Huddersfield Town 0 Wigan Athletic 0: Terriers locked in stalemate to frustrate Powell

Chris Powell’s second game in charge saw the Terriers once again struggle to retain possession and, by full-time, there could be little doubt that the Latics were the more frustrated of the two teams not to have claimed all three points.

Wigan certainly created far more chances than their hosts but thanks to Alex Smithies’s safe hands and some profligate finishing on the part of Uwe Rosler’s men, the deadlock could not be broken.

It meant Powell had his first point since succeeding Mark Robins during the recent international break. That, though, could not hide just how much hard work needs to be done to get Huddersfield – a side who all season have been the exact opposite of the phrase ‘the whole being greater than the sum of its parts’ – firing again.

Town undoubtedly have talented players. Sean Scannell showed glimpses of that after coming off the bench at half-time, while most Championship managers would welcome having the likes of Nahki Wells, Conor Coady, Mark Hudson and Jacob Butterfield within their ranks.

But, for whatever reason, things are not clicking right now as Huddersfield edge ever closer to an unwanted club record.

Town’s worst run at home is 13 games without a win. The first three of those came in the dying days of Steve Bruce’s reign during the final weeks of the 1999-2000 season, while Terriers fans had to wait until December 2 of the following campaign to celebrate all three points in front of their own fans as Crewe Alexandra were beaten 3-1.

Millwall and Blackpool are the next two visitors to the John Smith’s Stadium and the hope is that Powell will have galvanised his troops sufficiently before that double-header to inspire Town to an elusive first home win since March 1.

On several occasions the game threatened to spark into life only for a misplaced pass or a poor decision to deflate proceedings almost straight away.

The few chances that did come along fell in the main to Wigan, who with steadier finishing would surely have led long before Town roused themselves in the final quarter. Callum McManaman missed perhaps the best opening of the night, the Latics man springing the offside trap so impressively just after the half-hour mark that he had time to pick his spot past Smithies.

Maybe, however, he ultimately had too much time and was caught in two minds, his hesitation proving fatal as Tommy Smith got back to put the ball behind.

From the resulting corner, Smithies then had to react smartly to keep out a James Perch header. It was an impressive save and on a par with the acrobatic effort that had earlier kept out a fizzing Andy Delort shot that had seemed destined for the top corner.

Wigan’s other big opportunity of the first half came when McManaman darted into the penalty area before colliding with Coady.

Referee Sebastian Stockbridge, though, was having none of it, the theatrical manner in which McManaman had thrown himself to the floor probably playing a part in him immediately being shown a yellow card for diving.

Huddersfield’s openings were few and far between in the opening 45 minutes, an inability to keep possession for longer than a couple of passes playing a part.

Scott Carson did, though, have to smother a Wells shot after the Bermuda international had been released by a fine floated ball over the top from Jacob Butterfield.

The second half followed a similar pattern with Wigan, despite being far from fluid in attack, fashioning the better of the chances. First, a stunning cross-field ball released Perch down the right and his cross was brilliantly blocked by Mark Hudson.

The ball then ran to Emyr Huws, who was denied by another fine stop from Smithies.

Town had another let-off midway through the half when Coady gifted possession to Delort, who could only fire over the top.

That seemed to finally kick-start the hosts into life and substitute Scannell was unfortunate to see his drilled cross cleared by Emmerson Boyce inside the six-yard box as Wells hovered.

At the death, Jonathan Stead also brought a fine reflex save from Carson after Wells had touched Scannell’s cross into the striker’s path. It meant there was to be no fairytale ending for Town, as their long winless run at home moved through the 200-day barrier and to within two games of a new club record.

Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Smith, Hudson, Lynch (Wallace 76), Robinson; Peltier, Butterfield, Ward (Scannell 46); Coady; Stead, Wells. Unused substitutes: Murphy, Dixon, Majewski, Bunn, Lolley.

Wigan Athletic: Carson; Ramis. Boyce, Kiernan; Perch, Huws, Cowie, Kvist, Taylor (Tavernier 72); Delort (Riera 76), McManaman (McClean 61). Unused substitutes: Al-Habsi, Barnett, Maloney, Forshaw.

Referee: S Stockbridge (Tyne & Wear).