Town’s play-off aspirations suffered a significant blow as they were beaten 2-1 at Huddersfield. Nahki Wells and James Vaughan gave the Terriers a two-goal half-time lead and despite Luke Varney netting three minutes after the break the Blues were unable to get back on terms.

Town boss Mick McCarthy made two changes with Richard Chaplow and Chris Wood coming into the team for Teddy Bishop and Freddie Sears, who dropped to the bench alongside Jonny Williams but there was no place for David McGoldrick.

The Blues, wearing their orange away kit, threatened for the first time in the third minute when Chaplow crossed from the right and the ball reached Jay Tabb at the far post, Huddersfield defender Tommy Smith - one of their three centre-halves - cleared his effort on goal off the line.

The home side went in front via their first serious chance. Left-back Zeki Fryers, in for Tyrone Mings, who was serving the second game of his ban, tried to play the ball inside to Christophe Berra but instead fed one-time Town trialist Wells, who cut into the middle and curled a left-foot shot from the edge of the area beyond the diving Bartosz Bialkowski’s right hand.

Having gone in front the Terriers, previously without a win in seven, gained greater belief and soon after Wells might have done better from James Vaughan’s cut-back from the left but scraped his shot out for a throw.

Sean Scannell, who was giving Fryers a difficult afternoon, claimed a penalty when he clashed with the loanee left-back as he broke beyond him but referee Tony Harrington, probably correctly, felt he’d made a lot of not much contact.

Huddersfield continued to look much the more dangerous side and on 21 Vaughan went close to making it 2-0 when Christophe Berra headed a cross from deep on the left up in the air but the former Norwich man’s overhead-kick flew straight at Bialkowski. A foot or so either side of the keeper and he would have doubled his team’s lead.

A minute later the Blues weren’t far from getting back on terms. Varney flicked on a long ball sending Daryl Murphy in on goal to the right of the area. Town’s 23-goal top scorer took the ball around keeper Alex Smithies but Terriers defender Smith got back to clear off the line.

It was a missed chance the Blues would rue on the half hour when the home side doubled their lead.

Jacob Butterfield chipped a cross to from deep on the right to Vaughan at the far post from where he nodded an inch-perfect header over Bialkowski, under the bar and into the corner of the net.

After Oscar Gobern had shot well over for Huddersfield, Berra picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Scannell with the home side still well on top against a lacklustre Town side which had never really recovered from going a goal behind.

On 40 Bialkowski was off his line quickly to clear ahead of Vaughan after Varney had under-hit a backpass from halfway. Two minutes later, Town’s Tommy Smith was booked for a foul on Vaughan.

The Blues never looked like pulling a goal back before the half was brought to a close by referee Harrington’s whistle.

Town, as poor as at any time this season, could have had few complaints about the half-time scoreline, the Terriers having been well on top having gone in front.

Front two Wells and Vaughan had given their backline as difficult an afternoon as they’ve had this season, while at the Blues had rarely threatened, although Tabb may feel he should have done better with his early chance and Murphy might have opted to shoot rather than take the ball past the keeper when he had his opportunity.

Manager McCarthy opted to make two changes ahead of the second half with Teddy Bishop and Freddie Sears replacing Chaplow and Wood.

Three minutes after the restart, the Blues pulled a goal back. Tabb crossed from the left and Varney flicked his first Town goal into the corner of the net across Smithies.

The early goal woke the previously quiet Town following behind the goal and almost immediately the Blues went close again. Berra headed Tabb’s left-sided corner back across the area from deep but Smithies grabbed the ball ahead of Smith.

There was a big scare for the Blues on 51 when Wells escaped on the right of the box but shot off skipper Luke Chambers and into the side-netting.

From the resultant corner the Terriers would have regained their two-goal lead but for a remarkable double save from Bialkowski, who somehow blocked from Hudson at close range and then Vaughan after he seized on the loose ball.

Just after the hour mark Bishop skipped away from two Huddersfield players in the middle of the field before feeding Sears, who cut in and hit a shot which was too close to Smithies.

Jonny Williams made his long-awaited return to action in the 67th minute, taking over from Tabb. The on-loan Palace midfielder’s most recent game was the final match of his previous spell with the Blues - the 1-0 home victory over Watford when he suffered his groin injury - back in November.

The Blues had been better after the break with Bishop adding some creativity and Sears more of a threat but without ever putting the home side under any major pressure.

On 78 Butterfield hit a 20-yard strike which Bialkowski saved to his left then Berra did well to get ahead of Wells as he ran onto a ball from the left.

From the resultant corner, Bialkowski failed to claim but Wells shot over from a tight angle on the right.

Smith curled a shot wide for Town on 87 but the home defence were still looking comfortable as the fourth official’s board announced four additional minutes.

Despite Berra having been sent forward to join the attack the Terriers were able to see out the final moments with little drama and referee Harrington’s whistle confirmed the Blues’ defeat.

After the dismal first half, Town improved after the break having pulled back the early goal but they never really got on top and rarely threatened to get back on terms with Smithies not forced into a serious save.

Half-time subs Sears and Bishop made something of an impact before fading, while Williams fleetingly showed his class but unsurprisingly after so long out looked a touch rusty, but even so Huddersfield had the better chances and would have won by more but for Bialkowski’s excellent double save.

The result sees the Blues stay seventh - for the moment with Wolves in action at home to Leeds later this evening - but now a point behind Brentford who drop to sixth after drawing 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest and three points off Derby in fifth, who have a significantly better goal difference.

Huddersfield: Smithies, Scannell (Wallace 90), James, Hudson (c), Smith, Lynch, Coady, Gobern, Butterfield, Wells (Edgar 83), Vaughan (Lolley 90). Unused: Allinson, Holmes, Carroll, Majewski.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Fryers, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Chaplow (Bishop 46), Varney, Tabb (Williams 67), Murphy, Wood (Sears 46). Unused: Gerken, Clarke, Anderson, S Hunt. Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland).

Photo: Action Images

Steelmonkey added 20:17 - Apr 6 Posted twice after the Bournemouth game and got minused on both, perhaps people should re-read them after todays performance. Down to eighth, and three points adrift. Only consolation is that perhaps MM will see that the route one approach is not the way to escape this division, and will do something about it. Well my season ticket's renewed, now bring on Blackpool, COYB's

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thebeat added 20:20 - Apr 6 Im as ashamed of the boys today as i was proud on Friday. And Mick just doesnt learn does he? Start with a crap team and you get beat, its not rocket science.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 20:21 - Apr 6 Wells & Scannel skinned our defence at PR. Today they did it again. MM obviously has learned f##k all inbetween times. But ofcourse, Scannel is a winger, we never play with them, do we.
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brittaniaman added 20:21 - Apr 6 First of all we had an extra days rest over them !! (not that it made any difference) One point over Easter is hardly promotion form, and now Wolves who have just one season in this damn league have leap frogged us to what should have been our spot. Now MM. the shoe is on the other foot when you laughed about them going down, but they have come back stronger ?? The Canaries (dare I mention them) just keep wining with this little known Manager and our way, way out of sight of us now !!! that period when we were 10pts. ahead of them is back in the history books now.

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ShropshireBluenago09 added 20:41 - Apr 6 Mick should take the blame for todays embarrassment. The first 30 mins was just awful. Bad defending, hoofball, passes going astray, poor in the air (Berra especially), non-existent midfield (Tabb). Chaplow was probably the best of a bad bunch was taken off at half time!! Im convinced, given the importance of the game that we could have played far more attacking football and with more attack minded players from the start. Why were Bishop and Sears the two best attacking players we have ATM benched? From the moment they came on we actually passed the ball. Chris Wood, should not play for town again - bloody awful...and Friers also, Scanell killed him today - Play Clarke or even Hewitt. Not given up all hope of play-offs, but that was a crucial game that we should have taken at least a point from.

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karls_dad added 20:42 - Apr 6 I have ben saying it for ages, we over achieved by a huge margin with the squad we have, we did marvelous on a 10k the 110k squad, the rest made up of players nobody else wanted, but it had to happen and it has since xmas, i forcast a 8th to 10th finish and got crucified for saying it! but sadly thats where we will be, it does make you wonder that when we had the chance to re,invest in some quality ....it never happened! Season finished now and it makes my skin crawl to see where the other lot are now!

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runningout added 20:54 - Apr 6 bollox
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warktheline added 20:54 - Apr 6 McCarthy, I guess many of us could chuck back to you ,what you told us to do ' FOXTROT OSCAR '. Your back 4 couldn't deal with the pace of a team that hadn't won for 8 games! Your continued stubbornness with "chambers, Smith, Berra-gate" has bitten you on the arse in last two games, and as I mentioned after the Watford game, Chambers sailed close to the wind with discipline on that day, and could of so easily not seen the 90 mins out. Today's team selection had my scratching me ed....forget the defence, Murphy and Wood? Why does Sears always play the 'fool-guy'. Appears to be the 'new Parr' !!! In my book, or team-sheet, when obviously fit, Sears and Parr are garanteed starters! Got it badly wrong today Mick, not for the first time, since turn of year. Under huge pressure now, and have to win next two home games, which incidentally I believe we will, and hope points are dropped by teams accordingly. Obviously the table can ,and does change massively at this critical time of season, but sadly looking at it tonight, we appear to be fighting for 6th place, with Wolves and Brentford. Walk the wark, if you bothered to read post, and more precisely mine, you may have noticed I've been giving 'balanced' opinion, some criticising McCarthy, for sometime. Many I hope, agree.

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wayway added 21:12 - Apr 6 To those looking forward to another season in the championship just be warned. Nothing will change, we may pick up two or three no hopers on free transfers, McCarthy will still be manager, we will still be playing hoofball in front of 13000/14000 fans. And why? because the owners of the club are not interested. To them the club is a tax liability for Evans PLC and the are certainly not going to invest anything. Any player of any value will be sold and the money pocketed (remember Cresswell). I have seen posters on here mentioning Mike Warburton, well we have as much chance of seeing him as manager as being struck by lightening. Until this club has new owners the only way we will go is down. By the way, I am just waiting for Boring Billy to say he will take a point off Blackpool

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Lightningboy added 21:15 - Apr 6 "At the end of the day" - who seriously thinks we'd survive in the prem playing this sort of "football"? The difference between now and how we did it under Burley is bloody frightening..dunno about everyone else but i'd rather go up with a bit of style rather than scraping over the line playing the sort of football i've seen this term. I'm sure Mick would think we're all very ungrateful towards him if he read the comments on here..we're not but I think he's taken us as far as his managerial limitations can go.

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mrmorisato added 21:34 - Apr 6 In hindsight and retrospectively speaking I think we should have sold McGoldrick to Leicester for whatever the final bid was because since the end of January he has contributed much albeit injured, his head was turned and hasn't been the same player since. With those funds Mick could have bolstered the squad with a couple of quality players that may have made the difference. Since the Millwall away game Mick has simply experimented with the formation and players used which has been detrimental, we are too one dimensional in our play which makes it much easier for the opposition to play against. Blackpool will now be fearless with nothing left to play for which sets Saturday up as a potentially huge banana skin affair but at least we have won more points than last season with 15 left to play for I would imagine we will need to win 4 of these?? .....If we fail to beat now league 1 Blackpool the lads will get a right booing off me :(

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bohslegend added 21:39 - Apr 6 Welcome back noël, always one to cheer us up.
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Bob7881 added 21:51 - Apr 6 Ive tried to stay positive but come on MM you are a very well paid pro so what was today all about? Why drop players who put in a good shift dont tell me its tactics because you dont not what they are. Dont worry Mick youre in good company Magilton Keane Jewel and you all Clueless.
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dirtydingusmagee added 21:54 - Apr 6 next season will be ''building'' ,remember that phrase ? you should do thats all we ever seem to do .We will lose players during summer,get the leftovers brought in .And we will be digging the footings out once more .
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MickMillsTash added 21:57 - Apr 6 Too early to give up though the performance today offered little optimism. 4 loan signings in the starting line up says where we are at the moment- none of these have played for some time and it looked like it. The lad from Palace has hardly ever played and I thought he was poor against an as usual very good Scannel. We had no pace in the starting line up, Wood is dog sh1t, Varney can only win headers and this encourages us to hit more long balls. This pulls Murphy out wide as no one in midfield is going to break lines. Wrong. I would have been happier with 451 with Anderson in for Wood and at least some control and shape in midfield As soon as we go a goal down we cannot open teams up - quality at full back was totally missing today and this is a position that can help open up play and get behind teams. The one time we got to the line - we scored FFS. Throw in routine on the right Involve Skuse and Chambers passing to each other until they lose the ball or kick it out, Murphy flicked the ball on and then had to run and win his own flick on. Thats crap - at 1-0 down surely someone gambles that Murphy will win the header. No wonder Murphy is knackered. For 2K a week would have been better keeping Noubile Love Bishop but he needs to become strong enough to be effective for longer periods. Frustrated at some basic things missing from our play but have enjoyed the season

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bluefeast added 22:08 - Apr 6 Magilton got us 7th spot ,he was fired and we have never been as high as 7th. Magiltons team played wonderful attacking football too.
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Cloddyseedbed added 22:12 - Apr 6 essex57 Nothing wrong with my memory. I am well aware you do not like any fans criticising MM and his style of play. Ipswich had a day more than Huddersfield to recover from the last game, but looked tired, jaded and lacked idea's and belief. Management got it all wrong again today, you may be happy what we are achieving. I most certainly am not. We deserve football to be played with more skill and passion than is being served up for what we have to pay to watch it. It is hoof, hoof, hoof. No midfield, just a row of defenders and a row of attackers. That is not football.

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PJH added 23:11 - Apr 6 karls_dad-I think you got crucified for announcing that our season was over in February,which it obviously was not.Thought you would be back on here today though. Short of winning at Wolves,it might be over now but if we win the two home games we could win at Wolves-we were not expected to win at Watford but did. Today's first half was as poor as anything that I have seen this season and I have been to 38 of the 41 league games(plus saw Wigan away on TV). The starting selection was wrong(in retrospect anyway) but if we had got the three points that we needed there could have been few complaints about the selection. Berra had his worst game for us(that I have seen) and Skuse was poor after playing so well recently,maybe his early injury caused that. I think Varney was the best of a very poor show today. Very disappointing.

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adeblueboy added 23:18 - Apr 6 Just read some reports as not long arrived home, brentford had 33 shots, Bournemouth 26. After Ipswich's goal, we failed yes failed to trouble their goalkeeper into making a save!! Oh and by the way we had 8 shots!
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Hegansheroes added 08:38 - Apr 7 Reading the comments here it looks like the love affair with MM is over, I despaired when he was appointed & feel even worse now. I would have a modicum of respect for him if he ever stood up & said "Yes, I got it wrong" but no MM is never wrong. Norwich had the guts to get rid of their manager & appoint a very young unknown (outside Scotland) & look where they are now. If you look at the form table it doesn't lie & gives an indication of where we really are as a team under MM

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brittaniaman added 08:54 - Apr 7 I have read through several reports of the game, looking for something positive from us, but I find it to embarrassing to read any more.!! It is hard to believe that we held Bournemouth at bay on Friday, then go to Huddersfield on Monday and play so badly after the extra days rest ??????????
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cambsman added 09:01 - Apr 7 After a weekend to have a long think on our season o/a Perhaps maybe the biggest error was in not letting Didz go and gain some cash as there is something that is not reading true with this continuing refusal to discuss his injury it is not only once that he was available for a game only to suddenly have a "strain" Poor Tommy Smith the but of all fans posts who had to make way for MM Wolves pall Vera when we had may be the strongest pair with Tommy and Chambers that season Nevertheless some enjoyable times but to many frustrating

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warktheline added 09:04 - Apr 7 @Hegansheroes, extremely harsh that, considering McCarthy saved us from Div 1 football, and then stabilised the club in Championship. Let's not forget the real dark days of being adrift at the foot of Championship, and taking beatings by 5,6 and 7's. Maybe at the end of the season the club and McCarthy will be at a cross roads, but to rubbish him is unfair and unfounded. The past and future are two totally different things, I for one ,won't forget what the man has achieved TO DATE!

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PJH added 09:18 - Apr 7 It is amazing with our form since the turn of the year that we are still in with a chance of the playoffs but we ARE. It shows that the first half of the season was fantastic but it is disappointing that the second half was fallen off so much. We could do with Wolves dropping points in the next couple of games but IF we go there having won our next two we COULD win there. Play as we did at Watford and we could well win, play as we did at Huddersfield and we will not win. We do still have a chance(probably our last one) so let's take it. COYB

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brendenward35 added 10:14 - Apr 7 What I cannot understand why bring Hewitt back from Colchester if his not going to play him and put chambers back in his correct position? Think Mick is starting to run out of ideas think his played Wood so he can keep Leciester happy as probably a deal of two at the end of the season. Just hope when Mings back in the team he put in a good shift as not been outstanding lately.

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