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Huddersfield Town 6 Dagenham & Redbridge 1: Town's entertainers put Dagenham to the sword
Fa cup: LET Me Entertain You is, with due apologies to Huddersfield Town's first goalscorer last night, a phrase synonymous with a much more famous Robbie Williams.
But what the sharp-shooting Terriers left-back and his team-mates can lay claim to this season is an ability to put on one of the Football League's more spectacular shows in front of their own fans. Their six-goal demolition of League Two promotion chasers Dagenham & Redbridge not only eased Town into the second round of the FA Cup for only the third time in eight attempts.
It also took the tally of goals scored by Lee Clark's men this term to a formidable 29 in nine league and cup home games to underline just why the Galpharm Stadium has become a place to fear for visiting sides this season.
In truth, Huddersfield did not have to do anything fancy to beat the hapless Essex side.
With veteran goalkeeper Tony Roberts looking every one of his 40 years behind a Daggers' backline who seemed to view defending as an optional extra, the tie was over before half-time as the home side raced into an unassailable four-goal lead.
First, Williams proved that last Sunday's spectacular winner at Oldham Athletic was no fluke with a superbly executed free-kick that Roberts could only palm into the corner of his net.
Town doubled their advantage on 21 minutes when Anthony Pilkington displayed fine skills on the left before chipping an inviting cross to the back post for Gary Roberts to convert.
Pilkington then had another major part to play in Huddersfield's third just three minutes later with a stinging shot that Roberts diverted into the path of Lee Novak who netted from close range.
Roberts did improve in the visitors goal in the closing stages of the first half to deny Jordan Rhodes and Terriers namesake Gary.
But, with Town in such dominant mood, he was only really delaying the inevitable and Rhodes duly made it 4-0 at the break with a shot that cannoned in off the underside of the bar after being picked out by Michael Collins. At this stage, a rout looked a distinct possibility with some among the 5,858 crowd mischievously suggesting that the final score could be on a par with the winning margin New Zealand will no doubt enjoy in today's rugby league Test in Huddersfield.
In the end, Town had to be content with making it six of the best with a predatory finish from Novak getting the scoring under way 11 minutes after the restart with a bullet header from Pilkington's cross.
Gary Roberts then added a sixth with a fierce 72nd-minute strike after the visitors defence had again been unable to clear their lines.
Paul Benson grabbed a late consolation but it did little to lift the spirits of a Daggers side who had been well and truly put to the sword.
Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Peltier, N Clarke, P Clarke, Williams; Roberts, Kay (T Clarke 73), Collins, Pilkington (Ainsworth 78); Novak (Robinson 60), Rhodes. Unused substitutes: Glennon, Butler, Berrett, Drinkwater.
Dagenham & Redbridge: Roberts; Antwi, Doe, Arber, Nurse; Green, Gain, Thurgood, Tejan-Sie (Montgomery 62); Benson, Scott (Thomas 81). Unused substitutes: Nwokeji, Demetriou, Carlos, Bingham, Lewington.
Referee: G Salisbury (Lancashire).
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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