Huddersfield Town

“It is very difficult to understand why,” he added. “We didn’t have enough men in our team who stood up and were counted, which is a massive disappointment – I am angry. 

“We should have won this game and we have allowed Birmingham to take the points. It was a poor game and if we had been anything like we can be, we would have won comfortable. We have let two goals in from set-plays and gifted them the win. 

“I take responsibility because I pick the team, but I need the players to do their jobs.”

Town were level for over half the match following Anthony Gerrard’s equaliser, but lacked the quality to go ahead. 

“Our performances will dip on occasion and it is how we bounce back,” said Mark. “There is nothing I can take from the game as a positive apart from Anthony Gerrard’s goal. We lacked quality from back to front.”

Adam Clayton and Martin Paterson were again missing from the match day squad.

“Martin has a hand injury and he will be fit next week, however, that falls when he can play for Northern Ireland and not us. He hasn’t trained in the last week. 

“It isn’t the end of the road for any of our players, but I want them to fight for our cause and to win us three points on a match day,” Mark continued. “I will be looking at everything over the next two weeks because we need some wins.”

Jonathan Hogg missed out through injury, while Peter Clarke was forced off during the opening moments of the match following a heavy challenge with Jesse Lingard. 

“Hoggy tried his knee yesterday and I expected him to be fit, but when he tested it he still felt pain,” Mark said. “We missed him and his energy, but that happens and it is about how you cope with it and today we didn’t. 

On Clarke’s injury, he said: “The incident set the tone; the pass was horrible to him and he came off second best, which he doesn’t do very often. He has injured his medial ligament and he is looking at between four to eight weeks out.”