In-form keeper Alex Smithies believes Huddersfield Town will beat Leeds without James Vaughan if they stick to the vibrant, positive attacking philosophy which is producing a flood of chances.

Manager Mark Robins has to find a replacement for 11-goal top scorer Vaughan in Saturday’s derby (12.30) as he starts a three-match ban for a straight red card in the 2-1 defeat at Leicester.

Smithies – man-of-the-match at the King Power Stadium – accepts losing Vaughan is a blow, but he feels Town have the fluency and purpose to notch what would be only a second win in nine Championship outings against Brian McDermott’s side.

“As a performance, we feel pretty happy about how it went at Leicester,” said ever-present Smithies.

Unfortunately the result didn’t go our way, but there were plenty of passages of play for us and we were pleased with our performance generally.

“The manager said in training all week that he wanted us to be aware that we weren’t going there to be negative.

“We wanted to take them on and you could see that we weren’t just parking the bus in front of our goal, we were going all out to win the game.

“It didn’t work out how we would have wanted, but all credit to us. I think we are showing our progression by the fact we are willing to go to sides like that and take them on.

“If we can play like that against Leeds, at home especially, I think we will win the game.”

Smithies could be up against a new-look Leeds attack if the Elland Road side sign out-of-favour Nottingham Forest striker Dexter Blackstock on loan.

The 27-year-old had been a target of Brighton, but now it seems he could be on his way to Leeds, who are looking to build on an impressive 4-0 home victory against Lee Clark’s Birmingham.

Leeds also got international clearance for former Hearts skipper Marius Zaliukas.

The Lithuanian international went straight into the side for the Development Squad fixture against Sheffield Wednesday and was being watched by McDermott.