Match ends, Huddersfield Town 0, Swansea City 4.
Huddersfield Town's hopes of avoiding relegation from the Championship were dealt a heavy blow as they were thrashed at home by Swansea City.
Swansea, already safe and with little to play for, had the better of a goalless first half as Jay Fulton and Liam Cullen wasted good chances.
Cullen hit the post after the break with a curling effort from the edge of the penalty area, before substitute Jamal Lowe cut in from the left and found the bottom corner with a firm right-footed shot.
Huddersfield substitute Danny Ward struck the post as the home side tried to salvage a point, but Ronald made sure of victory for the Swans as he finished off an incisive counter-attack.
Swansea scored twice in added time to deepen their opponents' misery, with Jerry Yates converting from close range before fellow substitute Liam Walsh found the top corner with a beautiful strike.
Huddersfield remain in the bottom three, but the extent of the damage this result will have on their bid for safety will not be known until later on Saturday.
Relegation rivals Queens Park Rangers host Preston North End in the day's late kick-off while another team towards the bottom, Birmingham City, were involved in a game at Rotherham United which was running behind schedule after it was temporarily suspended for a medical emergency in the crowd.
Whatever the outcome of those matches, the boos at the final whistle in Yorkshire were a stark illustration of Huddersfield's plight.
Whereas the Terriers came into this game in desperate need of points, Swansea had already effectively secured their place in the Championship next season with victory over already-relegated Rotherham a week earlier.
Even if there was little riding on this game for Luke Williams' men, they started positively as Brazilian winger Ronald impressed with some dangerous runs forward on the right. One such burst led to a chance for Fulton, whose low shot was well saved by Lee Nicholls.
The best opportunity of the first half fell to Cullen. Josh Tymon's cross from the left was perfect but, despite being completely unmarked just a few yards out from goal, Cullen miscued his header wide.
With Huddersfield unable to create much beyond a long-range shot dragged wide by Josh Koroma, the home crowd became increasingly agitated.
Their worries increased when Cullen's shot hit the post, before Lowe's opening goal gave the beleaguered Terriers faithful a familiar sinking feeling.
Ward's low shot which cannoned off the post gave them hope, but that was soon dashed by a clinical second Swansea goal.
Keeper Carl Rushworth launched the ball forward to Tymon, who broke into the box and played a low pass across to Ronald, who finished into an empty net.
The damage was already done when Yates hit Swansea's third in injury time, and then Walsh curled in a superb fourth to round off a dismal afternoon for Huddersfield.
Huddersfield head coach Andre Breitenreiter told BBC Radio Leeds:
"We are all disappointed and I admit the performance was not good enough today.
"The first half was very disappointing because we knew about the possession game of Swansea but we did not play with our plan.
"We tried to make it better in the second half and created two or three big chances… but you have to score and we didn't.
"It was too easy how we conceded the goals. I'm disappointed but I also spoke to the team. We have two more games. It's hard to believe after this result today but there are six more points to get."
Swansea head coach Luke Williams told BBC Radio Wales:
"I'm thrilled with the way the team played. They [Huddersfield] are a far better team than they were earlier in the season but now they have pressure and they gave us a tough game.
"That's why I'm so happy because it wasn't a walk in the park, far from it. The players had to apply themselves.
"We were knocking on the door. We defended incredibly well. People put their bodies on the line and we came away without the opposition hitting the target.
"We have a duty to the competition to play properly. We have a lot to play for. We have fans to play for, then we have professional pride."
Line-ups
Huddersfield
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Nicholls
- 4Pearson
- 5HelikBooked at 55mins
- 32LeesSubstituted forJacksonat 88'minutes
- 17SpencerSubstituted forHeadleyat 61'minutes
- 18Kasumu
- 21MatosSubstituted forHealeyat 61'minutes
- 14ThomasBooked at 90mins
- 8Rudoni
- 10Koroma
- 7BurgzorgSubstituted forWardat 60'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Radulovic
- 12Maxwell
- 15Headley
- 16Edwards
- 20Turton
- 23Wiles
- 25Ward
- 30Jackson
- 44Healey
Swansea
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 22Rushworth
- 2Key
- 5Cabango
- 6Darling
- 14Tymon
- 4FultonSubstituted forWalshat 66'minutes
- 8Grimes
- 35Pereira MartinsSubstituted forAbdulaiat 87'minutes
- 31CooperSubstituted forLoweat 66'minutes
- 12PatersonBooked at 25minsSubstituted forPatinoat 74'minutes
- 20CullenSubstituted forYatesat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Fisher
- 9Yates
- 10Lowe
- 18Patino
- 19Kukharevych
- 23Wood
- 28Walsh
- 33Humphreys
- 47Abdulai
- Referee:
- John Busby
- Attendance:
- 18,935
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home32%
- Away68%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away19
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away7
- Corners
- Home4
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Huddersfield Town 0, Swansea City 4.
Booking
Sorba Thomas (Huddersfield Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Carl Rushworth (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Sorba Thomas (Huddersfield Town).
Post update
Attempt missed. Rhys Healey (Huddersfield Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Michal Helik following a fast break.
Post update
Attempt saved. Liam Walsh (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jamal Lowe.
Post update
Harry Darling (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Danny Ward (Huddersfield Town).
Goal!
Goal! Huddersfield Town 0, Swansea City 4. Liam Walsh (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Azeem Abdulai.
Goal!
Goal! Huddersfield Town 0, Swansea City 3. Jerry Yates (Swansea City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Charlie Patino (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by David Kasumu (Huddersfield Town).
Substitution
Substitution, Huddersfield Town. Ben Jackson replaces Tom Lees because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Swansea City. Azeem Abdulai replaces Ronald.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Tom Lees (Huddersfield Town).
Goal!
Goal! Huddersfield Town 0, Swansea City 2. Ronald (Swansea City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Josh Tymon.
Post update
Foul by Harry Darling (Swansea City).
Post update
Rhys Healey (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Comments
Join the conversation
What a talent in an era of great players he always stood out for club & country.
RIP Leighton from all at Leicester City.
They have totally let down their fans and supporters...
The blame for this season lands squarely at their door
“Lessons will be learnt”, “root and branch”,
“We can bounce back with your support”,
(money). Warnock out, Moore in. Didn’t it occur to anyone it might not quite work?
Gutless
Going down is for the best - total clear out!
Our clown of a manager continues to select a man who plays only for Burgzorg FC, not HTAFC, ahead of two proper strikers.
We are screwed.
Last one out, turn off the lights.
UTT 🔵⚪🔵⚪🔵⚪🔵⚪🔵⚪
Sacking Warnock and installing subsequent clueless replacements is as daft as Brum appointing Rooney.
Sorry for the Terriers and Blues fans to see their clubs in such a state.