Sunderland boss explains key selection and substitution decisions against Huddersfield

The result puts a significant dent in the club's play-off hopes, with Josh Koroma's strike from distance cancelling out Joe Gelhardt's superb first-half goal.

Sunderland struggled to reach their usual levels in the second half in particular, and Mowbray said he felt Huddersfield had been emboldened by the lack of a central striker in his own side.

"We didn't get to the levels that we needed to win the game," Mowbray said.

"They picked a really athletic team that looked as if they were set up to break on us in the spaces like some teams have done, knowing that we couldn't really run in behind.

"We had to try and play through knowing that we had to try and play through them, knowing that we would be in trouble if we turned the ball over.

"So I thought it was a bit scrappy, we didn't have enough men in forward areas because we were mindful of that threat if we lost it.

"We're frustrated with the goal we lost, he carries the ball too far and we've got to tackle him.

"I've just aired my frustration with the team because if we're going to be a team that challenges then you have to bring it every game, and we fell a bit short of that."

Mowbray opted to bring on Isaac Lihadji in the second half for Gelhardt, feeling that his side were being pushed too deep by the visitors.

His options had been hit further by the loss of Edouard Michut to injury in the build up to the game, with the head coach opting not to bring in Pierre Ekwah, but to instead field Alex Pritchard in midfield.

Mowbray also gave 17-year-old winger Tom Watson his debut in stoppage time.

On his substitutions, Mowbray said: "We wanted to get mobility at the top end of the pitch because they were squashing us right down, playing right on the halfway line because they didn't have that fear of a player in the line.

"I wanted some genuine pace, but it didn't really pan out.

"I don't think it's a secret that we lack that player in behind.

"Teams know that they can get up the pitch and press high, so we have to either play through them or they nick it and threaten our goal.

"The balance was, do you take Pritchard off and put Pierre [Ekwah] on when you're trying to win a game?

"That was the option at the start as well.

"We felt we could bring one of the full backs inside and play alongside Dan to try and stop their transition, and that gave us the chance to get a fifth attacking player on knowing how good they are defensively.

"If we hadn't played enough attacking players and drew, I'd have been beating myself up.

"We felt it was the right decision to try and have five attacking threats, I felt we just fell a little bit short of the crispness that we normally play with.

"We didn't quite click."