Chesterfield underlined their reputation as one of the meanest teams in the League when they celebrated an eighth consecutive clean sheet at home in Division Two.
The Spireites last conceded a league goal at Saltergate back in August, but Huddersfield should have ended that run seven minutes from the end of a scrappy game.
A free-kick from Kenny Irons came back off a post but substitute John Thorrington put the ball wide of the empty net from eight yards.
It was an astonishing miss and one that summed up Huddersfield's plight near the foot of the table.
Mick Wadsworth's team had little to offer in the final third and were always struggling once Kevin Dawson grabbed his first senior goal.
The defender pounced on a mistake by Dwayne Mattis in the 33rd minute to score the only goal of the match although Chesterfield should have added to that solitary strike.
Glynn Hurst and Steve Blatherwick were both denied by Scott Bevan and Hurst appeared to be tripped in injury time only for referee Andy Hall to book him for diving.
Huddersfield created little and did not manage a shot on target until the 52nd minute when Martin Smith forced a save out of Carl Muggleton.
Muggleton was not seriously troubled again although he needed Dawson to clear a header from sub Jonathan Stead in the 58th minute and would have been beaten but for Thorrington's awful miss.
Chesterfield kept threatening on the break and both Hurst and Mark Allott were close to extending their lead as Huddersfield became increasingly stretched.
The last hope for the Terriers vanished when a 30-yard shot from Smith skidded just in front of Muggleton, but the keeper recovered to grab the loose ball leaving Huddersfield without a win in eight games