We let ourselves down, admits Huddersfield Town boss Danny Cowley

A strike mid-way through the first half from Jamal Lowe was doubled early on in the second period when Town midfielder Lewis O'Brien diverted a shot from ex-Terriers winger Anthony Pilkington past Jonas Lossl - with the hosts offering no trace of a response.

It was an afternoon when Town barely laid on a glove on a Latics side who extended their unbeaten sequence to seven matches and recorded their fifth successive clean sheet.

All the worries at the end belonged to Cowley following an anaemic display on football's resumption which will have only heightened their relegation fears at the wrong end of the Championship.

Cowley said: "We’re bitterly disappointed with the level of our performance. We’ve worked very hard in the build-up to today and we didn’t play in a dynamic way.

"We felt we picked the best team to win the game, having played really well at Middlesbrough (friendly match) last weekend.

"It’s frustrating that our preparation was so good and then we’ve let ourselves down.

"It was a huge disappointment."

The Town manager also refused to use the fact that his side were adapting to the 'new normal' of playing without supporters in their first game back in front of an empty stadium as an excuse.

He also acknowledged that the performance will have done nothing to allay the fears of the supporters, with the league table looking a worrying one for Town, who are just a point above the drop zone.

He added: "There are no excuses. We played three games in similar circumstances and played well in those preparations matches and we prepared well and knew what today was going to be and practised and rehearsed it.

"Individually and collectively, we will all have the same responsibility from that and the criticism that comes our way."

On his side's league position, he added: "We have been concerned since September 9 when we joined this club. When you only have one win in nine games, you know you are going to be in a relegation battle.

"We know that with eight games to go, you are not going to be out of that relegation battle and be in and around it all season. It is going to go to the wire and nothing has changed in that respect."

Cowley revealed that Fraizer Campbell missed the game with tendonitis in his Achilles, while a quad issue ruled out fellow striker Steve Mounie.

The Terriers chief remains hopeful that both players will be available for next weekend's trip to Nottingham Forest.