Manager Gary Rowett believed Birmingham City were well worthy of a fourth win in five games.
The former Burton Albion boss, now eight games into the Blues job, got the better of his old Charlton Athletic teammate Chris Powell.
David Cotterill drove home a 70th-minute free-kick to seal the points and lift Birmingham to 15th.
They were second-bottom when ex-Blues centre-back Rowett took over in the wake of an 8-0 home mauling by Bournemouth.
“We made sure the players knew what we had to do, to put in a hard-working performance,” said Rowett.
“We are not there to entertain away from home. It is not up to us to make the game.
“I felt in the first half we just didn’t show enough intensity about our work. We made it a little bit too easy for Huddersfield, although the first half was quite even.
“There were changes tactically at half-time. We changed our midfield round and we wanted to get bodies up the pitch.
“We felt at that point that we could sit off and see out a goalless draw, but I don’t think we have shown that sort of lack of ambition so far.
“We always want to win games and try to be positive and bright, and I felt we controlled the majority of the second half and I was very pleased with it.”
Rowett added: “The goal came from a moment of brilliance from David Cotterill – and I was just about to take him off because he wasn’t quite at his attacking best.
“We rode our luck a little bit at the end with a goalmouth melee when maybe they should have done better.
“But I felt our hard work and endeavour certainly earned us the right to come away with something and we were worth the win.”
Town’s table-topping Under 18s were 2-1 winners against Birmingham in their Professional Development League II game at PPG Canalside.
Liam Coogans and Jack Boyle scored for Tony Carss’ side.
The academy now have a Christmas break and return to action away to Barnsley on Saturday, January 10 (11.00).
