Oldham 1 Huddersfield Town 0: Terriers' unbeaten run ends

Clark positively bristled at suggestions that he would be looking for more of the latter at the Galpharm Stadium, claiming that is one element his players display in every game.

Yet, at Boundary Park, Town were outfought and lacked the competitive edge of an Oldham side obviously smarting from their FA Cup exit at Accrington Stanley.

Town had better get used to the fact that they are seen as a notable scalp in the division and that they must produce the commitment and drive displayed in wins over fellow high-rankers Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday on a consistent basis.

Their 3,665 following – almost half the crowd – deserved much better and captain Peter Clarke admitted: "We had a great following and did not give them a lot to shout about. We played in fits and starts which is not good enough.

"We've come up short really in the standards we have set ourselves over the course of the season and the way we have been playing just recently. It's very frustrating to come away with nothing."

At least his manager was magnanimous in defeat, Clark stating: "We are dropping disappointing points but fair play to Paul (Dickov, the Oldham manger). I hate losing but when you think the opposition have done things well you have to congratulate your opponents.

"In the first half, our 10 outfield players never got going at all. We lost all our individual battles, I mean all of them. When you lose 10 out of 10 individual battles you are going to be up against it so the goalie kept us down to 1-0 and that was the plus point at half time. We upped the tempo a bit without being brilliant in the second half and I'm very disapointed."

Clark had made two changes from the side that beat Rotherham in midweek to earn a JP Trophy Northern semi-final trip to Tranmere, Clarke and Anthony Pilkington replacing Jamie McCombe and Scott Arfield.

Top scorer Pilkington left the fray in the first half with a recurrence of a hamstring problem which will require further specialist treatment. He was badly missed, although replacement Arfield helped provide some impetus.

However, Town only came to life after the introduction of target man Alan Lee, back from a three-match ban, and left winger Gary Roberts, making his second appearance off the bench after a six-week lay-off with a broken arm.

Yet, despite forcing seven corners after the break, Oldham goalkeeper Dean Brill was not tested and Clark warned that Lee and benchman Joe Garner had better start hitting the target to lift the pressure on youngsters Jordan Rhodes, who made little impression against his home-town team, and Arsenal loanee Benik Afobe.

Town goalkeeper Ian Bennett, whom Clark kept faith with despite the return to fitness of England Under-21 squad member Alex Smithies, was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers and was the reason why the visitors were still in it at the break.

He made a fine double save, beating down a fierce drive from Dean Furman and blocking the follow-up from Chris Taylor before being unlucky as Oldham struck in the 24th minute, sliding out of his area and reaching the ball first as Furman played it through only for it to rebound against Oumare Tounkara, who had the simple task of planting the ball into an empty net.

Furman, rested at Accrington with this game in mind, began to dictate in midfield and had some willing allies around him and a fearsome front option in the powerful 20-year-old Tounkara, whose fellow Parisian and Sunderland loan signing centre-back Jean-Yves M'Voto was a muscular threat at set pieces.

Again, however, Bennett came to Town's rescue, racing out and deflecting wide Tounkara's effort before tipping over a header from the other Frenchman.

At the other end, Celtic's Graham Carey had dragged a shot wide and Rhodes had struck another against Afobe and Clarke had been unlucky not to win a penalty when sent sprawling by a shove from behind.

Town improved after the break, Lee finally giving Oldham's centre-backs a physical match-up, but the visitors never looked like scoring and only a goalline headed clearance from Damien Johnson from M'Voto's header kept it at 1-0.

Oldham Athletic: Brill, Lee, Hazell, M'Voto, Black; Morais (Jones 80), Furman, Stephens, Evina (Kelly 85); Taylor; Tounkara. Unused substitutes: Jacobson, Jarrett, Brooke, Gerrard, Winchester.

Huddersfield Town: Bennett, Peltier, Kay, P Clarke, Ridehalgh; Pilkington (Arfield 39), Gudjonsson, Johnson, Carey (Roberts 65); Afobe, Rhodes (Lee 46). Unused substitutes: Smithies, Garner, McCombe, Atkinson.

Referee: S Hooper (Wiltshire).

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Ian Bennett

Picked the right time to underline his credentials, keeping his place despite the return to fitness of Alex Smithies and a series of fine saves ensured Town still had a chance until the end.

Villain: Oumare Tounkara

Oldham's match-winning hero was obviously Town's villain and the raw-boned 20-year-old Frenchman is going to trouble plenty of League One defences as he learns his trade on a season-long loan from Sunderland.

Key moment

12th minute: Town captain Peter Clarke is shoved in the back in the Oldham area but nothing is given.

Ref Watch

Simon Hooper: An inconsistent performance from the Wiltshire official.

Verdict

As one of the big scalps in League One, Town must get used to teams giving them a hard time.

Next game

Town v Cambridge, FA Cup 1st round replay, tomorrow, 7.45.

Quote of the day

When the referee makes a decision like that when he doesn't book the player, then I don't believe anyone should have been booked for anything less than assault.

– Town captain Peter Clarke after being clattered by Chris Taylor.

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