Birmingham 0 Huddersfield 1: Terriers add to woes for old boss as Beckford fires Town to victory

Huddersfield boss Simon Grayson backed Lee Clark to turn things around at St Andrew’s after watching his side end a run of back-to-back home defeats with a third successive win on the road.

A hurt Clark cut a frustrated figure following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to former employers Huddersfield, leaving Blues fourth-bottom in the npower Championship.

Jermaine Beckford’s 25th-minute strike settled matters for high-flying Huddersfield, while substitute Nikola Zigic was sent off 16 minutes from time for a high challenge on Callum Woods.

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It takes Town – who were impressive, more so in the first half – up to sixth in the table.

“I think deservedly we got the win, getting any points in the Championship is never easy,” said Grayson.

“We started the game very well, very brightly, pressurised Birmingham when we needed to, played in the right areas with purpose and created some good opportunities. I’m delighted from that point of view.

“The back end of the game when Birmingham had nothing to lose we were resilient and withstood some pressure.

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“To come here and get a result is satisfying from my point of view after two tough previous defeats.”

Clark called for his players to stand up and be counted and stop hiding behind him after they were again booed off following another home defeat.

Blues’ fifth defeat from 10 games was a second successive setback on home soil in the league for the first time in 19 months, and came after the abject 5-0 rout by Barnsley, the club’s biggest home league defeat in 25 years.

Reports of a player revolt were dismissed this week but Clark saw his side put in a disappointing display, especially in the first half, and felt his charges handed the initiative to the visitors from the first whistle due to a lack of competitiveness.

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Clark said: “It’s our home, it’s where the majority of our fans are. They come to see us and want to see a performance. Any football fan in the world wants to see a bit of drive.

“Football fans are working-class people, they want to see someone having a right good go for their team, in terms of tackling, heading, competing.”

Birmingham City: Butland, Hurst (Mullins 63), Caldwell, Davies (Hancox 80), Robinson, Burke, Spector, Fahey (Zigic 46), Redmond, Elliott, Lita. Unused substitutes: Doyle, King, Ambrose, Lovenkrands.

Huddersfield Town: Smithies, Hunt, P Clarke, Gerrard, Woods (Dixon 90), Southern, Norwood, Clayton, Vaughan (Hammill 67), Beckford, Ward (Novak 85). Unused substitutes: Bennett, Scannell, Wallace, Robinson.

Referee: A D’Urso (Essex).

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