New boss Mark Fotheringham praised the “commitment and the desire” of his Huddersfield side after a 2-0 Championship victory over Hull in his first home game in charge of the club.

Lewie Coyle’s devastating own goal and Michal Helik’s towering header condemned the Tigers to a sixth defeat in seven games.

The Terriers also kept a welcome clean sheet – after shipping six goals in their two previous outings – as they cut the gap in the table between themselves and safety to just two points.

“It’s important to get a win,” reflected Fotheringham. “The most pleasing thing was the commitment and the desire we showed out there.

“I wasn’t satisfied with our first-half performance and I know we will play much better than that in the future.

“We know as a group we can play much better than that. When we do click into gear, I think you are going to see a really entertaining, attacking team.

“I gave a couple of players a volley at half-time and they were much better in the second half.

“That’s my job. I’m not here to be the guys’ friend. I’m here to win games, we need to win games and we’re going to win games.

“It’s nothing to do with me what happened in the past. I’m only looking at what’s happening now.

“I can only influence what’s happening on the training pitch. I’ve had eight sessions with them and you’re really starting to see my identity of what I’m looking for for this team.

“I’m not wanting to be sitting at this end of the table, I want to be winning games week in and week out.

“I demand standards from them and they know that.”

Coyle headed Etienne Camara’s cross into his own net in the first half before Helik headed home shortly after the break.

The Tigers squandered some decent chances to get back into the match as they slumped to yet another disappointing defeat.

Caretaker boss Andy Dawson said: “I thought we lacked intensity.

“We didn’t work the keeper enough. We had four shots over the bar, test him. They’re the little things we need to do better.

“Whenever we seem to be tested, things go against us, but that’s football.”

On the own goal, he added: “If you’re in an area to defend… you’re not sure what’s behind you and it’s a good ball, then you have to try and affect it.

“You have to get in the flight path and get first contact because if he leaves it and it’s tapped in behind him then you’re asking a different question.

“I can’t blame Coyley for that. These things happen, that’s football.

“It’s the second goal that’s really disappointing because I believed we would score a goal and we had some fantastic chances to score.”