Huddersfield Town 2 Lincoln City 2: Terriers draw upon 'Spirit of 2004' to go ten unbeaten after dramatic comeback in controversial second-half

Trailing 2-0 at the break following an appalling first period - a jolt to the system given recent events - Town secured a lifeline early in the second half through Brodie Spencer’s first senior goal and the stage was set.

They pushed on the restart and were denied a stonewall penalty when Ben Wiles was bundled over by Sean Roughan in the final quarter.

Rferee Alan Young, who had a tough second half, was not for moving.

After getting mad, Town got even when Callum Marshall scored a dramatic leveller in the 89th minute as the hosts, on a testing day, showed their reservoirs of character to preserve their unbeaten home record stretching back to September 24, while extending their unbeaten sequence, regardless of venue, to an impressive 10 league matches.

No win maybe, but in front of the watching Kevin Nagle, they showed the bottle you associate with all successful promotion contenders.

It had looked pretty grim at the interval after goals from Ben House and Bailey Cadamarteri, son of half-time guest and ex-Town striker Danny.

In the first half, Town looked anything but a side seeking their eighth successive home victory in all competitions and proceeded to deliver an awful first-half which rewound the clock to painful defeats to Northampton and Blackpool in a black September.

In the first half, their players had a collective off-day, although it would have been churlish not to praise Lincoln, who were outstanding.

Edgy and unconvincing at the back, sloppy in midfield and pretty non-existent, the hosts were second best to most things and Huddersfield could not simply get to grips with their visitors, from a tactical perspective.

Cadamarteri provided a warning when he fired wide after good work from Tendayi Darikwa, who posed a lot of problems in the opening 45 minutes, alongside several others, with deep-lying midfielder Ehan Erhahon showing why he is so highly regarded, running a fair bit of the game.

Darikwa was involved in the opener. Receiving the ball from Lewis Montsma, he floated over an inviting cross and House got in between Matty Pearson and Ollie Turton to convert a powerful downward header.

A rum start got a lot worse midway through.

Erhahon’s probing pass found House, whose clever back-heel caused bother. Town couldn’t clear and Jovon Makama teed up Cadamarteri. His angled shot was turned into the net by the sliding Nigel Lonwijk, with the goal given to the recalled Imps striker as it was on target.

Unnerved Town couldn't react with Paudie O’Connor going close to a third for Lincoln with a header.

The hosts made an enforced change when the groggy Pearson made way before the break. It was a groggy first period from Town.

They were revived, mercifully, in the second half when Spencer picked the perfect time to bag his first senior goal, heading in after good work from Josh Koroma.

Town, who made two interval changes with Marshall and Lasse Sorensen - Duff had to do something and did - suddenly had hope with Koroma switched to left wing-back with Sorensen on the opposite flank and causing issues in particular, with Lincoln starting to look vulnerable at the back themselves after their earlier comfort.

That unconvincingness should have seen he hosts awarded a penalty on 72 minutes.

It was a stonewaller following clumsiness from Sean Roughan on Ben Wiles.

The Imps defender found himself on the wrong side of his opponent, panicked and bundled the midfielder over, but Young, despite a long think, was unmoved.

Town’s injury issues then unfortunately resurfaced again, with Sorensen making way following attention, after only coming on at half-time.

The hosts switched to a 4-3-3 with Freddie Ladapo and Jaheim Headley both entering the fray.

The action continued to be towards Lincoln’s goal as the hosts sought the chance they craved.

Headley did well with his dangerous low centre flashing across goal. Spencer kept alive on the far side and turned the ball back into the box, but no blue and white jersey was there.

Lincoln’s fitful defending was then exposed when Marshall beat O’Connor to Spencer’s cross on the right and blasted home.

Tempers frayed after the final whistle between both benches following an eventful game, with Lincoln’s tactics in the second half angering Town.

Huddersfield Town: Chapman; Pearson (Spencer 42), Helik, Lonwijk; Turton (Sorensen 46 (Headley 73), Kasumu, Kane, Ruffles (Marshall 46); Wiles; Ward (Ladapo 73), Koroma. Substitutes unused: Maxwell, Iorpenda.

Lincoln City: Wickens; Montsma, O’Connor, Roughlan; Darikwa, McGrandles, Erhahon, Hackett; House (Jefferies 81); Makama (Hamilton 64), Cadamarteri (Draper 72). Substitutes unused: Pardington, Ring, Walker, Moylan.

Referee: A Young (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 18,675 (1,364 Lincoln supporters).

Attendance: 18,675 (1,364 Lincoln supporters).