Moments of naivety cost Rovers dear as they fell to a first away defeat of the season at Huddersfield Town.

They twice came from behind through Ben Brereton, his eighth and ninth goals of the season, but poor decisions at the back cost them dear as Danny Ward headed the eventual winners seven minutes from time.

The backline was broken up through an injury to Darragh Lenihan ahead of kick-off, and then losing Ryan Nyambe to concussion in the first half, and without two of their regulars, they showed frailties which otherwise hadn’t been seen this season.

They twice clawed themselves back through Brereton, equalising after Alex Vallejo and Ward had netted for the hosts, but there was no coming back from Ward’s second and Town’s third.

A Rovers team without captain Darragh Lenihan through injury looked shaky from the off, a moment of indecision saw Thomas Kaminski fail to clear a long ball forward, Danny Ward eventually heading wide inside a minute.

The poor start should have seen them behind before three minutes were on the watch, Daniel Sinani wasting a gilt-edged chance, firing over from eight yards when the ball ran his way.

It was a battle of the two Lewis in the midfield of the park, O’Brien for Huddersfield and Travis for Rovers, both captaining their side, and the Terriers man almost put his side ahead 18 minutes in, only to see his shot from 12 yards come back off the frame of the goal.

That was shortly after Ryan Nyambe had gone down after taking a blow to the head in a collision with Josh Koroma, and despite carrying on after initial treatment, it soon became clear he wouldn’t be able to continue and was needing to be replaced.

Tyler Magloire was called for as a concussion replacement, a Rovers backline now without both Lenihan and Nyambe as Tony Mowbray switched to a back three as John Buckley slotted in at wing-back.

It was a system that looked to take some adjusting to, and it wasn’t until after the half hour mark that they threatened.

Much of their better play was coming down the left, Harry Pickering sliding a ball into man-of-the-moment Ben Brereton whose curling effort from 25 yards flashed just wide of the far post.

The pair then linked up again moments later, this time Brereton the provider from a raking Buckley pass, but Pickering’s shot lacked conviction at it flashed wide of the target.

Just as Rovers appeared to be getting a foothold in the game they fell behind eight minutes before the break. Buckley was robbed of possession when trying to step out of defence, the ball eventually worked to Alex Vallejo whose 20-yarder went through a raft of bodies, and despite Kaminski getting a good hand to it, he couldn’t keep it out.

A better touch from Brereton when played clear would have given Rovers a golden chance to instantly level, in the end forced to roll it back for Dolan whose shot was blocked.

Pickering then dragged a shot wide of the target, before Rovers did force Lee Nicholls into a save, the Huddersfield keeper acrobatically getting across to Brereton’s header from a Buckley cross that looked destined for the corner.

It was down to Rovers to make the running in the second half and despite Brereton having a shot blocked soon after the re-start, it required a strong save to keep them level in the 50th minute. Ayala failed to clear the initial danger, Sinani able to get free on the left edge of the box where his shot towards the near post was kept out by the Belgian.

A moment of genius would then bring Rovers level in the 57th minute. It was finished off neatly by Brereton, but owed much to the dancing feet of Joe Rothwell. He took half of the Huddersfield team out of the equation with a run which started just inside his own half, and then squared for the Chile international to fire home his eighth of the season.

For all the quality of Rovers’ goal, they somewhat gifted Huddersfield a second goal, Magloire bullied off the ball at the back post by Ward who got infront of the defender to head in a right-wing cross and restore the lead on the hour.

Five minutes later, Rovers were handed a glorious chance to level for a second time. There was confusion initially as referee Jeremy Simpson pointed to the spot, but replays cleared up that Naby Sarr had wiped out Brereton as he tried to get his shot away.

The protests meant a delay in the penalty being taken, Sarr booked for the tackle, with Brereton remaining composed to find the corner with his spot-kick, despite Nicholls getting a hand to it.

There was a vulnerability to both sides defensively, the game firmly in the balance as it ticked into the final 20 minutes, Kaminski forced to save again, this time from Ward as Huddersfield cut down the right-hand side of the Rovers defence.

Rovers were waiting to make changes as Huddersfield piled on the pressure, and would have re-taken the lead were it not for a fine Kaminski save from a goalmouth scramble that ensued from a set play.

It had been a messy period for Rovers, be it the delayed substitution and then the poor game-management that saw them trail for a third time with eight minutes remaining. They appeared to be in control of the ball, only for the hosts to break from which a deep cross was nodded back across goal by Harry Toffolo and beyond Kaminski by Ward for his second of the game.

There was no third equaliser, despite half-hearted appeals for a penalty when Buckley went down in the box, as the Terriers saw out the six additional minutes.