Town suffered their first home defeat under the management of Lee Clark this afternoon courtesy of a late goal from promotion chasing Millwall.

Town fought their way back into the game after the visitors had taken the lead with a sublime goal created by Anthony Pilkington for Gary Roberts, but a clinical break from the Londoners saw them clinch all three points and left the watching Town fans frustrated as their side conceded a third injury time goal in successive games.

Town started the game in a 4-4-2 formation with 'keeper Smithies behind a back four of Williams, Butler, captain Lucketti and Holdsworth. Pilkington and Ainsworth occupied the left and right wings respectively either side of Collins and Craney in central midfield, leaving Roberts and Jutkiewicz to lead the line in attack.

Both sides started brightly and striker Jutkiewicz had an early foray into the Millwall box before being halted and Millwall midfielder Marc Laird's 6^th minute shot from outside the box screwed a shot badly wide of Smithies' left hand post.

However, Town's Andy Butler had a real 'heart in mouth' moment in the 12^th minute that almost led to a goal for the visitors. A quick throw from 'keeper Smithies was intended for right-back Holdsworth but the alert David Martin robbed the ball and played a quick cross that found striker Alexander behind the back post; the striker crossed the ball back into the danger area and when stretching, Butler headed against his own crossbar before the ball fell to safety.

The Lions had a good spell in the opening stages and pushed the Terriers back into their own half, but first Jutkiewicz and then Collins sent speculative long range drives over the bar as Lee Clark's side found their way back into the game.

A good back post header from a raking Williams free-kick in the 18^th minute then gave Ainsworth the chance to run at left-back Frampton; he breezed past the defender, but hit his cross straight into the chest of 'keeper Forde.

BOOKING - Town skipper Chris Lucketti picked up the first yellow card of the game in the 23^rd minute after bringing down midfielder Abdou with a sliding challenge after the Millwall man had robbed Ian Craney of the ball in the centre circle. Striker Alexander hit a fierce effort from the resulting free-kick thirty yards from goal that screamed over Smithies' bar.

Millwall continued to press and an excellent cross from right-back Duffy in the 25^th minute narrowly evaded midfielder Laird at the near post before dropping to left-back Frampton, who fired a volley over the goal.

Clark made a change soon after, switching Roberts to the left wing and moving Pilkington up front to partner Jutkiewicz. The change immediately created 'Robbo' space to shoot from the edge of the box a minute later, but he scuffed his shot wide of goal.

Town started to hold the ball up more effectively around the half hour mark and one swift passing move involving Williams and Roberts gave 'Pilks' the chance to pull the trigger from 28 yards out, with his low effort whistling past the 'keeper's right-hand post.

Millwall almost hit Town on the break in the 35^th minute after Whitbread cleared the ball up field following a Town attack - Holdsworth misplaced a defensive header straight to winger Henry, who was being pulled back by Williams but managed to fire a shot over the crossbar as referee Langford played advantage.

Town striker Jutkiewicz was the brunt of some physical defending courtesy of centre-backs Whitbread and Craig but the man in charge seemed happy to let play continue despite obvious barges in the forward's back on a few occasions, incensing the Town faithful inside the ground.

A mazy dribble from winger Henry saw him breeze past four Town players in the middle of the park in the 42^nd minute but thankfully for Town, 'keeper Smithies was quickly off his line to smother the ball at the midfielder's feet as he entered the penalty area.

BOOKING - Millwall's Richard Duffy was shown a yellow card in the final minute of the half after scything down left-back Williams.

A left wing cross from Martin late into the two minutes of added time in the first half narrowly evaded fellow winger Henry at the back post before the referee ended the goalless half.

HALF-TIME: HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 0 MILLWALL 0

Neither manager made changes during the interval and the Terriers started the second-half in brighter fashion. Pilkington had continued in attack and was the first to test a goalkeeper in the 49^th minute with a deflected shot from 25 yards out that looped into the hands of the goalkeeper.

SUB - Andy Booth was introduced to the game by manager Clark in the 50^th minute; he replaced Lukas Jutkiewicz in attack.

Town should have scored through a brilliant counter-attack in the 53^rd minute. A Millwall free-kick was cleared out of the Town box to Gary Roberts, who slid a pass over the halfway line; winger Ainsworth used his lightening pace to race past last defender Abdou onto the ball, but rolled his effort wide of the near post as he entered the penalty area and 'keeper Forde looked to close him down.

Substitute Booth then showed his undoubted aerial prowess two minutes later - a good one-two between Pilkington and Roberts allowed the latter to cross and the strike legend rose above big defender Whitbread to nod the ball wide of the far post.

Town then forced a couple of corners and a long diagonal cross from Collins ended with defender Lucketti - the unlikeliest of candidates - spectacularly volleying over when 15 yards out at the far post.

The impressive Smithies was needed to smother a low cross from Martin in the 62^nd minute with striker Alexander lurking for any potential rebound.

Lucketti then towered above his marker to meet a 64^th minute Roberts corner with his head, but his effort went straight at 'keeper Forde. The burly centre-half cut his face whilst getting his header in and needed immediate treatment from physio Dave Buckby.

GOAL - Millwall then opened the scoring in the 69^th minute through midfielder Marc Laird. Dangerous winger Martin did well down the left side in the build-up to the goal, getting to the ball ahead of two Town defenders before pulling the ball back to the edge of the box where the central midfielder hit a powerful low volley to Smithies' right-hand side.

Town tried to fight back immediately and Pilkington found room to shoot on the edge of the box three minutes later, but skied his shot over the bar and into the upper tier of the Fantastic Media Stand.

GOAL - Town did level the scores in the 74^th minute with Gary Roberts netting tenth goal of the season, but his strike owed everything to the work of winger Anthony Pilkington. The former Stockport man received a pass from substitute Booth on the right flank before breezing past a defender and sending a fantastic cross to the back post for Roberts to convert at full stretch.

SUB - Richard Duffy was replaced by Scott Barron in Millwall's first substitution in the 76^th minute.

Boothy's hold-up play was making a real difference as Town were more able to build attacks, but their next chance came from a corner - Williams' back post header needed to be saved by the Millwall custodian after Roberts had delivered an excellent corner.

England under-19 'keeper Alex Smithies then showed why he is rated so highly - pushing a close range Alexander header onto the bar with a lightening reaction save after Martin had crossed from the left flank.

BOOKING - Millwall striker Alexander was booked in the 81^st minute for time wasting.

SUB - Town had to withdraw Anthony Pilkington in the next minute after the midfielder picked up an injury - Tom Clarke took his place on the field and slipped into central midfield.

SUB - Clark then introduced Phil Jevons to the game in the 85^th minute - he replaced Lionel Ainsworth. Craney pushed onto the right flank, with Jevons joining Booth in attack.

Millwall broke well on Town a minute later, with Alexander beating the onrushing Smithies to a loose ball before poking wide with the goal at his mercy.

Town boss Lee Clark was incensed at a few of referee Longford's decision towards the end of the game and he was left more frustrated as his side conceded a late goal for the third consecutive game.

GOAL - A very effective break from the away side saw Millwall's Barron race from the edge of his own box with the ball after he intercepted a pass from Collins and advance to the edge of Town's penalty area; he drew last defender Holdsworth to the near post and slipped the ball square to James Henry, who comprehensively beat Alex Smithies by sliding the ball into the bottom corner.

FULL-TIME: HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1 MILLWALL 2

Town's Team:

Alex Smithies, Andy Holdsworth, Michael Collins, Ian Craney, Robbie Williams, Gary Roberts, Andy Butler, Anthony Pilkington (Tom Clarke 82), Chris Lucketti (c), Lionel Ainsworth (Phil Jevons 85), Lukas Jutkiewicz (Andy Booth 50)

Unused Subs: Simon Eastwood, Dominik Werling

Town Booking: Chris Lucketti (23)

Millwall Bookings: Richard Duffy (45), Gary Alexander (81)

Attendance: 13,196

Visitors: 380