Huddersfield Town 0 Charlton Athletic 1: Clarke welcomes Town’s trip to Leeds despite another setback

There would have been less pressure on Town had they been able to stretch their unbeaten home Championship run to nine matches, but defeat to Charlton leaves them still in the relegation mix as they bid to prevent Leeds United securing a derby double.

“The fact that we have no midweek game will allow us to recharge batteries and we will be 100 per cent raring to go on Saturday,” said the central defender, who defied a broken nose sustained in the midweek win against Middlesbrough to face Charlton.

Shrugging off his discomfort – “where there’s no sense, there’s no feeling – I’ve done it about six or seven times now” – Clarke explained what victory would mean this coming Saturday.

“Make no mistake about it, for Town fans, me personally, the lads in the dressing room, we know that it is everything – bragging rights, waking up on Sunday morning with a good feeling. We know how important the game is and we want to go there and win in whatever way.”

Although Town’s overall performance was poor as they became the first team in 18 matches not to breach the Charlton defence, Clarke is certain they will not be going straight back down to League One.

“I believe there is enough quality in the group to stay up. At this moment, we are five points away from the line and it is in our hands hands and we have to make sure we keep it that way.

“There is no point setting a points target because we go into each game wanting three points and if we do that on more occasions than we don’t then we will have the opportunity to stay up.”

Manager Mark Robins, who fielded an unchanged starting line-up, admitted: “This was one step back for us, but we have got to take it on the chin and prepare for Leeds on Saturday.

“People say that’s a big game, but we have got nine left to play and they are all big games.

“So far as I’m concerned, there’s no extra pressure because it’s a derby game. Losing to Charlton is a sickener because it has taken them up to 12th spot.

“That’s where we would have been with a win, so this has got to be seen as a great opportunity that has passed us by.

“We have not done quite enough to get a result. We are doing things the hard way, that’s for sure.”

One reason behind Town’s lack of verve was the heavy state of the pitch, substitute and former Palace striker Alan Lee stating: “The lads gave their all, but there are a lot of tired lads who have played two 90 minutes on a very tough pitch which takes a lot out of you.”

Echoing his captain’s confidence, Lee added: “Of course wecan stay up. We are in the driving seat and the lads are giving their all. We’ll do it.

“We have had some very positive results recently and let’s crack on to Saturday – what a game to go into. The lads have had 10 games in four or five weeks and the lads have dug deep to get us in a decent position. Fifty points is the classic target. We need to win a game in the next two or three and then you’d like to think we would be in a very good position.”

Lee famously scored the bullet header which earned a draw with Sheffield Wednesday which kept Palace up and sent the Owls down in 2010 and added: “That’s the only time I have ever really gone to the wire. We were deducted 10 points which took us from just outside the play-offs to the relegation zone and you certainly find out what players are made of in those last few games.

“Some who had not featured earlier in the season came to the fore so you do learn a lot about people if it gets to that stage. Hopefully, it won’t get to that stage here.

“We recognise the importance of Saturday as there will be a lot of Town fans working with Leeds fans and we want to give them something to gloat about on the Monday.”

Town would probably have earned at least a point had they not switched off in the third minute when Chris Solly squared a free-kick from the left, allowing the unmarked Callum Harriott to drive into the area and strike the ball inside Alex Smithies’s right-hand post.

Charlton goalkeeper David Button and robust central defenders Matt Taylor and Michael Morrison then kept Town at bay, Lee Novak seeing a back-header tipped over before Oscar Gobern headed woefully wide from six yards.

Button produced a smart reaction save to keep out a close-range header from striker Theo Robinson, who later swivelled and mishit a shot which Novak seemed sure to convert only for Rhoys Wiggins to divert over the bar.

Charlton, however also had a couple of chances with Smithies blocking from Danny Haynes, who had been sent through, and Clarke clearing off the line from Lawrie Wilson’s flick header.

Chances were at a premium after the break as Charlton employed two midfield men in front of the defence and Robins’s substitutions and switch to a 4-4-2 formation failed to have the desired effect.

Huddersfield Town: Smithies, Hunt, Clarke, Gerrard, Dixon; Norwood (Ward 54); Clayton, Gobern (Arfield 81); Novak, Robinson (Lee 54), Danns. Unused substitutes: Bennett, Woods, Wallace, Atkinson.

Charlton Athletic: Button, Solly, Taylor, Morrison, Wiggins; Wilson, Pritchard, Jackson, Harriott (Evina 79); Fuller (Dervite 66), Haynes (Obika 88). Unused substitutes: Hamer, Stephens, Green, Wagstaff.

Referee: K Stroud (Gillingham).