BATTLING Huddersfield Town salvaged a point with only seconds left as Lee Novak pounced for his second goal of the night.
It looked like a shocking penalty award by Wiltshire referee Roger East would condemn Town to a third home defeat, but then Novak managed to bundle home Adam Clayton speculative punt into the box.
It wiped out Danny Murphy’s second half penalty and Jordan Rhodes’ 43 minute strike after Novak had given Town the lead on 15 minutes.
Scouts from eight Premier League clubs – Everton, Southampton, Swansea, Stoke, West Brom, Sunderland, Norwich and Wigan – were in the stands as Town went with an unchanged team against a Blackburn line-up showing two changes in Mauro Formica and Ruben Rochina who were drafted in to play alongside Rhodes.
The man who scored 87 goals in 148 appearances for Town got a wonderful welcome back from the home fans, who were keen to see their side notch the win which would take them back above Rovers and into the play-off positions.
Town – seeking only a second win against Rovers in 10 attempts in Huddersfield dating back almost 39 years – were warned of Rovers threat after just 19 seconds as Rochina drilled in a long-range volley which Alex Smithies did well to tip over the top.
Rovers then forced a series of corners as Town struggled to get possession, but it all changed for the better on 15 minutes.
Sean Scannell showed his extreme pace when chasing a hook over the top and Scott Dann was forced to haul him down.
Click on the link below to open up our picture gallery of match action from last night
From the free-kick by Oliver Norwood, Rovers’ defence were at sixes and sevens, failing to clear as Novak stabbed home his third goal of the season.
It was just what Town needed as they were without injured strike duo James Vaughan and Jermaine Beckford, and the midfield got to grips more after that, although Rochina was causing problems playing in the ‘hole’.
Smithies, in fact, had to produce a smart save to deny the Spanish star from Barcelona B in Rovers next meaningful attack.
The match was evenly matched after that and Rhodes was hardly in the game, until two minutes before the break.
