Mad Huddersfield Town get even on controversial day when plenty was against them - final word on League One draw with Lincoln City

He had that feeling early on against Lincoln City. His Huddersfield Town players were slow and lethargic in his words and run over by an Imps side who won first-half duels galore in an opening 45 minutes which rewound the clock to the Terriers’ black September.

Their 2-0 lead was far from flattering; the hosts were miles off it. Duff quipped afterwards that he could have taken 11 players off. It was only half in jest.

In the event, he made two changes, with both wing-backs getting the hook and then things changed.

Crucially, his group - after a bruising first period - stayed tight. The fact that they didn't go off individually amid a fair bit of adversity was duly noted by Duff. It pointed towards the progress his group have made since mid-autumn and augurs well.

Barring a major decision which went against Town by way of stonewall-looking penalty ignored by referee Alan Young, it might have yielded a victory.

Given where Town were at half time, a point - secured thanks to a milestone goal from Brodie Spencer and a late leveller from his fellow Northern Ireland cohort Callum Marshall - should be viewed as a pretty good one in the circumstances.

After being entitled to wonder what he had flown over from the States for on the first-half evidence, owner Kevin Nagle will have been appeased by what followed it, even if it also heightened the need for Town to bring in a serious frontline striker in January to harden their promotion credentials.

Some illness had been affecting some Town players ahead of the game, with Tom Lees missing out. Fellow defender Matty Pearson soldiered on for 42 minutes before making way after feeling groggy in a first half which was decidedly uneasy.

As bad as Town were, Lincoln were excellent, with accomplished midfielder Ethan Erhahon showing why he has several suitors. He ran the game.

Ben House put the Imps ahead, getting in between Ollie Turton and Pearson to powerfully head home following a juicy cross from Tendayi Darikwa, who caused plenty of bother down Town's left.

Town had no answers and the visitors' second goal was indicative of a troubled half.

Erhahon slotted in House down the sides, his nifty back flick wasn't cleared, with the ball eventually finding Bailey Cadamarteri, son of ex-Town forward Danny - who was the half-time guest, coincidentally.

The Sheffield Wednesday loanee's angled low shot found its way into the net via the sliding boot of defender Nigel Lonwijk.

Town may have won their previous seven home matches in all competitions, but it did not stop them being jeered off at the break as Duff finally got a chance to address things. No tea-cup throwing, but points were made.

The key for Town - cajoled by stadium announcer Paul Ramsden to draw upon the 'Spirit of 2004' when they produced a storming play-off comeback against Lincoln - was scoring early in the second half to enable the home fans to get invested again. They did just that.

Great work by Josh Koroma, switched to the left with impressive effect, saw him float over a cross which was headed in by Pearson’s replacement Spencer.

With ex-Imp Lasse Sorensen slotting in on the right, Town found their wings and the speed of their passing from the back also quickened up as they also camped in the half of Lincoln, who started to get agitated themselves.

The hosts also had a willing runner up front in Marshall, who also entered at the start of the second half.

Town got mad, rightly so, on 72 minutes after Young overlooked a huge penalty call when Sean Roughan bundled over Ben Wiles in untidy fashion.

The Imps defender found himself on the wrong side of his opponent, panicked and fell into the back of Wiles. After a think, Young said no. In the finals week of 'Strictly Come Dancing', the Huddersfield jury were not amused.

In fairness, Town - who soon lost Sorensen to an issue in his comeback week - got even after successfully switching for a 4-3-3 in the final quarter with Freddie Ladapo and Jaheim Headley both arriving.

Marshall nipped in front of Paudie O'Connor to blast home following Spencer's cross as the hosts showed their bottle. A point gained.

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).