Huddersfield Town boss Andre Breitenreiter handed food for thought by impressive Terriers substitutes in defeat to Coventry City

Traling 2-0 after Ellis Simms netted a brace for the play-off chasing Sky Blues, Town badly needed some momentum and the performances of Rhys Healey, Ben Wiles and Pat Jones provided it when they came on in the 63rd minute in particular.

Healey, making his first appearance since being injured on February 3, netted his first goal in Town colours and Jones went close to a leveller before the Sky Blues wrapped up victory in stoppage time through Haji Wright.

Breitenreiter says that the displays of the trio alongside Brodie Spencer, who started from the bench after playing two ninety minutes with Northern Ireland, have provided him with food for thought for Monday’s huge six-pointer at Stoke City.

The below-par showings of several players who started will also come into his thinking no doubt.

Breitenreiter, yet to win in three home games in charge, said: “We made the substitutions to give many players the chance to show us if they are better as I am very sure I want to have the best players on the pitch. They did it well.

"Maybe, it was a little bit easier, because there was nothing to lose. But they played brave and with heart and passion and Jones was quick and won many one-on-ones and tried bravely and this is what we want to see.

"He didn’t think too much about losing the ball and negative things.

"Healey did it really well and was extremely motivated at the training sessions and enjoyed it for one week and we decided to take him into the squad. He also needed one shot to score a goal and this is what we also need.

"For sure, some players did not show the best performance to be honest and for that, you make substitutions.

"They did it well and it changed in the second half, but all the players who started trained very good in the last ten days and we had a good training week and so it was clear we wanted to start with this line-up.”

Town are assessing Radinio Balker, whose injury-hit spell at the club continued when he came off early in the second period.

On the extent of his injury, Breitenreiter added: “I don’t know. I have to speak to the doctor, maybe we have to know what exactly happened. I don’t know. He felt pain and it was not possible to play on. It’s his right leg, maybe the same area like his last injury. We will see if it’s a terrible injury or not.”