-Flashback to Town’s emphatic win over Crystal Palace at the McAlpine Stadium
-Watch Clyde Wijnard’s hat trick capped off with an acrobatic stunner
-Highlights of the match available via #HTTV
The Terriers second home game of the 1999/2000 season proved to be a memorable one for Town fans as Steve Bruce’s Terriers put on a show for the home faithful.
The class of Town’s first goal was a sign of things to come. Clyde Wijnard showed the Palace fullback a clean pair of heels, cutting in from the right-hand side. His pass found Marcus Stewart, who had the poise to flick the ball into the path of an arriving Chris Beech. The midfielders side footed effort squirmed past Fraser Digby in the Palace net to put the Terriers into the lead.
Town’s second and Wijnard’s first of the afternoon had an element of fortune about it. The forward latched onto a scuffed shot by Marcus Stewart to bury his second goal of his Terriers career since signing from Leeds United that summer.
The Crystal Palace fullbacks were then undone on the flanks. Some neat play from Town down the Eagles left hand side saw the ball work its way to Kenny Irons on the edge of the box. Irons buried his effort low into the bottom left corner to bag his first goal for Town and all but seal all three points for the Terriers before halftime.
Town began the second half as they ended the first and added to the score line two minutes after the restart. Substitute Rob Edwards produced an audacious flick around the Palace full back and his cross found Marcus Stewart in the box. After taking one touch out of his feet, the forward buried the ball low into the far corner to get his name on the score sheet.
Clyde Wijnard stamped his authority on the game by netting his second and Town’s fifth. After being released down the flank, the Dutchman showed good strength to beat Andy Linighan and, after faking an effort, slid the ball under the onrushing Digby to further compound the misery on the travelling Crystal Palace fans.
The sixth goal was the pick of the bunch and again it was Clyde Wijnard. Chris Beech latched onto a loose ball and played a quick one-two with Wijnard. Beech’s tempting cross was met by Wijnard and the Dutchman connected expertly with a bicycle kick to secure his first hat trick in Town colours.
Crystal Palace gave their travelling support something to cheer by netting a consolation. Andy Linighan met a corner from the left-hand side and his powerful header deflected in off of Clinton Morrison and past Nico Vaesen in the Town goal.
Despite this slight blot, Steve Bruce’s side would have the last laugh. A crunching tackle from Chris Beech retrieved the ball for Town deep in the defensive third. The tireless midfielder released substitute Ben Thornley who split open the Eagles defence with a pin point pass to Marcus Stewart. The forward doubled his tally by coolly touching it around the goalkeeper to slot home Town’s seventh and final goal of the afternoon.
You can watch highlights of the game below via #HTTV
