Stu's View - 'The League Table Doesn't Lie'
Tuesday, 23rd Aug 2011 13:31 by Stuart Hughes

Well who would’ve thought it? I certainly didn’t expect this start to the season when players were queuing up to limp or crawl into the treatment room during pre-season.

And even if the Rams manager Nigel Clough had a full squad to pick from, I still wouldn’t have expected it. After all, you have to go back to the 1905/06 season for the only other time Derby County won their opening four league games of the season.

But the league table doesn’t lie. Derby County are 2nd in the npower Championship – played four, won four, scored seven, conceded one, points twelve. Maximum points from four games. The league table makes good reading.

I think it’s a sure sign of what I’ve gone through as a Derby County supporter that I wasn’t optimistic ahead of a home game against Doncaster Rovers. After all, Doncaster Rovers are our bogey team. All I could think of was the unpredictable, inconsistent, Derby County I’ve supported down the years.

Played three won three against played three lost three … there’s only one way this game’s going!

But this sceptical Rams fan was wrong.

Oh so completely, so wonderfully, wrong.

Doncaster Rovers played like a team who had lost three straight and had both their main strikers out injured. Despite missing eleven senior players themselves through injury, Derby County played like a team who had won three on the bounce.

The Rams oozed confidence and were comfortable throughout the entire ninety minutes. Ben Davies had a tremendous game – his best for Derby County in my opinion – and showed why Nigel Clough was so keen to sign him. The former Notts County player was involved in all three goals, making two and scoring one.

The first goal, as early as the 6th minute, saw loan signing Kevin Kilbane head home a Ben Davies corner for 1-0.

For the second home game running, the Rams scored straight from the second-half kick-off. This time it took 25 seconds. Kevin Kilbane played the ball down the left flank, Ben Davies beat his man and delivered an inch perfect cross for Steven Davies to head his third goal of the season. 2-0.

Finally, fittingly, Ben Davies rounded off a man of the match performance in the 62nd minute with a 20-yard shot of his own, after good work by John Brayford, Steven Davies and Lee Croft. 3-0.

Ben Davies deservedly took the man of the match but the rest of the Rams team weren’t far behind. For me, it was the most balanced, rounded, composed and impressive Derby County team performance I’ve witnessed for a long time.

Stuart Hughes is a local writer - to read more of his work visit:

www.stuarthughes.webs.com