MK Dons 1 Huddersfield Town 1 - David Wagner delighted after Phil Billing red card brings Terriers closer together to fight back for point

Nahki Wells struck with only four minutes remaining to earn the visitors a deserved share of the spoils and leave the Dons 22nd in the Championship, six points above the relegation zone.

Alex Revell’s first Dons goal looked like being enough for the home side, especially when Town substitute Philip Billing was sent off just four minutes after coming on at half-time.

But the Terriers refused to buckle and were rewarded with Well’s fourth goal in his last five games.

“It feels positive,” said Wagner afterwards.

“The first half was one of the worst we have played together - we didn’t do anything we had spoke about before. We missed our fighting attitude completely.

“The reaction was great, especially with us going down to ten men so quickly after half-time. We stayed in the game and sometimes it isn’t negative when you get a red card because everyone comes closer together.

“It was a very cool Nahki finish from his only chance in the game.

“I spoke with the referee and from my position - and the fourth official had the same position as well - it wasn’t a red card.

“Phil is a tall guy so it seems his leg is higher than it is sometimes. He is a 19-year-old and had a bad first touch. it was a foul of course and a yellow card but not a red. We will appeal and see what happens.”

A nervy Dons were booed off by some fans, as they had been on Saturday after a dismal 2-0 home defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Bristol City but their manager Karl Robinson cut a positive figure afterwards.

“The important thing is that we have gone one more point clear than where we were sat at the start of the game,” he said.

“We could have been two points above the relegation zone if we had lost and Rotherham won. As it happens, rather than two we are six.

“I’m sorry if people are thinking ‘why is he being so positive, the second half was rubbish’ - the second half wasn’t rubbish. We were nervous.

“Not many people know what it is like as a professional to be in an industry where there is nervous energy flying around. I back my players to the hilt - they were a bit nervous but everybody was.”

Milton Keynes Dons: Cropper, Baldock,McFadzean, Walsh, Lewington, Potter, Forster-Caskey, Bowditch, Williams (Maynard 75), Murphy (Hall 69), Revell. Unused substitutes: Spence, Emmanuel-Thomas, Powell, Burns, Kay.

Huddersfield Town: Steer, Smith, Hudson, Cranie, Husband (Lynch 80), Hogg, Paterson, Matmour, Bunn (Manu 46), Lolley (Billing 46), Wells. Unused substitutes: Davidson, Whitehead, Murphy, Dempsey.

Referee: Michael Bull (Essex).