Town showed plenty of early industry in their first outing after the departure of Schofield following the 2-1 home defeat by Wigan on Tuesday, with coaches Narcis Pelach and Paul Harsley in temporary charge.

Schofield left the club with the Terriers in the bottom two having taken one win from eight Championship matches.

They were rewarded for their bright start in the eighth minute when Rhodes was fed by Duane Holmes on the edge of the Cardiff area and took a touch before shooting low into the bottom-right corner.

Jordan Rhodes scored the only goal of the game for Huddersfield Town. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images.

Holmes tested Ryan Allsop with a shot shortly after but it was too close to the Cardiff goalkeeper.

In Cardiff’s first attack Callum Robinson shot well over and the recent arrival from West Brom also saw his weak penalty saved by Lee Nicholls midway through the half.

The spot-kick had been awarded by referee Dean Whitestone as Tino Anjorin went to hook away a bouncing ball and his foot made contact with the head of Andy Rinomhota.

Robinson should have done better when he failed to control a long ball over the home defence from Ryan Wintle with only Nicholls to beat after half an hour.

Lee Nicholls of Huddersfield Town saved a penalty in the first half. Picture: Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images.

Cardiff’s Callum O’Dowda hit his free-kick straight at Nicholls from the edge of the area and the home side went into the break ahead.

Huddersfield started the second half well but Rhodes headed straight at Allsop when an inswinging free-kick from Yuta Nakayama found him at the far post.

Jack Rudoni took too long after a Rhodes flicked header had sent him clear and Cedric Kipre got back to block his shot.

Half-time substitute Mark Harris fired a ball across goal which Nicholls intercepted with Robinson lurking unmarked on the hour as Cardiff looked in vain for an equaliser.

Rhodes then headed well over from a Nakayama cross and the home side invited pressure when Rinomhota was tripped by David Kasumu on the right but Wintle’s free-kick was cleared and Rubin Colwill’s follow-up shot was blocked.

Harris was then flagged offside when Robinson’s pass found him on the edge of the Huddersfield area.

Rhodes tried his luck with a high long-range effort which forced the back-pedalling Allsop to tip around the post and Sorba Thomas fired wide deep into added time.

Huddersfield Town claim much-needed victory in first game since Danny Schofield's departure - as Lee Nicholls saves decisive penalty