SADLY, the Easter fixtures didn’t provide a seasonally appropriate resurrection of Town’s automatic promotion hopes.

Supporters were instead left hot and cross after the Blues dropped to eighth following their dismal 2-1 defeat at a surprisingly sunny Huddersfield, their lowest position since November.

The weekend started positively enough with a battling Good Friday display which saw Town come close to beating leaders Bournemouth at Portman Road.

Despite the impressive Cherries having two-thirds of the possession, the Blues hung onto the lead Freddie Sears had gained in the sixth minute until sub Kenwyne Jones nodded home a first-touch debut goal eight minutes from time.

Although conceding the late goal was a disappointment, most were happy enough with a draw which saw Town end the day in seventh, out of the top six on goal difference alone, having reduced the distance to the top two to six points.

Monday’s very winnable game at Huddersfield, who were without a win in seven, was a big chance for the Blues to build on that result and maintain the forward momentum established before the break.

But they blew it, putting in an uncharacteristically lacklustre display. After Nahki Wells had netted the Terriers’ opening goal and James Vaughan had added the second, Town only briefly looked like getting back into the game when Luke Varney pulled one back shortly after the break.

Huddersfield had played their previous game on the Saturday – a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday – but it was the Blues, having had a day longer to recover, who looked lethargic throughout.

Daryl Murphy had one of his least effective games and Christophe Berra and Tommy Smith were given the run around by Wells and Vaughan, while recent loan signings Zeki Fryers and Chris Wood looked off the pace.

While it’s perhaps unsurprising that those who have played week in, week out all season might be tiring by this stage, it’s disappointing that some of those who have been brought in to lighten the load, such as Wood and Fryers, have so far struggled to find form.

The Huddersfield result and performance – probably this season’s worst and certainly the most frustrating – came at a time when it looked like Town were finally getting over their new year malaise.

A comparison of the stats to the end of 2014 and those since the turn of the year tells the story of the season.

Up to December 31st Town gained 47 points from 24 games at an average of 1.96 points per match, winning 13, drawing eight and losing just three, the second best in the division.

Since New Year’s Day, they have picked up just 21 from 17, 1.24 per match, winning six, drawing three and losing eight, the 14th best.

Three undefeated games and impressive displays against Watford and Bournemouth had even got Mick McCarthy believing that his team might have turned the corner and could still have an outside chance of a top-two finish.

Post-Huddersfield, with only five games remaining, the eight-point gap to second is too large.

But, while the mood since Monday has been somewhat downbeat, the season is far from over.

It’s worth remembering that before the heady days of hitting second and fleetingly first, most fans and pundits viewed the play-offs as Town’s realistic ambition for the season.

And from there, the Blues would stand as good a chance as anyone having had a decent record against their fellow challengers this season.

The two places and three points which currently separate the Blues from the top six are certainly bridgeable. Victories in the home games against now-relegated Blackpool on Saturday and Cardiff on Tuesday would close that gap.

Just over a month ago McCarthy said he felt 75 points – equalling the most needed in the last decade – would be enough to make the play-offs, however, with sixth-placed Wolves already on 71, that would seem to be an underestimate.

The game at Molineux a week tomorrow now looks huge, while the Blues would appear to need four points from the home game against Forest and the final day trip to Blackburn.

Town will also benefit from other top sides facing one another – Derby host Brentford on Saturday and Wolves are at Middlesbrough on Tuesday, for example.

Ten more points, 78 in total, should to be enough to make it. Easter may not have gone to plan, but there’s still time for Town to rise again.