Milton Keynes Dons 1 Huddersfield Town 1: Penalty culprit Novak gets backing from Clark as Town run is extended

Dons captain Dean Lewington had cancelled out Scott Arfield’s first-half opener before Novak’s late spot-kick was saved by David Martin, after Gary MacKenzie had seen red for violent conduct.

Clark, whose side stretched their unbeaten league run to 34 games, insists his team will make sure Novak does not dwell on his miss.

He said: “We’ll all pick him up because he has run his heart out again for us.

“He showed some great bits of play and he’s having a sensational season. I’ve worked with the best strikers in the business in world football and been lucky enough to play alongside some of them and they’ve missed penalties, they’ve missed absolute sitters.

“I’m really disappointed with the goal we gave away from a set-play but I’m pleased with the lads’ performance overall.”

Huddersfield dominated the first half and Danny Ward thumped a 25-yard volley against the crossbar before Arfield put them ahead after 37 minutes, slotting in the rebound after Alan Lee’s header had come back off the foot of the post from Jack Hunt’s cross.

The Dons piled forward after the break and Lewington equalised in the 65th minute from Dean Bowditch’s corner, ramming in the rebound after MacKenzie’s header had been parried by Ian Bennett.

Terriers substitute Gary Roberts then had a shot cleared off the line by Luke Chadwick before Novak’s late penalty miss, which came after MacKenzie had been shown a straight red card for lashing out at striker Lee in the area.

MK Dons: Martin; Smith (Chicksen 52), MacKenzie, Beevers, Lewington (c); Potter, Gleeson; Powell (McNamee 84), Williams, Chadwick (Guy 78); Bowditch. Unused substitutes: McLoughlin, Baldock.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett; Hunt, Kay (c), McCombe, Woods; Arfield, Johnson, Gobern (Robinson 65), Ward (Roberts 60); Novak, Lee. Unused substitutes: Colgan, Rhodes, Cooper.

Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).

Man of the match: David Martin.