Sunday 22 February 2015 17:23, UK
Russell Slade bemoaned a key refereeing decision on the stroke of half-time after a 0-0 stalemate left Cardiff without a win in seven Sky Bet Championship games.
City boss Slade questioned whether Huddersfield defender Tommy Smith should have been sent off for a 'last man' foul when he felled Kenwyne Jones on the edge of the box.
The assistant referee gave the foul and referee Mark Heywood booked Smith.
"It was only a yellow card and probably the referee thought we didn't have control of the ball," Slade said. "Arguably we did.
"We got hacked down on the edge of the box but it was a difficult one for the referee. If we had been at home, it may have gone our way."
In a match of few chances, Town goalkeeper Alex Smithies denied Eoin Doyle with the save of the game on the half-hour when he brilliantly tipped over a point-blank header.
When Jones was brought down, Peter Whittingham took the free-kick but saw his effort deflected over by the wall.
Former Cardiff skipper Mark Hudson went close against his former club but his header from Jacob Butterfield's free-kick was turned round the post by David Marshall.
Slade felt there was little to divide the teams.
"There was not a lot in it," he said. "We had the best chance of the game with a great save from Smithies. If Doyle hadn't headed it so cleanly it probably goes in.
"It's another clean sheet so that's pleasing. It just didn't fall for us, but fair play to Huddersfield's defence and midfield - they always got a block in."
Slade lost left-back Scott Malone to a hamstring injury but praised his back four.
"We have only conceded one goal from open play in four matches," he said. "Bruno Manga is a good player who reads situations well and links up well with Sean Morrison, who is very strong.
"Lee Peltier had a good game at right-back on his return to Huddersfield and then on the left when Scott went off. This back four has been very solid for us but Malone is going to be out for several weeks now."
Huddersfield boss Chris Powell backed the referee's decision over the foul on Jones.
"I feel the referee was correct," he said. "Jones didn't have the ball under control and the yellow card was right."
Powell admitted the game was forgettable, though.
"We have been in a position where we have been drawing games and gone on to lose, so we have to take comfort in the fact we haven't lost and we have kept a clean sheet.
"The game won't live long in the memory of anybody who was here. Alex Smithies made a good save in the first half and David Marshall made a couple."
Powell agreed his side lacked a creative spark, adding: "We just didn't create enough in the final third. Our final pass was not there and we were up against a side that defended stubbornly.
"It was one of those games where both teams take a point, dust themselves down and move on pretty quickly."
