Tammy Abraham's brace ensured Swansea City claimed it's first home win of the campaign in the first-ever Premier League meeting between these two Clubs.
David Wagner made two changes from the side that succombed to the defeat against Tottenham last time around. Philip Billing and Scott Malone came into the side ahead of Aaron Mooy and Chris Löwe. Notable Town milestones included a first Premier League start for Scott Malone, whereas Elias Kachunga made his 50th league appearance for the Club at the Liberty Stadium. Aaron Mooy took a place on the substitutes bench after recently returning from an International berth with Australia, where he would aid his nation to a continental play-off against Honduras in November. Steve Mounie did not travel with the squad, but positively Danny Williams returned from an injury set-back with a spot among the replacements.
Proceedings got off to a rather painful start, as Jonas Lössl was clattered by Leroy Fer on the goal-line after collecting a loose touch from the Swans' Dutch midfielder as Fer collected an early caution for his challenge. Up the other end, Tom Ince found his initial shot blocked by a recovering White shirt after Elias Kachunga showed a neat touch to create space on the edge of the area.
Winger Luciano Narsingh displayed his electric speed down the right to excel past Scott Malone following Kyle Naughton's inventive chip from the full-back position, but the former PSV man - once team-mates with Mathias Zanka in Eindhoven - couldn't reach the pass to deliver a cross before the ball rolled out for a goal-kick.
Jonas Lössl didn't let the early blow affect him; the Dane showed quality reflexes to palm away Tammy Abraham's effort from 20 yards after taking in Tom Carroll's lofted pass over a static Town back-line.
The resulting corner saw Scott Malone importantly place his body on the line to block Jordan Ayew's corner-bound prod after Town failed to clear it's lines during an almighty goal-mouth scramble.
Paul Clement's Swans continued to make hay on the Town goal; Lössl again kept Town level by this time commanding his area well to collect Carroll's high, deep free-kick delivery to deny Abraham a tap-in at an un-guarded far stick.
Arguably the Terriers' first real chance of the half arrived 23 minutes in; Elias Kachunga produced some exceptional trickery to round his marker, but the DR Congo International fired tamely into the arms of a welcoming Lukasz Fabianski.
However, the best chance of the entire match occurred just minutes later. Patient wing-play from Rajiv van La Parra culminated in Town's winger serving up a fruitful cross for Tom Ince. The latter timed his surge into the box to perfection, but he blasted his effort over the bar from close range.
The same player would then have a penalty claim turned down having been played through by Jonas Lössl's tantalising defence-splitting 70-yard pass, but Martin Olsson's last-man challenge was adjudged to have been conducted fairly by referee Paul Tierney.
Jonathan Hogg's blushes were spared by Christopher Schindler as the German defender covered vital ground in the race to ensure Narsingh's route to goal ended prematurely following on from Abraham attempting to play a ball out wide after Hogg had produced a loose pass in the central areas.
Town would fall behind shortly after that block from Schindler. Jonas Lössl unusually saw his attempted distribution land straight at the feet of Tom Carroll who in turn had a clear passage to bear down on goal unchallenged before squaring for Abraham to despatch home, giving the home side a slender advantage as the interval approached.
The Head Coach turned to Aaron Mooy at the start of the second period in a bid to turn fortunes around on a mild October afternoon in Glamorgan.
However, that bid took a major set-back just moments into the half; the ball would inadvertently break to Jordan Ayew in space within the 18-yard box, and after a creative dink over a sprawling, on-rushing Jonas Lössl, Tammy Abraham reacted quickest to notch his second of the afternoon to double the Swans' lead in the process.
Rajiv van La Parra responded by unleashing a shot which lack any sort of effective power which did little in the way of troubling a relatively quiet Fabianski between the sticks for Paul Clement's side.
In truth, Swansea's front-line looked increasingly lively, with Town having minimal time on the ball in the deep areas thanks to pressure from the energetic duo of Ayew and Narsingh.
That man Narsingh again worked pivotal space down the right-hand side before stumping up a low cross aiming for hat-trick hunter Abraham. Swansea'a striker would find himself denied by a resilient clearance from Mathias Zanka, meanwhile.
The Terriers continued to work for openings nonetheless in the face of adversity. Tom Ince wriggled away from the challenge of Ayew and laid off a pass in-front of the path of Tommy Smith; the Skipper delivered a fruitful cross across the face, but no Red and Black shirt could latch onto the end and reduce the arrears.
Home substitute Ki Sung-Yueng came agonisingly close to killing off the game in it's entirety by drilling a powerful effort inches wide of Jonas Lössl's back-post, whereas the returning Nathan Dyer almost assisted Abraham for his third just moments having done well to beat his marker on the wing.
Town's afternoon was arguably summed up by Rajiv van La Parra's shot skimming the cross-bar after taking a wicked deflection off the fortunate Federico Fernandez.
TOWN'S STARTING LINE-UP (4-2-3-1):
Jonas Lössl; Scott Malone (Chris Löwe, 81'), Christopher Schindler, Mathias Zanka, Tommy Smith (c); Philip Billing (Danny Williams, 60'), Jonathan Hogg (Aaron Mooy, 46'); Rajiv van La Parra, Tom Ince, Elias Kachunga; Laurent Depoitre
UNUSED SUBS:
Joel Coleman, Martin Cranie, Florent Hadergjonaj, Abdelhamid Sabiri
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