Shaun Goater scrambled home his 22nd goal of the season to allow Manchester City to steal a point they barely deserved at Huddersfield on Friday night.

It leaves Joe Royle's boys six points behind leaders Charlton and looking increasingly like they will be fighting for the second automatic promotion spot.

Huddersfield, struggling to hang onto a play-off spot, were the most positive side but had only a stunning 25-yarder from Clyde Wijnhard for their troubles.

They found England Under-21 keeper Nicky Weaver in outstanding form, even if he did occasionally frighten the life out of City's vast travelling support with some schoolboy errors.

Huddersfield dominated much of the game, with Dean Gorre pulling the midfield strings while Wijnhard proved a constant threat to City's defence.

After just four minutes Weaver saved bravely at the feet of Jamie Vincent, before Gorre - elusive and mobile - smashed a 25 yarder against a post after 12 minutes.

Apart from an Ian Bishop hook superbly turned over by Nico Vaesen and a half-hearted Paul Dickov flicked header, Steve Bruce's side forced City back.

Kenny Irons and Chris Holland toiled tirelessly as City kept gifting possession to the Yorkshire side.

Huddersfield's goal when it came was fully deserved, even if Goater complained to referee Clive Wilkes long and loud before the restart that he had been pushed in the build-up.

He may have had a point, but the execution of the goal was outstanding. Gorre lifted the ball forward and Wijnhard sent a fine 20-yard chip into the top corner after 32 minutes.

It could have been more when Weaver had to pull off an instinctive one-handed save from a Wijnhard header after a Martin Smith cross five minutes later.

But City, largely outfought in the opening half, are nothing if not dogged and they stunned the home crowd in first-half injury time.

Kevin Horlock brought the ball wide on the right and fed Richard Edghill with a high lob into the box. Ken Monkou had plenty of time to clear, but Goater outmuscled him before stabbing the ball home from eight yards.

It was an undeserved lifeline for City, and they continued to live dangerously after the break with centre-backs Richard Jobson and Gerard Wiekens indecisive.

Jobson's failure to clear let in Martin Smith for a header that Weaver snatched out of the air, before City almost gifted Huddersfield a goal with an awful comedy of errors in the 55th minute.

Wiekens rolled a backpass into the box without realising Weaver had strayed outside his area and he conceded a free-kick when rushing back and diving on the ball.

From the free-kick that followed, Wijnhard's effort was blocked and Weavers dived bravely at Craig Armstrong's feet in the ensuing melee.

Still Huddersfield pressed, and Kevin Horlock had to head off the line from Monkou on 75 minutes.

Then in the final moments Smith was put through but drilled his left-foot shot narrowly wide.

Teams:

Huddersfield: Vaesen, Jenkins (Dyson 82), Vincent, Armstrong, Lucketti, Holland, Monkou, Irons, Smith, Gorre, Wijnhard.

Subs Not Used: Thornley, Margetson, Sellars, Horne.

Booked: Vincent.

Goals: Wijnhard 32.

Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Wiekens, Horlock (Tiatto 78), Bishop (J. Whitley 90), Dickov, Goater, J. Whitley, Jobson, Kennedy, Granville.

Subs Not Used: Allsopp, Wright, Grant.

Booked: Edghill.

Goals: Goater 45.

Att: 18,173

Ref: C Wilkes (Gloucester).