Wigan Athletic 2 Huddersfield Town 1: Injuries no excuse for appalling first half as tepid Terriers suffer another worrying League One loss

Low on numbers and in ‘sticky form’ - as Michael Duff put it - so far in 2025, having copped a flea in their ear from frustrated supporters at the weekend, Town were seeking to end a decidedly mixed winter with a touch of warmth.

Instead, there was a final arctic blast. Faith is thinner and there’s cold comfort after this.

Their previous visit just over two years earlier was the true meaning of grim as managerless and rudderless Town awaited for the arrival of Neil Warnock and cut a sorry bunch in a 1-0 defeat to a relegation rivals.

The first half here was an unwelcome rewind. Town were a shambles and trailed thanks to goals from Dale Taylor and Owen Dale.

The former is very much Wigan’s main man and how Town will be desperate for their own Taylor to be back involved soon, there is talk of a bench appearance this coming weekend.

After coming out at the start of the second half early, Town were better on the resumption - and reduced the arrears through Callum Marshall’s eighth of the campaign to hint at a game of it.

But the damage was done. Yes, their injury count is epic, but that could not excuse their first half display in particular against a struggling and depleted Wigan side who also know a fair bit about selection issues themselves but made light of them en route to just a second win in their last eight home matches.

Town are looking over their shoulders once more to the play-off chasers. They may be happier to be away at the minute, they are without a home goal this year and a win on their own patch since Boxing Day, but it’s small beer at present.

This loss extended their poor run to just three victories in 12 since Christmas.

After the misery a couple of winters back here, there was also deep-seated pain here once again in the opening half.

It was a pitiful half of football from those in visiting jerseys. Open at the back, cowed in midfield and with minimal influence up top and guilty of some poor decision-making, Town were all over the place.

Sixteenth in the table beforehand, Wigan looked the side with play-off hopes and not Town.

It looked like they might get away with a single-goal deficit, only for Dale to add a second goal ahead of the break which was fully deserving on the balance of play.

Town played like a bunch of strangers; Wigan had the cohesion, flow and balance.

Duff’s side had an early warning and it was not heeded.

Dale cut inside on the left and saw his rising shot tipped over by ex-Latics keeper Nicholls before a howler from the returning Brodie Spencer gift-wrapped an opener.

A throughball from former Barnsley player Toby Sibbick should have been cut out by the Northern Ireland international, with Taylor - involved in half of Wigan's goals so far this term - obligingly taking the present, rounding Nicholls and slotting into the empty net.

It was all the incentive that the hosts needed and only an excellent one-handed save at full-stretch from Nicholls denied Jonny Smith, who caused damage on the right-hand side, both in terms of cutting in and going on the outside.

Town were under the cosh and a mess, quite frankly, with the mood among the decent-sized Huddersfield contingent being understandably agitated.

On 37 minutes, Town finally conjured something with Ben Wiles played in nicely. His chip over the advancing Sam Tickle trickled towards goal, but Will Aimson cleared.

Soon after, the visitors’ angst was compounded when Smith twisted and turned and sent over a cross which was not cut out with Dale ramming home a fierce drive.

Town were sent out early before the start of the second half, but there were no interval changes.

The Terriers needed something positive pretty quickly or the mood in their away section had the potential of darkening further. Thankfully, it arrived.

Wiles found Charles down the right and he did well to create space and get past home defender Jason Kerr and fire over an excellent low cross which got the finish it merited from Marshall, who fired low past Tickle on 50 minutes.

While they remained unconvincing at the back, Town at least had a toehold in the game and suddenly Wigan’s rearguard started to get spooked by the pace of Charles and Marshall - as did their punters.

There was certainly more urgency, tempo and conviction from Town after plumbing the depths earlier.

Chances weren’t plentiful, but one did arrive when Marshall slid in and sent Koroma clear, but he fired off target.

Substitute Tawanda Chirewa went close late on for Town.

Wigan Athletic: Tickle; Sibbick, Aimson, Kerr, Mellish (Robinson 70); J Smith (Rankine 70), Adeeko, Norburn (S Smith 77), Dale (McHugh 89); Taylor, Darcy (Weir 76). Unused substitutes: Watson, McManaman.

Huddersfield Town: Nicholls; Sorensen, Spencer, Lonwijk (Turton 75), Ruffles; Kasumu (Hodge 58), Evans (Chirewa 75); Marshall, Wiles, Koroma (Roosken 75); Charles (Ladapo 85). Substitutes unused: Chapman, Ayina.

Referee: R Joyce (Cleveland).

Attendance: 10,049 (1,917 Huddersfield Town supporters).