Port Vale 2 Huddersfield Town 4: Terriers sweep aside Vale to coast through

Town manager Lee Clark reacted to Saturday’s disappointing draw against Bury by making six changes to his starting line-up and they soon responded, Tommy Miller curling a shot narrowly wide.

Vale briefly replied with Tom Pope squandering an excellent chance before taking a 24th-minute lead. Pope’s pass fed Anthony Griffith and his driven cross was guided into the bottom right-hand corner by Gary Roberts.

The Terriers levelled five minutes later when Novak tucked away a far-post shot after Scott Arfield burst into the Vale box, and the lively Novak bagged his second seven minutes before the break, spinning to fire in a 10-yard shot after Gary Roberts had an effort blocked.

Town remained in control in the early stages of the second half and Jamie McCombe stole ahead of his brother, Vale centre-back John, to head narrowly wide before Hunt netted his cracking goal in the 58th minute.

The full-back drove forward from halfway and, with Vale’s defence backing off, unleashed an unstoppable 35-yard shot.

Roberts fired Town’s fourth from a 25-yard free-kick in the 67th minute.

Doug Loft pulled one back from the penalty spot eight minutes from time after Oscar Gobern’s clumsy foul on Griffith, but it did not really matter.

Port Vale: Martin, Yates, McCombe, Collins, Green (McDonald 63); Burge, Griffith, Roberts (Haldane 69), Loft; Pope (Williamson 69), Rigg. Unused substitutes: Tomlinson, Taylor, Owen, Dodds.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett, Hunt, McCombe, Cooper, Naysmith; McDermott (Ward 77), Gobern, Miller, Arfield, Roberts; Novak (Lee 79). Unused substitutes: Colgan, Clarke, Kay, Cadamarteri, Woods.

Referee: K Woolmer (Northamptonshire).