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Huddersfield striker Andy Booth re-discovered his goal touch as rampant Town outclassed Northampton 3-0 at the Sixfields Stadium on Tuesday night. The homegrown frontman hit a stunning hat-trick to end both the Terrier's recent poor run of form and his own personal goal drought.

Booth,who hadn't scored since August 27th,capped a vintage performance with three excellent finishes and could have had even more as Town dominated from start to finish. He was partnered up front for the first time by Chelsea loan man Leon Knight who added much needed pace to Town's attack.

It was Knight in fact,who had the game's first real chance.He latched on to a fine through ball from Kevin Gray but the tricky frontman was denied by Northampton 'keeper Keith Welch.

Town manager Lou Macari,still without the injured Kenny Irons,employed a more attack-minded formation than in recent away fixtures,with Chris Holland this time pulling the strings from the centre of midfield. Danny Schofield caused the Cobblers all sorts of problems down the left hand side,while Thomas Heary replaced Adie Moses at right back.

The Terriers were unrecognisable from the team that lost so miserably at Tranmere on Saturday,and were unlucky not to take the lead when Booth crashed a header against the bar early on.

After half an hour however, they deservedly went in front.A poor clearance fell to Booth on the edge of the box and he rifled a low left foot drive past Welch and in off the foot of the post before wildly celebrating with the 800 Town supporters behind the goal. Town continued to press and their neat football and incisive passing brought further chances for Knight and Schofield before Booth added his second on the stroke of half-time,turning in Schofield's low cross from the left.

Northampton made a double substitution early in the second half but still made little impact as Town tightened their grip on the game.

It came as no great surprise when Booth claimed his hat-trick on seventy minutes,powering a header beyond Welch from Heary's free-kick after Knight was impeded on the right.

This left the Cobblers with a mountain to climb and although they hit the bar late on,they were a well beaten side.

Despite the crippling injury list,the Terriers were stronger in all departments.Classy Nathan Clarke was the pick of the bunch in a rock-solid defence,Holland and Mattis worked over-time in midfield and Knight and Booth were a constant threat up front.

In short,this was easily Town's best performance of the season and the first time they've scored three goals away from home since the 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest last December.

The win moves Town up to seventh place in Division Two and the Terriers entertain Wrexham at the McAlpine Stadium on Saturday.

Teams:-

Nothampton Town:
Welch,Frain,McGregor,Hunt,Parkin(Forrester 54),Gabbiadini(Assamoah 77),Hodge(Carruthers 54),Burgess,Hope,Hargreaves,Marsh. Subs not used:Sollitt,Dempsey.

Huddersfield Town:
Margetson,Jenkins,Heary,Clarke,Mattis,Gray,Knight(Hay 89),Schofield,Thorrington(Beech 87),Holland,Booth(Macari 89). Subs not used:Phil Senior,Moses.

Referee: Michael Ryan (Preston).

Attendance: 5,926.

Beaker's MOM: Andy Booth.