Birmingham City 0-2 Huddersfield: Terriers stretch unbeaten league run to 15 games
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Lewis O'Brien's third goal of the campaign gave Huddersfield a half-time cushion
Promotion-chasing Huddersfield Town stretched their unbeaten Championship run to 15 games with victory at Birmingham City.
Levi Colwill's knock down from Sorba Thomas' cross deflected in off Blues midfielder Gary Gardner to put Huddersfield in front.
Lewis O'Brien doubled Town's lead just before the break when more slack defending allowed him space in the box and he slotted past Neil Etheridge.
Thomas almost made it 3-0 midway through the second half but his fierce shot cannoned back off the post, while Birmingham's Onel Hernandez and Juninho Bacuna were also denied by the upright.
Few had tipped Huddersfield to make a serious push for a return to the Premier League following relegation in 2019 after they finished 20th in last season's Championship.
But Carlos Corberan's side have not lost since they were defeated by Middlesbrough on 27 November, a run of 17 matches in all competitions, and have now moved up to third in the table.
Spaniard Corberan handed Jordan Rhodes his first start since the opening day of the season and the former Scotland striker had an early goal ruled out with Duane Holmes offside in the build up.
Birmingham reverted back to their original name of Small Heath Alliance on social media channels to mark the return of Peaky Blinders on Sunday
After Birmingham fans protested at their owners once again by throwing tennis balls onto the pitch, causing a delay, Town went ahead with Gardner unable to get out of the way of Colwill's chest down.
Terriers goalkeeper Lee Nicholls saved well from Hernandez's drive, Blues' only shot on target in the first half, before O'Brien pounced to make it 2-0.
The hosts, who have won just once in eight matches, improved after the break but failed to find the net for the first time in 13 league games.
Birmingham's woes were compounded by losing Lyle Taylor to injury in the warm-up and Maxime Colin was also forced off in the first half.
Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer:
"I thought we started brightly, but the goals conceded were soft again - a set-piece and the one just before half-time, which made it a lot more difficult.
"Other than that I thought we asked questions of them defensively, and we moved the ball well at times. But just that little bit of quality (wasn't there); we hit the first man too many times on crosses, and we were shooting a bit wild.
"In the second half we had a go, but it wouldn't go in for us and we hit the woodwork twice - the keeper made an unbelievable save, but I can't fault the players.
"They are trying and they are giving everything."
Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan:
"We have a strong mentality - it's impossible to compete in the Championship if not.
"It's not easy to achieve 100% commitment every time you're on the pitch, but the players are taking a lot of responsibility and putting in a lot of desire to compete.
"If you add that to good skills it helps us compete in the level we are competing. My work is to try to coordinate and organise them.
"When you have the will and desire, but it is not organised, the efficiency and desire is less."