GARY ROBERTS reckons Huddersfield Town are developing a crucial killer instinct that could pay dividends at Carlisle tomorrow.

While goal-getting hasn’t been a problem, giving them away certainly has.

As a result, boss Simon Grayson and his coaching staff have been working hard to toughen their team up.

The last two games suggest a breakthrough, with Town winning 2-0 at Chesterfield before defeating League I leaders Charlton 1-0.

Facing 10 men for the closing stages against the Londoners, fourth-placed Town played the game out.

They earned a succession of corners and throw-ins while keeping the visitors penned in their own half.

It came after a fluid attacking show and Roberts said: “It’s not always good on the eye.

“But if you leave yourself open you can get punished at this level.

“Sometimes you’ve got to kill the game and see the result out. They’d had a man sent off and we had to be professional.

“I don’t think it was a case of grinding the win out as we played some really good football at times.

“But sometimes you have got to mix things up and we know we might have to do the same at Carlisle.”

It’s the first of two crunch games on the road, with Leyton Orient to come on Tuesday.

Play-off hopefuls Carlisle are back at Brunton Park after drawing 1-1 at Colchester and coming from behind to beat MK Dons 2-1 and strengthen their grip on sixth place.

Greg Abbot’s side, which includes former Town midfielder James Berrett, are unbeaten in six.

And Roberts predicted: “I think that’ll be one of the toughest games of the season.

“They’re in form and have taken points off all the top teams. We’ll have to work very hard there to get a result.”

That said, Roberts, who is back to full fitness after hernia surgery, says Town are more than capable of claiming all three points.

“We deservedly beat the league leaders. I thought we dominated from start to finish and responded well to what the gaffer wanted us to do, so we should take real confidence from the result.”

While Town have Jordan Rhodes aiming to add to his post-war club record goal tally of 35 for the season, Carlisle had Jordan Cook to thank for their win at fifth-placed MK.

The hosts looked set to narrow the gap on Town to just a point when Shaun Williams fired them in front with an 80th-minute penalty.

But on-loan Sunderland forward Cook, having come off the bench, struck back within three minutes, then netted the winner from the spot in injury time after he was fouled by Tom Flanagan.

The 21-year-old returned for a second stint at Carlisle on deadline day and manager Abbott said: “We were really pleased he came back.

“He gives us another type of option and even more energy and drive if we feel we need to change things or try something different.”

County Durham referee Nigel Miller will be in charge tomorrow.

l Town have loaned academy goalkeeper Lloyd Allinson to non-league side Ilkeston Town for the remainder of the season.

The 18-year-old will be available for tomorrow’s Evo-Stik (Northern Premier) League Division I South game at home to Shepshed.