Huddersfield Town's Tommy Smith said sloppy defending meant his team lost a game they should have won.

Bolton substitute Joe Mason’s stoppage-time volley from a corner condemned Mark Robins’ men to a fourth defeat in their last seven games and left them 17th in the Championship.

The 21-year-old, who lined-up at right-back in a 4-2-3-1 formation, said the result was “difficult to swallow”

The former Manchester City player added: “I thought we deserved to win the game, so to concede late on in the manner that we did – from a set-piece – was very disappointing.

“We’re all devastated, because we think we should have won.

“I thought we defended relatively well and we had the majority of the possession, as we normally do at our ground.

“For that to be the case and for us then to concede from a set-piece is a bit sloppy.”

Smith made his 24th Town appearance on the day Town captain Peter Clarke made a 500th career start.

And he’s hoping to add to that tally when Ipswich visit tomorrow.

“We’re desperate to get the win, and we’re pleased to have another game coming so quickly,” he said.

“It gives us the chance to bounce back and make amends.”

Ipswich will also be seeking a quick response to a disappointing defeat, in their case 2-0 by Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Mick McCarthy’s side are ninth, five points off the play-offs, after going down to goals by former Town favourite Jordan Rhodes, who began his career at the Suffolk club, and Rudy Gestede.

It was Rhodes’ 50th league goal since leaving in a Town-record £8m transfer in August 2012.

McCarthy said: “I think we were equally as good or equally as bad as the opposition up until that goal (by Rhodes in the 64th minute) went in because it wasn’t a great game. But it’s an £8m striker’s goal.

“We’ve got to come back and do it again. Six games to play, see how many points we can get.

“We’re not in the best position to get in the play-offs. Reading are in that and it’s theirs to lose now.”

Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer said of Rhodes: “It was a great goal and I find it difficult to find more words to say about him other than ‘phenomenal’ and ‘outstanding’.

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