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What Derby County hero did after full-time said everything amid 'daft' Coventry City punishment
A brilliant battling performance ensured Derby County picked up their first away win of the season as they triumphed 2-1 at Coventry City.
Jerry Yates struck in the 11th minute when he seized on a Jack Rudoni mistake to score his second goal of the season before the striker made it two after the break.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto set up a tense finish as Coventry looked to seal a comeback after failing to trouble Jacob Widell Zetterstrom for large parts of the game.
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But Derby held first despite the Sky Blues enjoying the bulk of possession as they toasted a valuable three points that sets them up nicely for the Plymouth clash on Saturday with Wayne Rooney making his return to Pride Park.
Heroic effort
Given Derby's away form coming into this game was starting to read like a Stephen King novel, not many people outside of Pride Park had given them a prayer of returning from the CBS Arena with a result. Derby were still licking their wounds after a poor performance at Stoke, while Coventry were toasting an impressive 3-0 away win at Middlesbrough.
Plenty of betting enthusiasts would have had this down as a home banker but those accumulators went up in smoke courtesy of a performance that dripped with tenacity, discipline and sheer bloodymindedness.
While it was not the best display of the season, it was undoubtedly the best result against a team who have splashed £50m on transfers in the last two seasons. Paul Warne's side stuck brilliantly to their shape out of possession in a 3-5-2 formation and it was not until the last 15 minutes that Coventry started to find answers.
Despite obvious signs of fatigue, the most impressive aspect was how their concentration levels never dissipated. When Coventry shifted the ball across the pitch, Derby moved with them. If there was a tackle to be made, it soon followed. Craig Forsyth and Ebou Adams threw themselves to block shots in quick succession, epitomising how bodies were on the line.
The front two, Jerry Yates and Dajaune Brown, defended from the front. The midfield trio of Kenzo Goudmijn, Adams, and Liam Thompson pressed eagerly. The back three kicked and headed anything that ventured into their domain.
Everybody contributed, and these results feel a lot more gratifying than a 5-0 thrashing because you know you've had to earn it. You could see how much it meant to bank that first away win, personified by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom's celebrations post-match with the fans. His face told its own story as he joined in with the chants of 'Derby are massive' in front of a sea of black and white. It was a night that told us a great deal about their spirit.
Cashin suspension
If there was one downer to come from last night, it was Eiran Cashin's fifth booking of the season. The defender will now miss Saturday's clash against Plymouth and the return of Wayne Rooney, a game he will have scribbled on the calendar, given how much respect he has for the ex-Derby boss and England legend.
Referee Sam Allison, who did not have the best of nights, booked him for timewasting in the first half when a word or two would have perhaps sufficed. Instead he reached for his pocket which left Cashin brooding over the decision.
He muttered a few words under his breath after what was a daft bookigBut despite the obvious frustration, he did not let it impact his performance, as the captain helped marshal the backline superbly.
Coventry unrest
If you could map out an ideal start to an away game, it would always be to score early and after Jerry Yates seized upon a mistake from Jack Rudoni to give Derby the lead, you could sense the anxiety among Coventry's fans.
Mark Robins bemoaned the fact that his side did not move the ball quick enough to upset Derby's shape which he said was vital against a team that he feels works extremely hard for their manager.
And as Coventry laboured, the disgruntlement and unrest grew louder which merely increased the pressure. Faced with a black and white wall, they tried to go around the outside, but Cashin, Nat Phillips and Curtis Nelson were on point when it came to making clearances.
And while you could feel the tension, it led to some unforced errors that only increased the levels of dissatisfaction on the home terraces. Credit goes to Derby for that because they had to remain disciplined from the first minute until last. Even the subs played their part with Sonny Bradley making an excellent clearance while James Collins also got in on the act. Such resilience would have undoubtedly pleased Warne.
The fans deserved that
In what is fast becoming the norm for Derby in the Championship, it was another sold out away end at the CBS Arena as more than 3,000 fans rocked up hoping to see their first away win of the season.
They have not had much reward on their travels this season in what has been a tough introduction to life on the road now they are back in the Championship. Warne made a point of applauding the fans before kick-off and they responded with a terrific ovation.
They generated a brilliant atmosphere and after treks to Blackburn, Watford, Stoke, Sheffield United, Millwall, Oxford and Sunderland didn't yield much reward, it was brilliant to see them toast a hard-fought win as Coventry fans streamed for the exit gates.
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