Manager Simon Grayson hailed Huddersfield's 2-0 play-off semi-final first leg win at MK Dons as their best display since he took over.
Jordan Rhodes' first-half header and Jack Hunt's late clinical finish put the Terriers in pole position to reach Wembley ahead of the second leg on Tuesday.
Grayson said: "We are delighted that we have won and with the level of performance that we showed today.
"We have worked extremely hard over the last 10 days on the game plan and our individuals stuck to it.
"As a team we broke quickly, passed the ball around very well and they did what we asked them to do, which is great as a manager.
"We are still very wary of the opposition, which we have to be because MK Dons are a good team.
"We need to be focused physically and mentally in our preparation because we haven't achieved anything yet.
"Given the circumstances I would say that this is the best performance of my short reign at the club.
"Jordan showed good movement and finished the cross well and Jack normally swings those left foots high and wide, but today it went in the back of the net.
"We won't allow the players to be complacent on Tuesday and we will try and replicate what we have done today."
Rhodes put Huddersfield ahead after 32 minutes when he glanced a header past goalkeeper David Martin from Lee Novak's inswinging cross for his 39th goal of the season.
The Dons improved after the break but Hunt doubled the Terriers' lead in the 73rd minute, cutting inside Shaun Williams to fire a fine left-footed shot inside the near post.
Huddersfield keeper Ian Bennett then produced a brilliant one-handed save at the close to keep out substitute Jabo Ibehre's header from Adam Chicksen's cross.
Dons boss Karl Robinson said: "The game's not over yet, we believe we can still turn it around.
"It was a really weird game, I thought there was nothing in it at all. It was a bit of a stalemate and then Rhodes pops up with a goal.
"Second half was probably more in our favour and they hit us on the break when the referee let a player back on to the pitch when he shouldn't have been on the pitch, and it had an affect on the throw-in.
"It's a sucker-punch but there's a long way to go."
