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

dirtydingusmagee added 10:21 - Apr 7 i can understand people saying we should have let Mc Goldrick go,in hindsight it looks like we missed a trick,but had he not been injured he may well have been knocking goals in .Yes its a bummer, when he came in he was on fire,we lost him for 2nd half of season last season and hit the buffers too.Had he not been injured things would be looking better for us now im sure.If we had sold him and he was banging them in people would be screaming as they still do over Jordan Rhodes, and the likes .This latest disaster has got people wishing we had got someone else in ,but the problem on this occasion was team selection Sears ,Parr on bench from start, what the hell was that about .?We should have gone for the throat from the off,instead once again we were having to chase the game,and hadnt a clue how to play .

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BrettenhamBlue added 10:54 - Apr 7 just been watching Argentina league highlights (Boca Juniors etc). Couldn't believe it when they started talking about potential players of the season and they talked about Luciano Civelli. He's back at Banfield who are now 6th in the premier League but are only 4 points behind Boca Juniors. The commentators were saying that Civelli will earn his first full cap for Argentina soon. Will never understand why we let a player go so easily who is worth so much now. He was plagued by injury whilst with us but He must be worth at least 12-15 million pounds now......

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BrettenhamBlue added 11:03 - Apr 7
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:10 - Apr 7 in truth Civelli was neverin position to prove himself at Town,injury put him out for far to long ,no disrespect to him ,and wish him well in future,but we work with a small squad and he was not doing anything .
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:13 - Apr 7 .Its another case of ''in hind sight'' how long could we afford to wait ,would he ever fully recover ?and play the football required ?
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philpott2 added 11:27 - Apr 7 Well it served me right for praising Fryers after the Bournemouth game. He showed he's just as poor under (?) pressure as his lookalike! Why are our fullbacks so poor? Yes all, I know Parr is a great player....and yes he's a fullback.....but he rarely plays there. For me, MM was what we so desperately needed when he arrived, after the dire dross and lack of effort and skill from so many players under Keane and Jewell, we needed to stay in the Championship. Well that has been done, MM has gotten hold of some cracking players and offloaded an awful lot of rubbish. But.......I'm starting to get more than a bit fed up with the fact that we start so many games trying not to concede.....why the hell can't we try and beat these teams, go for the throat, win 4-2 or 5-3, at least get the opposition worried about Murphy, Sears, Anderson and the like, but being disappointed at lack of a clue, effort and efforts on goal at this stage of the season is criminal. What is the shame in having a go at trying to win games. Greeter.....I was reasonably happy after the Bournemouth game, thought Sears was a bit greedy and reluctant to bring in the other players at times.....but now I feel so p'd off.

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philpott2 added 11:30 - Apr 7 Greeter......that was actually meant to be 'grrrrrrr' even my poxy phone won't play ball. Wake up Town. What a chance we have (or had!)....don't just fizzle out again.....
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BrettenhamBlue added 11:30 - Apr 7 Do agree with you dirtydingusmagee but just wish we had waited a bit longer and (more importantly) got a fee for him (with sell on clauses). He could have stayed with us for (at least) another season. When he's lined up on the same team as Aguero, Tevez, Di Maria (who he's presumably fighting for a place) and Lionel Messi other teams (like Norwich) will be looking at us and saying "isn't that the guy Ipswich gave away on a free?"

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GiveusaWave added 11:56 - Apr 7 Philpott22: Understand your frustration but MM hasn't got rid of cracking players. He's brought in players who adapt well to our style of play (hoofball). Dirtydingusmagee: MCGoldrick would have made all the difference. Agree with you. bluefeast: agree with you. Magilton was a good manager and we played great football under him. He lost his job as he couldn't secure us that play-off spot. It was a huge mistake when we replaced him. As for Civelli, it's history now (with Rhodes and others). Not sure he would fit in with our style of play (hoofball). We've got players in who can play left-wing (Tabb, Henshall, Stewart, S.Hunt). Not internationals but hard working players who track back and win the ball. We need to look forwards not back. 3 points against Blackpool and we might be in shooting distance of that 6th spot again.

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Bluetone added 12:22 - Apr 7 I hate my team playing hoofball I hate my team losing But when my team loses playing hoof ball that really is the last straw. Time for McCarthy to show some enterprise, some ambition, some, dammit, will to play proper football and go for it or if not just plain go!!!
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brendenward35 added 12:43 - Apr 7 Well spoke to my friend who a Sunderland fan and they couldn't wait to get rid of MM because of his poor style of football (they also said too much hoof-ball) think MM is just trying to do what his always done and it's just not working with this small and tired squad.
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Bergholtblue added 13:17 - Apr 7 The thing with Civelli was that he received an horrific injury that could have meant the end of his career. It was also clear that (probably as a result of his injury and lack of playing) he didn't settle in this Country. Remember that the club allowed him time to go back to Argentina to recuperate. Football is about making decisions and sooner than later you have to decide between minimising loses or keepping faith. No-one on this site was too surprised to see that we had let him go. Besides Keano had signed other great players, e.g. Priskin,

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Lightningboy added 14:17 - Apr 7 Couldn't agree more re your Magilton comments bluefeast..biggest mistake this club has made since sacking Burley was sacking Magilton.
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karls_dad added 14:58 - Apr 7 PJH I was absolutely correct back in Febuary, we needed to strengthen and we did not, our season was over at Xmas, since then, we have had strange team selections, absolute madness substituions, given so many soft goals away and played like a team of foreigners to each other, it was plain to see for anyone with a little vision! Prior to that tipping point where we totally lost the plot we were looking good, second in the table, a team to be proud of! Exactly why MM has done what he has done is baffling, i could go on, players out of position, etc, its almost as if it was planned, I forecast an 8 to 10th finish and i will not be far out! just look back at the league position back then, the games we were winning, and then how its all gone wrong!

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GiveusaWave added 14:59 - Apr 7 Civelli was a Magilton signing. Got injured just before Keane took over. Don't think Priskin was a great player. Sacking MM would be as big a mistake as sacking Magilton. People seem to have forgotten the days of Keane and Jewell.
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blue_moon09 added 17:39 - Apr 7 Comments on this site are brilliant, all I'm saying is mind the gap, and be careful what you wish for, Darren Ferguson is looking for a job why don't you replace MM with him, looks like you lot peaked to early at Xmas you were all getting carried away by buying a few hundred half season tickets. enjoy the rest of the season well done on finishing 8th. lovely stuff...BFN on the ball city

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wayway added 21:03 - Apr 7 Why would sacking McCarthy be a big mistake? If our wonderful owners took some sound advice from people with genuine football knowledge we would have the right manager. Magilton was only sacked because Keane was a well known name who looked good in front of the Marcus Evans logo and remember, we had a CEO who admitted he knew little about football when Jewell was appointed. What a shambles

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