Northampton Town 1 Huddersfield Town 2: Town complete first leg of journey with Wembley their destination

Last season’s Northern Final defeat in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy has whetted the appetite to go a step further and Novak’s fifth goal of the season, turning in Gary Roberts’s cross, was just the tonic for Lee Clark’s ambitious side.

Huddersfield went ahead six minutes before the break when Donald McDermott cut in from the right and teed the ball up on his left foot before ramming a low drive past Sam Walker into the far corner.

Their joy was short-lived as three minutes later Michael Jacobs headed in a cross from home captain John Johnson.

Huddersfield would have considered themselves aggrieved not to be ahead at the break, as Jordan Rhodes twice went close, first seeing his delicate chip over Walker headed off the line by Byron Webster before racing clear to again be denied by the hosts’ goalkeeper. But it was a different story after the break.

The Terriers relied on two outstanding stops from goalkeeper Ian Bennett, firstly palming away a rasping drive from Arron Davies in the 64th minute before brilliantly tipping over a curling pot shot from Jacobs nine minutes from the end.

At the finish, Alan Lee’s fierce drive was pushed away by Walker but Huddersfield had done enough while the Cobblers have now lost five matches on the trot.

Northampton Town: Walker; Johnson, Langmead, Webster, Tozer; Jacobs, Turnbull (Westwood, 90), Davies, Young, McKoy (Corker, 65); Akinfenwa (Savage, 76). Unused substitutes: Walker, Sallihu.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett: Hunt, Kay, Cooper, Woods; McDermott (Ward, 69), Robinson, Gobern, Roberts; Lee, Rhodes (Novak, 69). Unused substitutes: McCombe, Arfield, Colgan.

Referee: D Deadman.