Huddersfield Town will play Championship football next season after their 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in Sunday's play-off final at Wembley. 

Terriers defender Levi Colwill turned James Garner's wicked cross into his own net a few minutes before halftime in what would prove the game's decisive moment.

Huddersfield pushed for an equaliser after the break and had two penalty appeals controversially waved away but were unable to pull themselves back level – meaning it was Forest celebrating promotion to the Premier League in north west London yesterday evening.

It's a difficult one to take for fans of the Yorkshire club, who came close but will not be returning to the English top flight this season.

Carlos Corberan's focus will soon shift to preparations for next season but before ours does too, here are three things we clearly learnt about Huddersfield during yesterday's play-off final defeat to Forest...

They can count themselves very unlucky

Losing a play-off final due to an own-goal, which Colwill takes absolutely no blame for, is one thing but the Terriers can count themselves desperately unlucky after having two penalty shouts turned down inside the last 20 minutes.

The decision to give veteran referee Jon Moss the game, in what will be his final game before retirement, was questioned ahead of kick-off and though VAR was in operation, you do feel that Huddersfield should've had at least one spot-kick.

Harry Toffolo was tripped in the box by Jack Colback – and there was clear contact – while Max Lowe did not get the ball in his clumsy challenge on Lewis O'Brien a little while later.

That neither were given, by Moss or VAR, is a surprise and means Huddersfield can count themselves unlucky.

Lewis O'Brien will be missed if he departs

Corberan suggested after the game that he doesn't believe any of Huddersfield's player will want to leave the club this summer but reports this weekend have suggested that theory will be tested, with Leeds United said to be ready to trigger Lewis O'Brien's £10 million release clause.

The 23-year-old midfielder has been fantastic for the Terriers this season and was central to most of their positive play yesterday, with his tenacity, energy in transition, and bursting runs forward often causing problems for Nottingham Forest.

O'Brien's performance highlighted what a quality player he is at Championship level and that, should he leave this summer, he will certainly be missed.

The £10 million that has been touted as a potential fee can be reinvested and would strengthen the squad but finding another midfielder of his ability will be tough.

This can be a setback for Corberan's Terriers and not the end of the story

They may have fallen short of promotion but Huddersfield are well set to challenge again next season.

Few thought the Terriers were capable of challenging near the top of the Championship table this season, indeed many tipped them for relegation, but Corberan has turned them into a force to be reckoned with.

Their game management is phenomenal and they are more than the sum of their parts – both factors that bode well for 2022/23 – while they were equal to Forest at Wembley and would've won promotion themselves had things gone a little differently.

The Spanish coach has backed his team to use the experience as motivation for next season and if they can do that then Sunday's defeat can prove just a setback not the end of the story for this group.