Rochdale 2 Huddersfield Town 2: Huddersfield chief Clark left concerned by defensive frailties

Town twice conceded the lead in a game they should have won comfortably.

There were five changes from the opening day’s disappointing 1-1 home draw with Bury but the outcome was the same.

Winger Gary Roberts admitted the blunder which led to the second equaliser a minute from time and Clark said his players were being “too intricate” in the final third.

“In the defending third, take no chances,” he said. “Put it in the stands. Even Bobby Moore took no chances.”

Clark knows that it is promotion or bust this season after being allowed to invest heavily, 12 months ahead of the salary cap which will curtail Town’s spending.

Town may have equalled an 86-year-old club record 27 regular season league games unbeaten but that means little in the promotion stakes. “We have given some shocking goals away and when you do that you won’t win matches,” said Clark. “Championship-winning teams don’t do what we are doing at the moment.”

Lone striker Lee Novak followed up his Carling Cup double at Port Vale with the opening goal, set up by Scott Arfield.

Oscar Gobern had a couple of chances before Gary Naysmith’s burst into the area saw Novak denied and Arfield’s powerful shot blocked on the line.

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro ended Town’s first half dominance when he drilled home two minutes before the break.

Novak brilliantly kept the ball in on the byline to set up Danny Ward for a cheeky back-heel flick to make it 2-1 but with time running out Ashley Grimes stunned Town with another equaliser.

Rochdale: Kean; Darby, Trotman, Holness, Widdowson; Tutte, Kennedy (Thompson 75), Jones, Adams; Grimes, Akpa Akpro. Unused substitutes: Lucas, Twaddle, Marshall, Fagbola.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett; Hunt, McCombe, P Clarke, Naysmith; McDermott (Ward 58), Miller, Arfield, Gobern, Roberts; Novak. Unused substitutes: Colgan, Rhodes, Kay, Woods.

Referee: A Haines (Tyne & Wear)

Man of the match: Lee Novak.