Huddersfield Town boss Clark looks to close the gap gradually

LEE CLARK admits failure to beat Leeds United tomorrow would pile the pressure on Huddersfield Town in their quest for automatic promotion.

The Terriers go into the eagerly-anticipated West Yorkshire derby on the back of a 10-game unbeaten run that has yielded 22 points.

With second-placed United's own form having dipped since the turn of the year, Town are firmly eyeing a top-two finish despite trailing their neighbours by nine points with 14 games remaining.

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The meeting at the Galpharm Stadium, therefore, has much more riding on it than local pride as Huddersfield attempt to reel in their neighbours.

Clark said: "Leeds would go even further away from us with a win and keep the same gap if it was a draw.

"With games running out, that would put extra pressure on us. What we have to do is take it one game at a time in terms of trying to chip away at the teams above us.

"We need to get that points difference down on a weekly basis. It will not be easy. I would much rather be in Leeds's or Norwich's position where if they look after their own results, they will get automatic promotion.

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"We have to win but also hope the others teams drop points as well.

"It is not totally in our hands, even though we have all the top teams apart from Swindon still to visit the Galpharm.

"But we can only take three points off those teams and the gap is a lot larger than that.

"We still think it (automatic promotion) is possible, without a shadow of a doubt."

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Town boast an impressive derby record since hostilities were resumed in 2007 with three victories and a draw from the five meetings.

Clark has been in charge for the last two, the 2-2 draw at Elland Road this season and the St Valentine's Day 1-0 win at the Galpharm last term.

One man adamant Leeds can inflict a first derby defeat on the Town manager is defender Patrick Kisnorbo.

The Australian, who returned from injury in last weekend's draw at home to Brighton, said: "It is likely to be a hostile environment on Saturday. Everything will be against us. In games like this, you either sink or swim. Hopefully, we will swim.

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"We have shown character from the start of the season so I think we will fine. The coaching staff have made us hard to beat.

"The Oldham win was important. The conditions were not the best but we stuck at it and got back to what we were doing at the start of the season – winning ugly if we had to.

"We won a lot of battles all around the pitch. Results have not gone for us this year but we knew before Oldham the only way to come out of it was to stick together."

Kisnorbo, who missed the 2-2 draw with Huddersfield at Elland Road in December through injury, added: "I played in a few derbies at Leicester so know what to expect.

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"I also played for Leeds at Manchester United, so have played in fiery games before. It is a game we travel to with confidence. I was made aware of the derby when I came in the summer but this will be my first one and I am looking forward to it."