Burnley hammer Huddersfield to keep up promotion push

Runaway leaders Burnley extended their Sky Bet Championship unbeaten run to 14 matches with an emphatic 4-0 victory over relegation-threatened Huddersfield.

Neil Warnock, who inspired the Terriers to victory over Birmingham a week ago after returning for a second spell as their manager, had no answer as the hosts were 3-0 up after 31 minutes.

Anass Zaroury crossed for Ashley Barnes to open the scoring, with Connor Roberts and Josh Brownhill adding further first-half goals, and substitute Michael Obafemi netting after the break.

Burnley completely dominated a first half in which they had 82 per cent possession, and could have scored more than three before the interval.

Their first goal came with just six minutes gone, as 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 almost scored with a flicked near-post header from a Johann Gudmundsson corner, but Nicholas Bilokapic patted the ball away.

Burnley’s second, in the 18th minute, was well worked, albeit aided by Huddersfield slackness. Centre-back Hjalmar Ekdal strode forward unchallenged and slotted a pass through for Gudmundsson to round the goalkeeper, with Roberts cheekily racing in at the last moment to tap in and steal the goal.

The hosts extended their lead with just over 30 minutes gone, with Gudmundsson again providing the assist, this time with a through pass from the left for Brownhill to control and steer in from eight yards.

Ian Maatsen could have added a fourth before half-time, darting in behind Tom Lees to control a superb diagonal ball over the top from Ekdal, only to brush the outside of the post with his volley.

Huddersfield, with little more than pride to play for, did at least test Burnley after half-time, with goalkeeper Aro Muric reacting well to push over a rising angled drive from Danny Ward.

The only bad news for the hosts, during an otherwise straightforward afternoon, was a nasty-looking injury just before the hour mark to Maatsen, sustained as he slipped while chasing back with Huddersfield substitute Brahima Diarra. The Chelsea loanee was carried away on a stretcher.

Despite that setback, the hosts continued to create chances, adding a fourth goal as Roberts’ pass down the right freed Nathan Tella to cut back from the right for Obafemi to sweep in his second goal since his January loan move from Swansea.