Frustrated Huddersfield Town boss Chris Powell felt his side had paid the price for poor defending on both of Leeds United's goals as the Terriers slumped to a late 2-1 defeat.

Sam Byram and Harry Bunn traded first-half goals in a hotly-contested West Yorkshire derby but the second half looked to be petering out until visiting substitute Billy Sharp popped up with a late winner to inflict a first double defeat against Leeds since 1939 on Town.

And Powell was quick to point at both his backline and a slow start from the whole side as reasons behind a subdued Terriers display.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose the game on the balance of play, but that’s what happened," he said.

“We didn’t start well; we didn’t play our normal game for the first 15 minutes and paid the price.

"However, we overcame that and finished the first half as the stronger side, deservedly getting the equaliser.

"The goal from Sam Byram woke us from our slumber and got the crowd going; we started to pass and do what we can do.

“After that the game was full of fire; we saw a few yellow cards, which is par for the course in a game like this.

"We tried to push on and we had more incidents in the final third than Leeds; they cleared a corner off the line in the second-half.

"At that point you think it isn’t going to be your day, but Joe Murphy still didn’t have a save to make in the second period and it looked like a draw.

“We just didn’t defend that final cross. It was a good ball in by the lad, but we didn’t defend it and you’ve got to do everything you can to stop those crosses.

"It was the 90th minute and we had to see the game out, take a point and move on with the run. We didn’t and we paid the price.”

In pictures: Huddersfield Town 1-2 Leeds United

Defeat meant Town slipped to 17th and, courtesy of Millwall's late win at Nottingham Forest, just seven points off the drop zone ahead of the Terriers' trip to the New Den next week.

But Powell is confident his side are well-equipped to deal with their latest setback, which was exacerbated by injuries to both Nahki Wells and Tommy Smith.

“It wasn’t to be today, so now we have to get ready for Millwall," he added.

"We’ve been progressing and pushing forward recently and we see the three game block of Wigan, Leeds and Millwall as a barometer as they’re all sides around us. We didn’t pass the test today, but we’ll go again.

“I’m trying to slowly build a squad and the confidence of the younger players and we’re on our way to doing that.

"When you get a setback, you’ve got to manage and galvanise the players.

“I know our fans will be disappointed today, but I know we can be a good, effective Championship side.”