Gary Bowyer admitted he had to "check the calendar" after Burton Albion handed Huddersfield Town a 3-1 League One victory at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday, with the Brewers' defensive generosity drawing a comparison to the luxury department store itself.

"We were very, very generous in what we gave Huddersfield," Bowyer told BBC Radio Derby. "I just had to go and check my calendar because we can't make those mistakes. Just fundamental basics of looking after the football."

A gift with glitter wrap

All three Huddersfield goals stemmed directly from Burton errors, a fact that stung the Burton manager sharply. He reached for a colourful image to describe the damage.

"They're the best team in the league but we gifted them the goals," he said. "I thought the presents we gave them reminded me of Harrods, when you get the lovely gift wrap and the box has got the glitter in the wrap."

The Brewers had made a solid start to the season and came into the match unbeaten at home. That record now gone, Bowyer was at pains to stress that his side's defensive lapses, rather than any gulf in quality, decided the afternoon.

Teenagers thrust into the action

Bowyer was forced to turn to the bench during the game, bringing on 18-year-olds Sulyman Krubally and Zac Scutt, the latter making his senior debut. The manager acknowledged the age gap between the two squads but refused to use it as a catch-all excuse.

"I think you saw the difference in the vision of the two clubs," he said. "They're gunning for automatic promotion and they've got the squad. I'm bringing on Sully, who's 18, and Scutty, who's 18, so that's the gulf."

Yet Bowyer was clear that inexperience did not explain the manner of the defeat. "It doesn't stop you winning your duels. It doesn't stop you running hard, and I felt they ran harder than we did."

Character under the spotlight

The Burton head coach said he could not alter his personnel or his system, but stressed that the basics must be non-negotiable going forward. The defeat sits differently from other recent losses, he said, precisely because it was so avoidable.

"We've lost a couple of games but it's the manner of Huddersfield that sits differently to the others," he said. "So I'm really looking forward to see how they respond."

Bowyer added: "We can't change in terms of the personnel and the way we're going to have to play, but you can't make those mistakes."

Eyes on Doncaster

Burton travel to Grimsby in the Jersey Mike's Trophy on Tuesday before returning to League One action at Doncaster Rovers next Saturday. Bowyer will use both fixtures to judge the character of his group.

"I'm looking forward now because we see what they're made of," he said.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, underlined their credentials as the division's leading side. The Terriers entered the game targeting automatic promotion, and a performance that exploited Burton's errors so clinically will do little to change the market's view of their chances. For Burton, the task is straightforward: cut out the gifts and make sure, as Bowyer put it, that "it wasn't Christmas Day" next time a top-six side comes calling.

Frequently asked

What was the score in Burton vs Huddersfield in League One?
Huddersfield Town beat Burton Albion 3-1 at the Pirelli Stadium, with all three visiting goals coming from Burton defensive errors.
What did Gary Bowyer say after the Huddersfield defeat?
Bowyer said Burton 'gift-wrapped' goals for Huddersfield, comparing the generosity to a Harrods gift box, and said the week ahead would show him what his squad is made of.
When is Burton Albion's next League One game?
Burton's next League One fixture is away at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, following a midweek Jersey Mike's Trophy trip to Grimsby on Tuesday.