HUDDERSFIELD Town were left kicking themselves as they were held to a second successive Saturday stalemate.

Lee Clark’s side have now equalled the club’s record run of 27 consecutive league games unbeaten, set back in 1925.

But this felt a bit like a defeat after Rochdale claimed their second equaliser in the 89th minute to wipe out what should have been a routine win.

Town had great opportunities to create a two-goal cushion when they were both 1-0 and 2-1 to the good thanks to goals by Lee Novak and Danny Ward.

But a kind ricochet allowed Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro to level at the end of the first half, then the home side seized on a mistake by Gary Roberts to clinch a point.

Rather than clear his lines, the winger tried to chest down the ball, only to lose control and allow Gary Jones possession.

The Dale skipper picked out Ashley Grimes with a precision pass and the former Manchester United midfielder shot past Ian Bennett.

It was a major blow, because Town had worked hard to deny Steve Eyre’s side genuine opportunities while creating a succession of their own.

Clark made just one change after the midweek Carling Cup victory at Port Vale, with captain Peter Clarke replacing Liam Cooper at centre-back.

That meant Lee Novak kept the central frontline berth in a 4-3-3, with Jordan Rhodes, back from Scotland Under 21 duty, on the bench.

The Geordie striker, on the mark twice at Vale Park, responded with gusto, setting a great example with his high-energy approach.

Novak scored his side’s first, set up their second and won a succession of headers against former Town loanee Neal Trotman and his fellow centre-back Marcus Holness.

He was backed up by the midfield bite of Tommy Miller, Oscar Gobern and Scott Arfield, while Clarke and Jamie McCombe worked hard to combat the powerful Akpa Akpro.

Right-back Jack Hunt was another to catch the eye with his solid defending and adventurous attacking, while left-back Gary Naysmith came agonisingly close to a first Town goal.

The seasoned Scot played a nice one-two with Novak – who else? – to surge into the area in the 34th minute, and steered the ball past sprawling keeper Jake Kean.

He looked set to convert until fellow left-back Jake Widdowson made a vital tackle, but even then, Novak and Arfield had follow-up shots, only for Kean and Stephen Darby, on the line, to block.