Town threw away a golden chance to settle a lively affair in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round.
Substitute Joe Lolley had the freedom of the Birmingham box, a minute into added time after Collin Quaner ’s trickery had created the space and the perfect ball for him to slot home.
Instead he lost his nerve at the vital moment and lifted the ball high into the stand and well clear of David Stockdale’s goal.
It was an indication of both sides inability to apply a killer touch in an entertaining tie.
The Terriers started brightly with Florent Hadergjonaj fizzing a ball in for Steve Mounie in the first minute which was repelled by Michael Morrison for the visitors.
It evened into a fairly open match that lacked a cutting edge until the 25th minute when Hadergjonaj, giving Bramall a torrid opening period on Town’s right, crossed for Mounie to head confidently down into the bottom corner of David Stockdale’s net.
That was about it for the first half which ended with Town well in control with the home side starting the first five minutes of the second period in the same vein, before seemingly taking their foot off the gas.
And so, on 54 minutes, when Michael Hefele inexplicably returned the ball to Lukas Jutkiewicz 18 yards out, the Birmingham marksman, a former Terriers loanee, rattled the ball home right-footed to Joel Coleman ’s left.
Substitute Philip Billing hit a thunderous volley which Stockdale did well to push wide and Jutkiewicz was denied a second when adjudged offside from Jota’s drifted ball.
Lolley then Abdelhamid Sabiri went close, before Scott Malone and Coleman almost produced a comedy of errors to let in Jota - but it went for a corner.
Then came Lolley’s chance and Birmingham live to fight another day.
Have a look at Jez Hemming's quick-fire highlights from an entertaining afternoon at the John Smith's Stadium...
First Half
1 minute: Florent Hadergjonaj crosses low into the centre and Michael Morrison is alert to clear in front of the oncoming Steve Mounie.
16 minutes: Buccaneering run down the right wing from Birmingham’s Carl Jenkinson with his cross to Lukas Jutkiewicz sees the Blues' forward shot well blocked by Terence Kongolo .
21 minutes:Goal - the dangerous Hadergjonaj beats Cohen Bramall and crosses for the incoming Steve Mounie with a firm header low into the bottom left corner of David Stockdale’s goal.
38 minutes: Philip Billing forces the pace and finds Hadergjonaj but his right-wing cross is knocked high and wide by Collin Quaner from 18 yards out.
Second Half
54 minutes:Goal - Jutkiewicz drifts in from the Birmingham left and loses the ball but Michael Hefele clears straight to Jutkiewicz who drills home right-footed from 18 yards.
58 minutes: Thunderous half-volley from Billing, 20 yards out stings the palms of Stockdale in the Birmingham goal.
65 minutes:Jonathan Hogg is controversially judged to have fouled Cheikh N’Doye – the free-kick is taken quickly and Jota fizzes one past Coleman’s left post.
68 minutes: Goal disallowed - Birmingham play through Town and Jason Lowe’s lofted ball is headed over the stranded Coleman by Jutkiewicz and in, but the flag is raised for offside.
69 minutes: Joe Lolley is free on the left inside the area but his shot is well saved by Stockdale and cleared.
73 minutes: Lolley on the left feeds Abdelhamid Sabiri, 10 yards out just to the left of goal but his turn and shot is just wide.
81 minutes: Boga trickery and a neat drag-back inside the area by Jutkiewicz and his right-foot shot is well parried high for a corner by Coleman - great save.
85 minutes: Malone and Coleman get in each other’s way and Jota almost nips in for a farcical goal but it goes for a corner which comes to nothing
90+1 minutes: Lolley misses an absolute sitter from 12 yards after great work from Quaner on the left, beating Jenkinson to put him in.
Line ups
Huddersfield Town (4-2-3-1): Coleman; Hadergjonaj, Lowe (Malone, 81), Kongolo, Hefele; Hogg , Williams (Billing, 36); Quaner, Van La Parra (Lolley, 57), Sabiri; Mounie
Subs Not Used: Lossl, Smith, Depoitre, Schindler
Booked: None
Birmingham City (3-5-2): Stockdale; Jenkinson, Dean (Grounds, 46), Morrison, Roberts, Bramall; Lowe (Gardner, 88), N’Doye, Jota; Adams (Boga, 76), Jutkiewicz
Subs Not Used: Trueman, Seddon, Dacres-Cogley, Lakin
Booked: Dean, Morrison
Half time: Huddersfield Town 1 Birmingham City 0
Attendance: 12,861 (2,473 from Birmingham)
Next match: Liverpool at the John Smith’s Stadium, Premier League, Tuesday, January 30 (kick off 8pm)
