MURRAY WALLACE might not be arriving at Huddersfield Town until next season – but fellow centre-back Jamie McCombe knows there is no chance of resting on his laurels.

The towering 29-year-old has his sights set on a fifth successive appearance since returning from his loan stint at Preston when Town tackle League I promotion rivals MK Dons at the Galpharm this afternoon.

And the former Bristol City man, who has competition in the shape of Reading loanee Sean Morrison, the man he played alongside in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Tranmere, captain Peter Clarke and Antony Kay, vowed: “I’ll do everything in my power to stay in the side.”

McCombe, who this week welcomed new signing Kallum Higginbotham to Huddersfield while the frontman’s Falkirk teammate Wallace also agreed a switch but will stay North of the border until the end of the current campaign, continued: “Competition is what it’s all about and it’s not something I’m afraid of.

“If you are playing you have to dig in. We have some fantastic players at this club and good players are always desperate to get back in.

“Playing with better players is the only way you can improve and we have some very good centre-halves.

“I have the shirt at the moment and I am doing my best to keep hold of it.”

McCombe’s Town future looked far from secure after he was sent off against Leyton Orient in September, when the Londoners – Town’s hosts next Saturday – responded to his late red card by launching a comeback from two down to claim a point.

But the Pontefract-born former Scunthorpe and Lincoln player showed real character to bounce back with a successful seven-game loan spell at Town’s divisional rivals Preston.

Since his return to the Galpharm, McCombe has yet to suffer defeat in four matches, two of which yielded clean sheets.

At Tranmere the 6ft 5in-tall star formed an imposing partnership with 6ft 4in Morrison, who has signed for the rest of the season from Championship club Reading.

McCombe said the new arrival, who spent time on loan at Town last season but didn’t get a game, slotted straight in.

“Sean’s a good player and we know what he is about,” he said. “When you have a new partner it’s always different trying to work out each other’s game but Sean’s been here before and we've seen him in training.

“We have good players throughout the squad and if you know your jobs it makes a big difference.”

Town boss Lee Clark is after clean sheets, and more shut-outs are McCombe’s priority.

“They are vitally important,” he said. “I would love to win all our remaining games 1-0.

“It’s always our aim to go out and keep a clean sheet but, realistically, you can’t do that every week.”

McCombe accepted Town weren’t at their best at Prenton Park but pointed out: “We came away with a point and it’s probably a point gained.

“Tranmere have a great team spirit and work ethic and you know you are never given anything for free. They dragged us into a battle and credit to them.

“It was one of those days where we really didn’t play our true game but we ground it out and managed to come away with a point.

“It was a tough game on a pitch which wasn’t great. It was a typical League I battle.”