Huddersfield came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the Blues at Portman Road. Tommy Smith put Town ahead in the 21st minute, Christophe Berra made it 2-0 on 55 but Nahki Wells pulled one back via a contentious 70th minute penalty and then equalised eight minutes from time.

Smith, Teddy Bishop and Luke Hyam returned to the Town side for Jonny Williams and Kevin Bru, who suffered knocks at Cardiff on Tuesday, and the suspended Tyrone Mings, who picked up his fifth booking of the season against the Bluebirds.

Skipper Luke Chambers switched to right-back with Smith coming in at the centre of the defence and Jonny Parr moving to left-back.

Neither side threatened seriously in the opening minutes but on 13 the visitors, who lined-up in a 3-5-2 formation against the Blues regular 4-3-3, ought to have been ahead through former Canary Grant Holt, who had already been on the end of boos from the home support.

Huddersfield right wing-back Tommy Smith blocked a Parr clearance midway inside the Town half and fed Jacob Butterfield, who in turn played in Holt on the left of the area. Dean Gerken advanced and Holt tried to lift it over the Blues keeper but scuffed the ball well wide.

It was a very lucky escape for Town who had been well and truly carved apart and a bad miss from a Terriers perspective.

The visitors were made to rue that miss in the 21st minute when the Blues went in front with their first shot on goal.

Bishop - who had hit the first defender with two earlier corners - sent over a flag-kick from the left and returning Town centre-half Tommy Smith nodded home from close range at the near post to record his first goal of the season.

There was a scare for the Blues on the half hour when one-time Town trialist Wells nipped in as Gerken waited for a Conor Coady ball forward to reach his hands on the edge of the area on the Town left. Berra did well to prevent the Bermudian getting on to the loose ball and Gerken gratefully claimed.

Huddersfield had an even better chance on 34 when Paul Dixon brought the ball forward after seizing on an aimless Tommy Smith header on halfway and played into the area towards Holt.

The former Norwich man left the ball for Wells, who found himself in on goal six yards out but hit his shot at Gerken’s feet and then headed his instinctive rebound over. Whether the ex-Bradford man was onside was questionable.

The Town goal had led a charmed life but on 42 the Blues were close to increasing their lead. Bishop’s freekick from deep on the left flicked off Daryl Murphy’s head and hit Smith and struck the post and the Blues defender was just unable to add a final touch before Terriers keeper Alex Smithies grasped hold of the ball.

As the half moved into injury time Huddersfield threatened again, Butterfield hitting a distance effort which Gerken pushed away to his right for a corner.

The Blues were more than a touch fortunate to find themselves in front at the break, the visitors having played the better football and created the best chances,

The Terriers really ought to have gone in front via Holt prior to Smith putting Town in front with the Blues’ first chance of the game, while Wells twice had decent opportunities to equalise.

Town threatened first after the break, McGoldrick making the most of some hesitancy in the Huddersfield defence and cutting a ball back from the left towards Conor Sammon but a defender blocked.

Three minutes later Skuse, Bishop and Hyam exchanged passes on the right and carved out an opportunity for Sammon just inside the area but the Irish international looped his shot well over.

Town had started the second half the stronger side and on 55 they increased their lead. A corner from the right was cleared to Parr midway inside the Huddersfield half.

As the Terriers’ defence rushed out the Norwegian found McGoldrick on the left of the area from where the striker cut the ball back to Berra, who turned home his fourth goal of the season from a couple of feet.

Holt headed a Dixon cross from the right over just before the hour. Moments later, Chambers sent over a ball from the Town right towards Murphy, but Mark Hudson headed behind.

On 63 the Terriers swapped Lee Peltier and Jonathan Hogg for Sean Scannell and Harry Bunn as they looked to get back in the game, switching from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2.

Three minutes later, Coady cut in from the right and shot well over, then at the other end Smithies was out quickly to head clear as McGoldrick chased after Chambers’s ball forward. On 89 Hyam was booked for the latest in a series of fouls.

The Terriers pulled a goal back in the 70th minute from the penalty spot. Chambers was penalised for apparently fouling Holt as Butterfield’s cross came into the area from deep on the right.

The Town skipper was adamant he had been the one fouled but referee Richard Clark wasn’t interested and added Chambers’s name to his book. Wells smashed a low penalty to Gerken’s right and into the net.

The momentum was very much with the visitors after the goal and on 73 sub Bunn latched on to Holt’s flick at the far post and Gerken did well to spread himself to block.

Two minutes later, Town boss Mick McCarthy swapped Jay Tabb and Paul Anderson for Sammon and Bishop and switched his side to 4-4-2. Soon after, Skuse was booked for a foul on Dixon, the Terriers defender having made a lot of the challenge.

With eight minutes of scheduled time remaining Huddersfield equalised. Scannell brought the ball in from the right before laying it back to Smith, who sent in a cross to the edge of the six-yard box from where Wells headed home his second of the game.

The visitors had been on top since their penalty and they continued to press having got back on terms, Wells shooting over after good work from Bunn, who along with fellow sub Scannell had made a significant impression on the game.

Stephen Hunt replaced Hyam with five minutes left on the clock but the Blues never looked like getting back on top with Huddersfield looking the more likely winners in the closing stages. The final whistle was greeted by boos.

Having been 2-0 ahead Town will be disappointed to have drawn their second home game in a week. However, on the overall balance of the game and chances created, they were probably fortunate not to lose having played little better than they did in the second half at Cardiff - aside from a spell just after half-time - and having had few chances aside from the two goals.

The key moment in the game was the penalty, which appeared contentious at best. Had Huddersfield not scored at that point then the Blues may well have gone on to claim all three points.

However, the visitors had been the better side in the first half and showed spirit to come back from what seemed a hopeless position to take the point and may well have gone on to win. The result sees the Blues, who are now without a win in five, drop to 10th.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Parr, Skuse, Hyam (Hunt 84), Bishop (Anderson 74), McGoldrick, Murphy, Sammon (Tabb 74). Subs: Bialkowski, Bajner, Clarke, Ambrose.

Huddersfield: Smithies, Smith, Peltier (Scannell 63), Dixon, Hudson (c), Lynch, Hogg (Bunn 63), Butterfield, Coady, Holt, Wells. Subs: Murphy, Ward, Wallace, Robinson, Paterson. Referee: Richard Clark (Northumberland). Att: 16,751 (Huddersfield: 486).

Photo: Action Images

Blue_Again added 17:20 - Oct 25 useless useless useless
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smithy91 added 17:21 - Oct 25 Another 2 points dropped from a very good position (seemed to have luck on our side as well). We cant realistically expect playoffs with results like this at home
10

martleshamitfc added 17:21 - Oct 25 Another lead lost, but to be fair Huddersfield deserved the point (at least). Once again we fail to deal with the opposition changing tactics, Powell brings on two attacking players, and we bring on Tabb and Anderson who fail to make any kind of impact from the bench. Very frustrating oncemore, especially seeing the other results, we should be in the top 2 positions, yet find ourselves back in 10th!! Let's get back to winning next week at Blackpool.

13

Blue_Again added 17:24 - Oct 25 still the same problem as we have had for years we cant close games out, what is up with that
11

bluefeast added 17:25 - Oct 25 it was so poor today i cant find a positive other than bishop
4

are_these_the_days added 17:27 - Oct 25 Hoofball again. As is often the case at PR it was the away team playing the decent football.
14

kuyski added 17:27 - Oct 25 Suddenly the team doesn't know how to face the lead even 2 up front,luckily not lose today ,what happened????????????MM I know Hunt is your favour!but he done nothing when he on the pitch!!!!!!!!!!bad day again ==
7

Jimmy86 added 17:30 - Oct 25 To drop more points having been 2-0 up is massively disappointing and to be fair completely unacceptable. Being 2-0 up though did slightly flatter us, but for 2 set piece goals. It all hinged on that fat, cheating, scummer buying a penalty and the introduction of 2 pacey players from the be bench. Just goes to show what pace can do. The football has improved tbis season, without a doubt, but we were poor today and it was like watching us last season. The quality on the ball was not there today and they ran rings round us at times. Shame we dropped more points from winning positions.

11

warwickblue added 17:30 - Oct 25 Walking home from this one thinking we look like a mid-table side again, after a September where something special seemed to be happening. Letting go of a two goal lead at home to a side that looked organised but ordinary should not have happened, even allowing for the dubious quality - for the second week running - of the officials. Disappointed tonight.
15

Ipswichlove added 17:30 - Oct 25 chambers out! Both goals his fault!
-8

tractorboybig added 17:30 - Oct 25 Bubble has burst, relegation battle here we come (headlong)
-6

Lightningboy added 17:31 - Oct 25 5 without a win now...come on Mick,sort them out...2-0 up and we should be going for 3,4 or 5 rather than sitting back...same old problems keep reappearing.
13

TractorCam added 17:32 - Oct 25 9 points dropped in 4 games. We deserve naff all from these games if we're going to sit back on a 2 goal lead. Granted that the ref (who again was poor along with his linesman) gave a penalty which wasn't, of course on fatboy Holt who spent most of the game on the floor, it changed the game but that's no excuse. Even at 2-2 we didn't care and had no attacking threat so far. Ridiculous, this needs to change

7

TractorBoy666 added 17:38 - Oct 25 Will Mick ever learn? Every time we're on the back foot he goes and puts on supposedly defensive players and it just doesn't come off. Where is Henshall and Stewart?! Surely you need pace on the break if you are on the back foot and you do not get that from Tabb, Anderson or Hunt. Also surely Collison and Ambrose are better players to bring on, after all they're fighting for a longer contract. Poor performance today and never really deserved to be 2-0 up. Frustrating.

9

runaround added 17:39 - Oct 25 2 words as to how that result happened, Grant Holt. He changed the game getting the ref on his side and pretty much reffing the match From my view the "penalty " was quite clearly a foul BY Holt on Chambers, the only appeal was our players & fans appealing for the free kick! The Ref fell for his actions & it fired up Huddersfield to come back. That said however we were poor today but at 2 up at home you should win. The system we played today just didn't work & our full backs were left isolated again and again All the good stuff from our September run has evaporated and we have to start another good run at Blackpool

12

htb added 17:40 - Oct 25 Not being able to hold onto a lead must be a mental problem ingrained into the whole club over many seasons, not helped by MM negative tactics. When will we ever learn we are not capable of sitting on a lead. I would much rather we were caught on the break trying to put the game to bed rather than always going into our shell.
7

dalianwasexciting added 17:43 - Oct 25 I am afraid its controversy time again......we have a manager who seems uncomfortable with attacking football, and who seems hell bent on changing things with the same old subs. As posted earlier at 2-0 up we should be going for 3, 4 or more...NOT sitting back. The stats show Huddersfield having the vast majority of shots on goal, that should not happen at home against a side who hardly set the world on fire. But what rankles the most is the persistance to make substitions, often with the wrong players going off, and the wrong ones coming on....There are favourites in the squad who MM seems to favour, and these sadly are the journeymen Tabby, Ando and Hunt..... I note that Bournemouth did not ease up at 2-0 up.... And its hardly the first time.

8

dalianwasexciting added 17:45 - Oct 25 And what is Sammon here for??? Yes he won us the set pieces from which we scored against Blackburn, but there must have been better loan strikers available.
6

pazelle added 17:45 - Oct 25 Hyam booked in the 89th? Back to 442, back to basics for me from now on.
1

pablo123 added 17:48 - Oct 25 Last 4 games taken the lead , and won none of them !! Game management skills- non !! That was terrible today second half yet again !! They changed their shape and once again we cannot cope !!!
7

StochesStotasBlewe added 17:48 - Oct 25 Well, where do I start. Awful performance. When I saw the subs bench, I feared the worst. Where are Henshall & Stewart, players that can inject some pace into our pedestrian team. They bring on Scannal, we bring on Tabb. The former ran Parr ragged for 20 minutes. Come on Mick, ffs give these guys some game time. I,m really pissed off tonight, we were lucky to get a point. Another great opportunity to go for it & close the gap at the top wasted.

16

backwaywhen added 17:49 - Oct 25 Dire today and back to the drawing board , still up there but the last two home draws have felt like defeats ! Thankfully we play Blackpool in November as October has been a BAD month for the Town . COYB
5

TimmyH added 17:50 - Oct 25 I'm getting that deja vu feeling that this season will be pretty similar to last, as reiterated by other posters that this again is unacceptable at dropping more points from the position we were in, you really would have thought we might have learnt something! Overall sounded like an average performance and Huddersfield deserved to get something out of the game. Seems like a long time ago now since that commanding performance away at Wigan, and since our winning run ended we haven't exactly covered ourselves in glory.

6

NoelTheDub added 17:56 - Oct 25 Im not going to slaughter our team of hard working bread and butter players out there today, got our 2 0 lead and got pegged back by a team playing football the way it should.Without Williams we are so ordinary its hard to believe.Bringing on Tabb and Hunt does nothing to change the shape of our team and when will MM realise that hanging on does not work.I cant fault the effort the lads put in and a point on the board but where are we going with MM plans I dont know.The small squad or no money is no excuse for boring the pants of people.

8

floridaboy added 17:57 - Oct 25 We do nothing when skuse and hyam are in the same line up. We can all see it but the management cannot. What has happened to Stewart, henshall and collison. Got to be better than skuse and hyam surely That said we did not deserve even a point
5

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