Burnley extended their unbeaten run to 14 games as they produced one of the comprehensive football results of the weekend in the Championship. Neil Warnock, who led the Terriers to win over Birmingham a week ago after taking over for the second time, had no answer as the hosts led 3-0 after 31 minutes. Anass Zaroury set up Ashley Barnes to begin the scoring, then Connor Roberts and Josh Brownhill added goals in the first half, with replacement Michael Obafemi scoring after the interval. Burnley dominated the first half, with 82 percent possession, and could have scored more than three goals before the break. With only six minutes gone, Morocco winger Zaroury bent in a cross from the left, and Barnes made a run across the front of the goalkeeper as the ball bounced into the far corner of the net.
Barnes came close to scoring with a flicked near-post header from a Johann Gudmundsson corner, but Nicholas Bilokapic saved it. Burnley’s second goal came in the 18th minute, aided by Huddersfield’s slackness. Hjalmar Ekdal ran forward unopposed and slipped a pass-through for Gudmundsson to round the goalkeeper, with Roberts sprinting in at the last second to tap in and steal the goal. With little over 30 minutes remaining, Gudmundsson provided another assist, this time with a through pass from the left for Brownhill to control and steer in from eight yards.
Before halftime, Ian Maatsen darted in behind Tom Lees to control a fantastic diagonal pass over the top from Ekdal, only to brush the outside of the post with his shot. Huddersfield, with little more than pride to play for, tested Burnley after halftime, with goalkeeper Aro Muric reacting brilliantly to push over Danny Ward’s rising angled effort. The only setback for the hosts on an otherwise uneventful afternoon was a nasty-looking injury to Maatsen just before the hour mark, inflicted when he slipped while racing back with Huddersfield substitute Brahima Diarra. A stretcher was used to transport the Chelsea loanee. Despite the setback, the hosts continued to create chances, eventually scoring a fourth goal when Roberts’ pass down the right put up Nathan Tella.
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