Huddersfield Town 1 MK Dons 1: Clark plays down Terriers’ exit from top two

Jamie McCombe’s opening goal was cancelled out by Stephen Gleeson after the break as Town slipped out of the top two, overtaken by Sheffield Wednesday.

“I would love to be in the top two, but there is plenty more football to be played and there will be a lot more twists and turns,” said Town manager Lee Clark. “We went to win the game today but came up against a good team.

“It was an excellent game between two very good sides. They moved the ball well, but I felt that we played well for large parts of the game.

“We had a twenty minute spell where we looked anxious, but in the final quarter of the game I felt we came back strongly and maybe could have nicked it towards the death. They never really had possession where they could have hurt us - we restricted them to playing most of their football in front of us.”

Jordan Rhodes started with a new strike partner.

Falkirk signing Kallum Higginbotham got the nod ahead of Lee Novak and Alan Lee as Lee Clark made three changes to the side which drew at Tranmere.

Scott Arfield, back from ankle trouble, replaced the injured Danny Ward and Tommy Miller replaced Damien Johnson in midfield.

Reading loan signing Sean Morrison made his home bow in centraldefence.

Former Leeds striker Alan Smith made his full MK Dons debut and was joined by fellow Newcastle loanee James Tavernier.

The visitors were content to sit back and play on the break even though they looked far from assured at the back but a seven-yard header from Jordan Rhodes which went over the bar was the closest either side came in the opening quarter.

Both Town centre-backs ventured forward and headed wide following set plays but there was little sign of a goal as the half headed to a close without the forecast snowstorm materialising.

But on the stroke of half-time, Gary Naysmith sent a free-kick out to Jack Hunt, whose deep cross was headed home by McCombe at the far post.

It was 1-1 in the 62nd minute when MK won a free-kick out on the left and Ian Bennett clawed thin air as Stephen Gleeson’s delivery curled over him into the top corner.

Smith was substituted shortly after being booked, Jabo Ibehre being brought on up front.

Jay O’Shea also replaced Dean Bowditch and Town’s Anton Robinson came on for Tommy Miller as the game entered its closing stages.

Daniel Powell was the third replaced for MK as Luke Chadwick departed in the 86th minute.

Town failed to win a last-minute penalty for a push on the back against Rhodes as he challenged for a cross.

Hunt’s cross-shot then cannoned off the bar and Town forced corners in quick succession with Arfield driving the ball narrowly wide.

For match reports and reaction read Sports Monday free inside the Yorkshire Post.