Huddersfield Town boss Michael Duff issues Radinio Balker update and explains Nigel Lonwijk 'risk'

The partnership of Radinio Balker and Nigel Lonwijk was given a rare outing in the heart of defence, only for neither to complete the game.

Balker was withdrawn in the first half, forcing Oliver Turton to step in and deputise, as his injury struggles at the John Smith’s Stadium continue.

Lonwijk, meanwhile, was substituted in the second half of the 1-0 defeat. His premature exit was planned, with the loanee making his first appearance since early January after a injury lay-off.

Duff said: “They [Balker and Lonwijk] were the only ones available. We didn’t want to play Nigel. Nigel’s done one day’s training.

“We didn’t want to play him, it was a massive risk to play him. I thought he did really well, I didn’t want to take him off.

“We sort of had to, the decision is almost taken out of your hands, particularly with Rads looking like he’s pulled his quad. There wasn’t much debate because they were the only ones available.”

Tom Lees was missing from the squad entirely, with an injury sustained in the midweek win over Shrewsbury Town given as the reason.

The former Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday defender could now face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Duff said: “He’s injured. He blocked a cross on Tuesday night and basically as he’s planted his foot, he’s rotated and his thigh bone and his shin bone have basically connected in his knee. He’s got really bad bruising at the bottom of his femur.

“Innocuous again, no one near him, he was just stopping a cross, but I think he’s been told to rest for three to four weeks and then they’ll assess it after that.

“Then it could be potentially seeing how it is. It could be an operation at the end of that. It could be a long one.”