After a fantastic run of form yielding five games unbeaten on home turf, Huddersfield Town lost a third game on the bounce when Cardiff City took all three points on Saturday.

Peter Whittingham made Town pay for their missed opportunities and defensive mistakes and Cardiff ran out 3-2 victors.

Here's five things we learned from the clash...

Town can’t let frustration get the better of them

Sky Bet Championship - Huddersfield Town (2) v Cardiff City (3) - Joel Lynch.

Players and fans were understandably angry when referee David Webb did not award Town a penalty after Matthew Connolly’s handball.

But that frustration has to be channelled positively, rather than making silly mistakes that can end up proving even more costly than the original decision.

After the non-award of the spot kick, Joel Lynch was lucky to remain on the pitch after leaving his boot in on keeper David Marshall when he was never going to win the ball - already on a yellow card, he can count himself very fortunate not to have seen a second that would have left David Wagner without his two first choice centre backs for the trip to Preston.

Similarly, a clearly frustrated Nahki Wells was penalised not long afterwards for kicking the ball away after the referee had blown up for a foul.

Against Bolton at the start of January Town gave themselves a blueprint for how to handle this situation when they rallied to get the win they deserved after Wells was adjudged to have dived when going to ground in the area.

A videotape of that display is maybe due a rewatch before Preston.

Matmour showed glimpses of quality

Sky Bet Championship - Huddersfield Town (2) v Cardiff City (3) - Karim Matmour and Scott Malone.

Ahead of Monday’s deadline day, Town have already made one signing in this window - the capture of Algerian international Karim Matmour.

Available on a free, it already looks like a smart piece of business.

Speaking after full time, David Wagner said: “You can see that he is a player who can help us, but after 75 minutes his power wasn’t there as it was before.”

The manager is right to expect more, but that is likely to come with increased fitness and a better understanding with his teammates.

In the first half of yesterday’s game his positioning was impressive, constantly running into the right areas and finding pockets of space - even if the ball into him never arrived or was misdirected.

An aerial threat with bags of experience, the 30-year-old looks a shrewd signing that can only benefit Town in the second half of the campaign.

Wells looked more lively than in recent weeks

Sky Bet Championship - Huddersfield Town (2) v Cardiff City (3) - Nahki Wells shot.

Still in need of more help up top, Nahki Wells looked much fresher than in recent games - if anyone needed a week without a fixture, it was the Bermudian.

The only real figure capable of leading the line in Wagner’s 4-2-3-1 formation, Wells has played a lot of minutes and expended a lot of energy during a clogged winter calendar, and it was beginning to show.

Against Cardiff, he looked more like his old self. His goal was superbly taken, receiving the ball with his back to goal he shrugged off the attentions of two defenders before turning and producing a brilliant finish.

He deserved that strike for an improved all round display, holding the ball up and bringing others into play with clever knock downs.

There is no doubt that Town could use more attacking muscle, but keeping Wells fit and firing will be imperative to Wagner’s hopes of success.

Town have to cut out the individual errors

Although the performance as a whole was flat against Cardiff, Town would have been well-placed to pick up valuable points - but were cursed by repeated individual mistakes.

While there were missed chances to score, Harry Bunn’s effort wide early in the second half proving particularly key to momentum, defensive mistakes are becoming a concern.

Debateable positioning from full backs, losing the ball in key areas and diving into tackles on the edge of the area all played their part in Cardiff’s goals.

It was a reshuffled defence against the Bluebirds but defensive slips have cost Town points in recent weeks and have got to be stamped out.

Work on the training ground looks imperative - but will Wagner strengthen?

Watch David Wagner talk transfers

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Kyle Dempsey is learning right back on the job, three senior centre backs leaves Town short in case of injury or suspension, while James Husband’s loan hasn’t been the success story of Ben Chilwell. The left back’s time at Huddersfield is due to run out on February 6 and his parent club are in need of cover for the injured George Friend.

There has been loud calls for a striker from the terraces, but is it defensive reinforcements that Wagner needs before Monday?

Gavin Greig tribute was truly moving

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In an otherwise dull opening 30 minutes, Town fans rose as one to salute “one of their own” in Gavin Greig, who tragically passed away from cancer this week.

A Town supporter, Greig had a heart transplant at the age of nine, but he became ill as a result of the anti-rejection drugs that saved his life as a child.

A minute’s applause was organised and brilliantly observed, and with the on-pitch action lacking in quality the crowd took up the baton, singing Greig’s name long after the minute had elapsed.

It was a fantastic show of solidarity and a reminder of the strength of the Huddersfield Town, and footballing, community.

Huddersfield Town 2 Cardiff 3