DENIS LAW was an emerging teenage talent last time Huddersfield Town won at Derby.

November 30 1957 remains that red-letter day, because once the Rams had built up a head of steam on Saturday, only one outcome seemed likely against an unchanged Town side who looked more than a little jaded in the wake of last Wednesday’s home win over Crystal Palace.

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It’s now 17 defeats in the last 19 visits to this part of the East Midlands, so caretaker Mark Lillis, a former Derby player and coach, certainly isn’t the only Town boss to have suffered in the visitors’ dug-out, whether at the Baseball Ground or Pride Park.

Hopefully this setback won’t undo too much of the good work done against Palace, particularly with that big home test against in-form Championship leaders Cardiff looming.

Lillis’s side, superbly backed throughout by a contingent of 1,654 travelling fans, certainly showed commitment and effort, but they struggled to cope with a home team who did the basics pretty well and drove forward relentlessly from midfield.

And they weren’t helped by the loss of captain Peter Clarke to concussion (James Vaughan also took a knock to the head but played the full 90 minutes) and Lee Novak, with a foot injury which will be scanned today.

Clarke needed treatment after a brave block on Conor Sammon, the burly former Wigan frontman who provided a muscular presence and held the ball up well.

And had he not been dazed and confused – “I asked him the score at half-time and he didn’t know what I was talking about, so taking him off was a no-brainer,” revealed Lillis – the defender might have done better with a 41st-minute header which, had it beaten keeper Adam Legzdins, would have got Town right back into it.

The same was true in the 56th minute, when Vaughan steered Sean Scannell’s pass from the left against the right-hand post, only to be ruled offside in any case.

Within three minutes, home skipper Richard Keogh, who had a stint on loan at Town back in 2007, took full advantage of space in the penalty area to power home a header from Jamie Ward’s well-delivered free-kick and put the issue beyond doubt.

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While highly-rated teenager Will Hughes was relatively quiet for Nigel Clough’s team, former Chesterfield and Sheffield United man Ward was a thorn in Town’s side all afternoon, constantly stretching the visitors.

He served warning of his intentions with a well-directed long-range shot in the third minute.

And after Craig Bryson sidefooted home Paul Coutts’ 25th-minute cross to reward a spell of Derby pressure, Ward doubled the advantage in the 34th with a rising shot from left-back Gareth Roberts’ low delivery.

Town stuck grimly to their task to ensure there wasn’t going to be a repeat of New Year’s Day, when they were crushed 6-1 at Leicester.

But they were unable to create much to excite their loyal supporters with Derby playing keep-ball for long periods.

Even a stoppage-time consolation proved out of reach, with Alan Lee shooting over after fellow substitute Scannell’s shot was deflected into his path.

All in all, a long afternoon which left Town just five points above the relegation zone as next opponents Cardiff restored their 10-point lead at the summit by winning at Leeds.