Five conclusions as Wigan hand serious blow to Huddersfield Town's top six hopes

The Terriers put in maybe their worst 45 minutes of the season to date to go two-nil down at the break away to Wigan. They get no credit for a better second half

1. Huddersfield Town are miles off the pace and their issues are getting worse

We heralded the Boxing Day victory over Stockport as potentially being the result that could kick Town’s season into the next gear. The January transfer window was just around the corner, the injury list was showing signs of easing up, Town were in the middle of an unbeaten run, and they had just beaten one of their automatic promotion rivals.

Since then, Town have managed just 13 points from 12 league games. That’s not just off the pace for a would-be promotion chaser; it would be worrying for a team battling relegation.

The automatic promotion race is not just dead and buried for Huddersfield Town; their chances of even having a shot at promotion are gradually ebbing away. They are currently in the top six partly because they have played a game more than the clutch of sides sitting just outside the play-off places. They are as close to Barnsley in 10th as they are to Wrexham in 3rd.

Since that Boxing Day victory, Town have been held to a draw at home to the sides in 21st and 15th, and lost to the sides in 14th, 17th and 20th.

In other words, Huddersfield Town are doing an excellent impression of a side whose season is petering out just when they should be coming on strongest.

Injuries may well be a mitigating factor, but that only goes so far. Michael Duff was able to name his first-choice goalkeeper, first-choice right-back, two of his three preferred centre-backs, three midfielders who have started the majority of games they have been available, a winger with two goals in his past three games, a centre-forward signed in the summer, and another signed in January.

In spite of that, Town are missing several of the players who have most made things work when they have been at their best. Mickel Miller in particular has been a far, far bigger miss than he gets credit for, while the lack of an elder statesman of a centre-back comes with obvious problems.

But even taking that into account, and even accepting that some of those players may not have started had acceptable alternatives been available, this was an abysmal performance. The second half was better than the first, granted, but it could hardly have got any worse.

This is concerning. Very very concerning.

2. That was a strong contender for the worst performance of the season

In a season with no shortage of underperformances, that opening 45 minutes stood out as perhaps the worst Duff’s side have put together all season.