Perhaps they were trying to atone for snatching a late point during the season of goodwill… or perhaps they were promised a years supply of iPro?

Whatever it was, our visitors from Yorkshire provided a lovely, gift wrapped present of self-destructiveness which was gratefully received as we all-but mathematically ensured a play-off berth.

Unchanged from our trip to the seaside but with Jamie Ward a welcome figure back on the bench, this one started as per the form book. Starting brightly, we should have been ahead within five minutes. Bryson swung in a free-kick from the right which was cleared to Russell, whose drive was saved by the feet of Smithies. In turn, the ball fell straight to the feet of the skipper, who somehow managed to get the ball closer to me behind the goal than the net. A centre-back’s finish…

What was immediately noticeable was that our visitors were adopting a robust method of trying to stop our football. By robust, I mean continuously committing foul after foul.

To his immense credit, the referee was strong from the start, brandishing an early card to the visiting skipper Clarke for a foul on Bryson. Russell then curled a free-kick over from a promising spot on the edge of the area as our superior football threatened to blow Huddersfield back up north.

It was a real surprise then, to see the visitors snatch the lead.

Martin’s miss-placed pass allowed Clayton to switch the play to Ward (not Jamie, or that would have been a terrible pass). Forsyth was guilty of not shutting down the cross, which was a beauty, in-between the sprawling Grant and Keogh, allowing Wells to nip through for a tap-in.

There was though, as in midweek, no sense of any panic. In times gone by, you would certainly fear the worst at going even a solitary goal behind, but not with this group.

Immediately, we were back in command, with Thorne’s ability to pick out the full-backs moving forwards a feature of our positivity. Bamford headed a Bryson corner just over as we threatened to hit back straight away but soon enough, our friends from the North began their charity.

Oh for the same referee, as the wonderfully named Mr. Deadman, when we played Millwall a few weeks ago. After all of the shenanigans that were allowed to go unpunished in that game, this was the polar opposite. Having warned him previously, the referee booked Lynch for time-wasting on a throw-in and in no uncertain terms, warned the goalkeeper that he would be next if he carried on.

The next thing for Smithies to do however, was to pick the ball out of his net after one of the best goals seen this season.

Picking the ball up in centre-midfield, Thorne looked up and reached into the top drawer, before producing the most majestic of passes to release Russell. Sublime. Superb. The sort of pass that the Sky Sports pundits would get a little excited in their trousers about had the ball been played by Gerrard, Xavi or the like. All that was needed was a finish to match and Johnny obliged, barely breaking stride before nonchalantly flicking the ball past the keeper and into the corner left-footed.

What followed was a frantic final fifteen of the half. Thorne trickled a shot wide before at the other end, the best football of the game from ‘Udders’ saw Wells knock down for Hammill to test Grant with a low drive.

Then game the first gift.

Tight to the right-wing, Bamford flicked the ball past Lynch, who cynically almost broke the young man into two long after the ball had gone. Suddenly, there were two Deadman’s walking on the field, or rather off as Lynch quickly departed on the short route to the dressing room.

Three good chances were then spurned in last knockings of the half.

First, Martin did well to beat Smithies to a long ball before Forsyth’s drive was blocked and Russell’s centre was secondly cleared. Finally, Bamford showed his affection for the other shaped ball-game. Having superbly brought the ball down in the area, the youngster had time to pick his spot, which he did…, in the top of the South Stand. A glaring miss, but one which brought with it a feeling that the second half would be laden with goals.

With no changes for the Rams in the interval and with my abacus ready to be utilised, it was just five minutes before we were ahead, in comical fashion.

Perhaps it was fitting with Britain’s Got Talent returning last night, we got to see Smithies in the Huddersfield goal showcasing his basketball skills.

Forsyth skipped past his man on the left, and delivered a cross far too close to the goalkeeper. Showing skills that Michael Jordan or Buggs Bunny in Space Jam would have been proud of, Smithies expertly slam-dunked the ball into his own net. Not quite a three-pointer but it set us up for them.

More ‘Shudders’ than Huddersfield, such will be the travelling fans recollection of the howler.

Bamford then really should have made amends for his earlier miss. Fantastic hounding from Hughes saw him win the ball and drive towards the box and release his team-mate, who took a touch before firing straight at Smithies’ face with the goal gaping.

Not that it mattered much as within minutes, our final present was given.

A long ball from Thorne caused confusion in the box and Clarke could only slice the ball straight to Hughes. With a proverbial rush of blood, the Town captain then needlessly slid in wildly on Will to concede the stoniest of stone-wall pens.

Not that the ref gave it at first, but some frantic waving of the linesman flag, coupled with my voice (which may have questioned the refs seeing ability), got him there in the end. Worse was to come as red followed yellow for the second time in the game, with Clarke joining Lynch in the bath.

Martin, who had already seen a penalty saved by Smithies this season, made no mistake from the spot.

11 vs 9 and surely we would go for the kill, register our highest win of the season and send a message to the chasing pack?

Well no, quite the opposite.

Hendrick, Naylor and Ward replaced Bamford, Thorne and Forsyth as the game became, without sounding too negative, rather tedious.

Pass followed pass followed pass as we decided to keep the ball without pressing for more goals. At one point, Grant was dismayed to receive a back-pass, as it meant he had to fold away his deck-chair at put down his Sudoku puzzle-book…

The meandering pace eventually riled the Gaffer, who became extremely agitated on the touch-line. What really made him lose more of his hair was when Clayton seized upon a poor pass and drove a shot just wide. A shot, coupled with McClaren’s anger, which sparked us back to second-gear.

Smithies did his best to make up for his previous misdemeanours by producing a superb stop to deny Ward’s point-blank header from a corner. A save which even Grant applauded, cigar in mouth.

Russell then fired a drive from outside the box which again saw the best of the visiting stopper.

The final half-hour though, had been a case of conserving energy and getting players back. As the full-time whistle blew, I did feel a tinge of frustration that there weren’t more goals, but the job had been well and truly done.

In a strange way, I think if Huddersfield weren’t so generous and kept eleven on the field, then the score line may have been more.

In the end though, another comfortable win, albeit with more than a generous edge. It won’t say that in the results book though.

It will say another win.

It will say third in the league.

It will say momentum is slowly building.

Anyone else nervous yet?

Weston’s Player Ratings

Lee Grant - 7: One good save in the first half. Very little to do in the second period, apart from distribute.

Craig Forsyth - 7: Broke forwards impressively. Will surely be credited with the goal.

Andre Wisdom - 7: Solid, reliable and class as per.

Jake Buxton - 7: Not a great deal to do but what he did, he did well

Richard Keogh - 7:Should have got onto the score-sheet

Will Hughes - 7: Looks back to full fitness. Sharp, strong in the tackle and did well to win pen.

Craig Bryson - 7: Far too much guile and energy for the Huddersfield midfield.

George Thorne - 8: Assured and confident for his 65 minutes. Pass was different class to set up Russell.

Patrick Bamford - 7: Another who should have scored. Missed two great chances

Johnny Russell - 8: Another who should have scored. Missed two great chances

Chris Martin - 7: Took his penalty well and did his normal job amicably.

Subs

Jamie Ward - 7: Good to see him back and looked sharp and hungry.

Jeff Hendrick - 6: Loved the keep-ball session.

Tom Naylor - 6: Looks to be enjoying every minute!

We said / They Said

Derby Gaffer Steve McClaren:

“It was a similar performance to the Blackpool game really as we started well, exerted plenty of pressure and our equaliser was a fine goal to get the ball rolling. You won’t see a better pass and finish than that and credit goes to George Thorne and Johnny Russell respectively.”

“As we’ve said many times before momentum is key at this stage of the season and we’ve got three wins from our last four now, which is perfectly timed.”

Huddersfield Manager Mark Robins:

"It's a tough one to take for him and he's disappointed with it, but he's a top, top young man and he will bounce back from it.”

"He's made a world-class save there at the end from a header and although it doesn't make up for it in his eyes, I think he's been fantastic for us this season and he's only a young goalkeeper.”

Match Stats: Rams / Terriers:

Possession: 72% / 28%

Corners: 9 / 0

Shots (On Target): 15 (5) / 6 (4)

Fouls: 12 / 12

Yellow Cards: 0 / 3

Red Cards: 0 / 2

Match Info:

Referee: Darren Deadman

Attendance: 25,809 (785 Touring Terriers)

Derby County:Grant (GK); Wisdom, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth (Naylor 70'), Thorne (Hendrick 70'), Hughes, Bryson, Bamford (Ward 67'), Russell, Martin.

Unused Subs: Legzdins (GK), Whitbread, Eustace, Sammon.

Goals: Russell (28’), Smithies - OG (50’), Martin — Pen (57’)

Huddersfield: Smithies (GK), Woods, Norwood (Wallace 59'), Clarke, Hogg, Clayton, Ward, Hammill (Smith 45'), Wells (Scannell 74'), Lynch, Gerrard.

Unused Subs: Bennett (GK), Gobern, Holmes, Bunn.

Goals: Wells (14')

Match Highlights / Reaction

Next Time:

Doncaster vs. Derby

Keepmoat Stadium

7:30pm — Friday 18th of April

Photo: Action Images

Derby County Polls