Huddersfield 1 Tranmere 2

Last updated : 26 December 2002 By Footymad Previewer

Crisis club Huddersfield slumped to the foot of the table for the first time this season thanks to two defensive blunders by Adie Moses.

The defender's trip on Gary Jones after 58 minutes allowed the visitors to take the lead from the penalty spot and 19 minutes later Moses' sliced clearance rebounded off Gareth Roberts and into the net.

The goals sparked more protests from home fans, who have seen their side lose five of their last six games, with under-fire boss Mick Wadsworth bearing the brunt of the abuse.

Wadsworth, however, refused to quit and said that it was the players responsibility to pull themselves out of the mess they are now in.

"There is no point talking about resignations because I want to stay and that is a decision that the board will have to either take or not," he said.

"I will always defend the players because they have not played badly today but they do have to take responsibility for the position we are in.

"I do understand though that as the coach I will probably pay the price if we donÂ’t come through this." The Terriers started brightly and should have been ahead after 11 minutes but ex-Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham Hotspur striker Andy Booth was guilty of an appalling miss in front of an open goal after Rovers keeper John Achterberg dropped Kenny Irons' cross at his feet.

A player with BoothÂ’s Premiership experience should have been able to steer the ball home, but only managed to toe poke it back into Achterberg's grateful hands.

After that the game became scrappy and the Terriers only grabbed the initiative again after they had gone behind to the penalty that had been smashed past Scott Bevan by Shane Nicholson.

Wadsworth made a tactical switch by throwing young defender Nat Brown up front in an attacking 4-2-4 formation and the change allowed the home side to dominate the last 20 minutes but Martin Smith's brilliant curling drive on 79 minutes was all Huddersfield had to show for their efforts.