Oldham 1 Huddersfield 1: Clark lauds Town’s achievement in stretching their unbeaten run

For a start, there is the little matter of a 31-match unbeaten run in League One.

Then there is the surprisingly high turnover of players with only Antony Kay from Saturday’s team being in the outfield starting 10 at Oldham last time.

Therefore it was easy to see why Kay was perhaps on a mission of atonement more so than his colleagues.

For Town’s performance against Paul Dickov’s side the previous time was insipid to say the least – only a string of saves from Ian Bennett keeping it to a 1-0 defeat – and chairman Dean Hoyle was moved to tear a strip off the entire playing and coaching staff the following Monday.

The chairman was more relaxed as he stood outside the ground in the drizzle on Saturday for Town had edged the game without claiming victory.

He could have thought ‘here we go again’ after the opening 10 minutes, however, for Town were caught cold, allowing veteran striker Shefki Kuqi to mark his Oldham debut with a goal, the former Sheffield Wednesday forward heading powerfully home from Bradley Diallo’s cross.

Town regrouped and with Gary Roberts and Danny Ward providing menace down the flanks in support of lone striker Lee Novak, it took just 10 minutes to equalise.

Ward’s cross was deflected for a corner, Roberts swung it out and Kay struck a sweet 12-yard volley in off Alex Cisak’s right-hand post.

Surprisingly, it proved the final goal, Bennett providing the save of the game after the break, beating away a close-range drive from Reuben Reid.

At the other end, however, Town failed to capitalise on their opportunities, Novak delaying too long before attempting to square for Tommy Miller, who was denied by a sliding challenge from Kieran Lee, and Roberts being inches from connecting with a cross from Jack Hunt.

Roberts’s replacement Donal McDermott also failed to let fly when well placed and the closest Town came was when Alan Lee swivelled in the area and struck the bar immediately after being brought on to partner Novak following the 76th-minute dismissal of Diallo, for a lunging late challenge across the slippery surface on Oscar Gobern.

Kay, leading the side in place of Peter Clarke, who will be back in contention following back trouble, claimed: “It was a good performance but we did enough to get the three points.

“After a ropey five minutes, we dominated the game and got into some great positions but it was just the final end product, which wins you the game, that was missing.

“I think last season (the corresponding game) was mentioned but it’s a local derby being only 20 minutes away and these games are always a bit more passionate.

“The (Town) fans came and they deserved three points but we look at each game as it comes and treat every game the same.

“We know we are 31 undefeated in the league and though we have probably drawn more than we should have, not losing is a good habit to get into.

“We can definitely keep this run going because we have great character in the squad.”

Whether he can keep out Town’s regular captain, Kay added: “Peter Clarke is a great player but whoever gets picked has to do the job in hand and I have been lucky enough to get the armband and I have just to keep performing.

“That goes for everybody in the starting XI because we have people on the bench and on the sidelines who are good enough to come in and everybody is looking over their shoulder.

“I am one of those players who likes to try to lead by example and I have been captain at other clubs and it is nice to be given the armband.”

Until the last two games, Kay has also been on the bench but his manager has been delighted with his response.

“He is a man, a proper man,” said Clark. “He takes disappointment on the chin and reacts in a man’s way so I had no hesitation in him being my vice-captain. If you need someone in the trenches then Antony Kay is one I would want being alongside us.”

Disappointed not to take three points, Clark added: “As long as these boys learn from game to game that’s the key; then you have a chance.

“That’s another game to add to the record and we cannot under-estimate what we are achieving. Let’s not just brush this under the carpet. We are now into the ninth month of the year and have not lost since December 28. These lads deserve a huge amount of credit for what they are doing.”

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Oldham Athletic: Cisak, Lee, Diamond, M’voto, Diallo; Taylor, Wesolowski, Adeyemi, Morais (Mellor 77); Kuqi, (Smith 81), Reid (Lund 85). Unused substitutes: Tarkowski, Gerrard.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett, Hunt, McCombe, Kay, Naysmith; Ward, Robinson, Miller, Gobern (Lee 77), Roberts (McDermott 65); Novak. Unused substitutes: Allinson, Cooper, Johnson.

Referee: C Webster (Tyne and Wear).