Jordan Rhodes hit a second hat-trick in a week as Huddersfield Town beat Preston North End 3 – 1 at the Galpharm Stadium.
Rhodes’ first came after a calamity mistake from the Preston goalkeeper, whilst his second inside the first half was a pin-point header from 8 yards.
The Scottish Under-21 International completed his hat-trick with a cooly slotted third mid-way through the second half and Rhodes has now scored 13 goals in his last five matches.
North End boss Phil Brown made five changes to his side that were thumped 4 – 2 by Sheffield United at Deepdale in midweek.
Paul Parry and Daniel Devine came in to try and sure up the backline with David Gray dropping to the bench and Steven Smith out of the squad altogether.
Highly rated youngster Adam Barton made his first start of the season, whilst veteran Ian Ashbee replaced pensioner Graham Alexander in the centre of midfield.
Juvhel Tsoumou started up front alongside Preston talisman Iain Hume.
Huddersfield manager Lee Clark opted for the same starting line-up that convincingly beat Exeter 4 – 0 in their last league outing at St James’ Park.
The homeside who are formidable in the league, almost went ahead after just 30 seconds.
Gary Roberts latched onto a long free kick from skipper Peter Clarke, but Turner saved low from 15 yards.
But Town didn’t have to wait long for the opener as on 4 minutes Rhodes scored his 8th league goal of the season.
A long ball over the top from Clarke caused chaos In the North End defence and keeper Iain Turner’s attempted clearance was miss kicked allowing Rhodes the simplest tasks of rolling the ball into the empty net from the edge of the box.
A minute later and Preston were close to being level.
Tsoumou nodded a long ball on to Hume whose deflected lob was brilliantly clawed off the line by Town’s goalkeeper Ian Bennett.
On 14 minutes North End went close again as Clarke bravely through his body on the line to save an almost certain goal from Barton’s shot.
North End continued to press for the equaliser, but after Tsoumou had done well to free himself down the left, he could only drag his effort wide from 10 yards when squaring it to Iain Hume would have perhaps been the better option.
Four minutes before half time Rhodes made North End pay as he grabbed his and Town’s second goal.
Jack Hunt found himself in acres of space on the right and his pull back cross was met by the man in a rich vein of form, Rhodes whose unchallenged header from 8 yards went in off the far post.
Into the second half and after great interplay in the Huddersfield midfield allowed Scott Arfield to fire inches wide from the edge of the box.
Seven minutes later and it was 3 - 0.
Arfield broke down the left and he pulled the ball back for Rhodes who grabbed his third hat-trick in five games slotting low past Turner from 12 yards.
On the hour mark Preston pulled one back.
Paul Coutts played in Hume whose low cross from the right was met by Tsoumou at the back post who tapped in from 3 yards.
Preston were inches away from pulling another goal back, but substitute Keammar Daley’s 25 yard curling free kick was superbly tipped away by Bennett.
At the other end Clarke’s header was palmed away by Turner meaning Preston’s defence was spared of conceding four goals in consecutive matches.
It’s now 39 games unbeaten in League One for Town, who sit second in the table.
But it’s four league defeats on the bounce for Phil Brown’s men who slip out of the play-off places.
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