Huddersfield Town 4 - 0 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League One

ORIENT slumped to a crushing 4-0 defeat at high-flying Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Gary Roberts delivered an outstanding performance from the flank, scoring one and setting up two more after the Terriers broke the O's resistance at the end of the first half.

Nathan Clarke, Michael Collins and Jordan Rhodes all got on the scoresheet as the O's crumbled in the second period.

Three minutes in Glenn Morris had to make a sprawling stop to deny Rhodes after the Huddersfield man connected with Anthony Pilkington's free kick with a goalbound diving header.

Morris was involved again three minutes later, backpedalling to parry Roberts' dipping shot away.

It was a bright start from the home side and in the 16th minute Robbie Williams advanced from left back to swing over a cross that Anthony Kay nodded over at the far post.

Two minutes later Terriers keeper Alex Smithies got under the flight of Luke Summerfield's corner, but Ben Chorley could only head over with the stopper nowhere.

The O's were starting to gain a foothold in the contest and Summerfield shot straight at Smithies on 22 after Ryan Jarvis laid the ball off.

But Huddersfield looked strong when they went forward and Roberts sent a similar effort down Morris' throat two minutes later.

Morris did well to save another shot from Roberts with 33 minutes on the clock after Lee Novak got in down the left and slid the ball back.

At the other end Summerfield's low drive from range skidded the wrong side of Smithies' post, but Huddersfield moved into the lead right on the stroke of half time when Roberts sent a volley in off the far post after Orient struggled to get a Nathan Clarke long throw clear.

The home side didn't have to wait long after the break to double their advantage, with Nathan Clarke rising unchallenged to meet Roberts' corner with a header that gave Morris no chance.

Jimmy Smith had a snapshot saved by Smithies as they looked to halve the deficit immediately, but Huddersfield looked comfortable in their two-goal lead.

Pilkington almost added a third in the 71st minute with a well-directed shot from range which forced Morris to scramble across his goal to save.

Three minutes later a third did arrive when Roberts skipped away from Andrew Cave-Brown inside the area before clipping over a right-footed cross for Collins to send a diving header bouncing into the net.

Roberts was central to all of Huddersfield's attacking play and his 78th minute cross should have resulted in a fourth Terriers goal but sub Theo Robinson failed to hit the target from close range.

Another sub, Lionel Ainsworth, was denied by Morris four minutes from time, but he could do nothing about Rhodes' final minute fourth as the Huddersfield man tucked home from close in.

Huddersfield: Smithies; Peltier, N Clarke, P Clarke, Williams; Roberts, Collins, Kay, Pilkington (Ainsworth 85); Novak (Robinson 69), Rhodes
Subs: Goodwin, Butler, Berrett, Drinkwater, Glennon (GK)

Goals: Roberts 45+2, N Clarke 57, Collins 74, Rhodes 90

Leyton Orient: Morris; Cave-Brown, Chorley, Mkandawire, Daniels (Melligan 60); Demetriou, Summerfield, Smith, Townsend; McGleish (Scowcroft 60), Jarvis (Patulea 67)
Subs: Ashworth, Pires, Butcher (GK)

Booked: Daniels, Scowcroft

Referee: Peter Quinn

Attendance: 13,396 (208 away)