the area was well blocked by Bradford skipper Lee.
Only a minute later, a defensive mix-up allowed Bradford's Boulding a chance to shoot but he could only find the side netting from a narrow angle.
Michael Flynn was doing well on the left and his right-foot shot from fully thirty yards flashed wide of Rhys Evans' right-hand post in the 29th minute. In the next minute, Kyle Nix's left-wing cross was nodded gently into the palms of Matt Glennon by Boulding.
BOOKING - Bradford's Omar Daley became the first player to enter the referee's book in the 34th minute for kicking the ball away after a throw-in decision was given against him.
Luke Beckett headed a diagonal Holdsworth cross well wide of goal in the 37th minute of the game, but the same combo created a glorious chance a minute later; Flynn sliding the ball out to the right side for Holdsworth to flash the ball across goal, with Beckett stroking the ball wide of the right-hand post from around the penalty spot.
Town had the better of possession for the rest of the half, but couldn't find the breakthrough and the sides went into the interval on level terms.
HALF-TIME: HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0 BRADFORD CITY 0
The Bantams started the second half in bright fashion, but it was the Terriers who took the lead in the 48th minute!
GOAL - The move started when Danny Cadamarteri picked up a clearance from Matt Glennon before turning and running down the left flank. He drew in full-back Arnison before laying the ball back to Robbie Williams, whose cross was inch perfect and full of pace for the onrushing Jon Worthington to nod past the helpless goalkeeper from around eight yards out.
The first goal gave the game a real injection of pace and both sets of fans were generating a Cup atmosphere. Andy Butler produced a great block to deny Kyle Nix a clear shot at goal in the 53rd minute before Town swiftly moved up the other end of the pitch - Danny Cadamarteri beating two men but picking out defender Clarke with his cross from the right.
Cadamarteri was lively and showed his lightening pace when being put through on goal in the 57th minute. Flynn intercepted a bad Bradford pass out of defence and passed quickly to Jim Goodwin, whose slide rule ball set the striker away. He easily motored past Graeme Lee and towards goal, but he dallied when about to shoot - allowing Lee to recover and put in a goal-saving challenge.
GOAL - Town extended their lead on the stroke of the 62nd minute thanks to a first goal in Town colours by Gary Roberts. The tricky winger had drifted into the centre of the park and picked up a loose ball; it looked like he would slide Luke Beckett in on goal, but instead he surged through both Bradford centre-backs before sprinting the full length of the half and easily beating goalkeeper Rhys Evans.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Bradford boss McCall responded to the goal by making a double substitution; Thomas Moncur and Peter Thorne replacing strikers Conlon and Boulding.
Bradford tried to respond following the second goal, but the central defensive partnership of Lucketti and Butler were not in a merciful mood.
GOAL - Town's passage into the second round of the Cup was sealed in the 75th minute through a stunning Robbie Williams free-kick. The left-back wandered across the pitch to take a right-sided set-piece around 25-yards out and hit a poweful, curling effort into the top left corner of the goal - leaving the goalkeeper with absoultely no chance.
SUB - McCall made his final throw of the dice in the next minute, bringing Sean Taylforth on for Kyle Nix.
Soon after, both Roberts and Holdsworth saw speculative effors blocked following an attacking corner.
SUB - Stan Ternent made his first change in the 79th minute, giving Keigan Parker his Town debut. He replaced Luke Beckett.
GOAL - Town were rampant by this point and Gary Roberts netted his second goal of the game in the 81st minute to make it 4-0. The defence cleared a Bradford long ball to Michael Flynn, who knocked the ball over the top of the defence for Danny Cadamarteri to race through once more. He went into the box and rounded the 'keeper, leaving Roberts the simple task of passing the ball into the empty net from close range.
SUB - The two-goal hero was withdrawn a minute later, being replaced by Malvin Kamara.
SUB - Michael Collins became Town's third change of the evening in the 84th minute, replacing Jim Goodwin.
Substitute Parker flashed a shot wide of the near post a minute later after another Town break involving Jon Worthington and Williams fired another good free-kick straight at the goalkeeper in added time as Town comfortably saw out the rest of the game.
FINAL SCORE - HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 4 BRADFORD CITY 0
Huddersfield Town:
Matt Glennon, Andy Holdsworth, Jon Worthington, Danny Cadamarteri, Michael Flynn, Jim Goodwin (Michael Collins 84), Robbie Williams, Gary Roberts (Malvin Kamara 82), Andy Butler, Luke Beckett (Keigan Parker 79), Chris Lucketti (c)
Unused Subs: Alex Smithies, Joe Skarz, Nathan Clarke, James Berrett
Town Goals: Jon Worthington (48), Gary Roberts (62, 81), Robbie Williams (75)
Bradford Booking: Omar Daley (34)
Man of the Match (sponsored by Benbeck Forwarding) - Gary Roberts
Attendance: 8,932
Visiting: 3,229
