Rams fans hoped their team could bring some cheer back as they still recovered from the Forest result. They didn’t quite deliver that performance but did make a point.

Derby County 0 vs. 0 Millwall        

Monday 3rd January 2010 15:00

Pride Park - Derbyshire

 

Referee:

K. Wright

Attendance:

24,239 (609 Travelling Lions) 

Teams:

Rams

Bywater, Green, Moxey, Brayford, Barker, Savage (Addison 86), Bailey, Doyle (Cywka 46), Commons, Bueno (Pearson 71), Porter.

Un-used Substitutes - Deeney, Pringle, Davies, Leacock.

Lions:

Forde, Trotter, Schofield (Robinson 72), Henry, Craig, Garron, Mkandawire, Ward, Morison (McQuoid 71), Smith, Abdou.

Un-used Substitutes: Carter, Harris, Hackett, Mildenhall, Laird

Yellow Cards: Smith

Daniel J’s Match Report:

A game of two halves.

The first - my heart in my mouth.

The second - my eyelids struggle stay apart.

In the first forty five Derby hung on for dear life with a mix of stout defending and luck keeping the contest goalless as Millwall squander golden opportunities.

The second forty five was, as far as entertainment goes, about as exciting as watching a grass growing contest in the Sahara desert.

When the ninety minutes finally came to a close Derby had kept a rare clean sheet and grabbed themselves a fourth point from two games. I suppose near comatose boredom aside, gathering points is what really counts.

The Rams lined up for their first game at Pride Park since their away mauling at Forest and although their win at Preston will have cooled tempers, the home fans were looking for a performance in lieu of an apology.

Nigel Clough made two changes to the team that defeated Preston with Moxey back in for Roberts while Bueno replaced Pearson who was carrying a slight injury but still able to take a seat on the bench.

Bueno attempted to have an impact on proceedings early with a long range effort that was well wide of the target which summed up the Spaniards recent performances.

Derby needed his creative spark to return and hopefully re-ignite their fortunes. Unfortunately for most of the match Alberto was akin to trying to start an old car on a cold day, often looked like turning over but more often than not, didn’t.

The Derby defence looked shaky early when Steve Morison met the ball unmarked with a header that somehow sprayed wide. Morison should have done better, as should have the Ram backs who were once again spectators.

Chris Porter got into the action early and sent a solid header towards goal that was sadly straight at Lions keeper David Forde.

Millwall were beginning to boss proceedings as the Rams were struggling to maintain possession through wither genuine or perceived pressure from Millwall. Too many passes and build ups were breaking down due to poorly weighted passes or a lack of awareness of where the opposition were.

The Lions should have found a goal as chances came thick and fast from their ever increasing dominance.

Danny Schofield skyed an effort from outside the box, Morison once again missed the target with a header from a corner and Liam Trotter couldn’t shoot truly when he shot from inside the box.

The goal mouth pressure was becoming relentless as every time Derby cleared the ball it seemed to return just as quickly. The midfield was breaking down as the Rams defended deeply and dangerously. Even the most optimistic Rams fan would have been excused for thinking that conceding a goal was looking a foregone conclusion.

But for once the goal didn’t come even though more intense pressure did.

Millwall came to very close to breaking the deadlock when Tamika Mkandawire headed truly from a corner. Barker was on hand, as he had been all half, to head the ball safely over the bar before it could find itself in the net.

The half was drawing to a close and like a good quality three ply paper towel; the Rams had managed to absorb all that had threatened. That coupled with the fact that the Lions goal radar had proven decidedly faulty.

Moments before the half time whistle, Porter could have driven a knife into the hearts of Millwall and their unfinished work when he was agonisingly close to scoring. He brought the ball down expertly in the penalty area and shot on the turn but the ball went wide and the half ended as it began.

HT: 0 - 0

The second half began with Clough replacing the ineffectual Doyle with the recently under-fire Cywka.

The Polish attacker was welcomed to the contest by Lion Scott Barron who sent him tumbling, earning the Rams a free-kick. Robbie Savage sent in a good ball and picked out the bonce of Porter who only managed to head wide from 12 yards.

It was the Rams and the Championships highest scorer in Kris Commons who had the scoring opportunity of the match just after fifty minutes when he skipped away from the defence and found himself one on one with the Millwall keeper.

Rams fans who had placed a bet on Commons for first goal scorer would have been kissing their tickets as the Scot descended on his pray. Instead Commons did what everyone including himself would not have expected when he shot at Forde who was already beaten had the ball been placed anywhere but straight at him.

The Rams were attempting to replicate the pressure they had been under in the first half but the quality of the play from both sides had dropped to scrappy and unattractive.

No one was holding onto the ball and in trying gave it away as cheaply as unwanted stock during the Boxing Day sales.

Derby kept trying. Cywka shot from distance but straight at the keeper and Bueno took a 25 yard free-kick that was well off target.

So did Millwall. Jack Smith found his way through the Rams defence with twenty minutes to go but the Lions defender could only manage to send his effort wide.

The Rams attempted to mount late pressure with the introduction of Addison and Pearson but to no avail as attack after attack ended in embarrassing ineffectiveness. Pearson especially seemed so keen to impress at times, it seemed he forgot to take the ball with him.

The game petered out much has it had been doing all day, on and off but mainly off.

Millwall were better on the day but worse because of what they wasted. Four away draws in a row for the Lions which if similar to this effort could be considered as opportunities lost.

The Rams were serviceable, lucky and most importantly able to hang on for the point. Two games undefeated in the New Year and a halt to their losing streak at home. They rode their luck and their luck just crossed the finish line.

Any positives at the moment must be considered just that.

Re-enforcements and a spark are required to revive things before they flat line as Derby finds themselves in the bottom half of the table. The job is now ahead of them to restore the early season momentum and again mount a challenge for the top six.

They are close enough - if they are good enough!

Daniel J’s Man Of The Match: Shaun Barker:

Barks gave absolutely everything to the cause. Headed, booted and threw himself into every challenge to ensure a clean sheet for the Rams. Hopefully a sign he is putting his recent ups and downs behind him.

Managers Reaction:

Nigel Clough after the match:

"First and foremost the clean sheet today is satisfying, especially as Millwall are in good form and playing well, we found ourselves under a bit of pressure in the first half and we had to dig in and defend.” 

"We hadn't done well for a while, especially at home, and that showed a bit of character. It is our first clean sheet at home since the start of November which is far too long as far as we are concerned.” 

"It was lovely to get one today and it is a starting point for us. We were solid at Preston on Saturday we had to work hard for our win and the same applied today to get a point.” 

"We pressed forwards in the second half and had the best chance of the game which fell to Kris Commons, but we couldn't quite get the goal. We felt if anyone was going to get the goal as the game wore on, it was going to be us." 

"We lost two games at home before Christmas - two at home and two away - and we were coming away with plaudits for how well we had played, but we had no points to show for our efforts.” 

"Occasionally we have to say 'hold on a minute, the performance wasn't brilliant but we got a point on the board, which is what matters. Before these two games we would have taken four points, without a doubt."

Captain’s Reaction:

Robbie Savage was pleased with the New Years points haul:

"Prior to this weekend we had lost five games in a row and conceded five goals in a local derby, neither of which was very nice. So to put four points out of six on the board in the manner we have is pleasing." 

"Yes, we've played better this season in games than we did today, to grind out a result when we didn't play well is a credit to the boys, especially after playing two games in three days.” 

"It was a whole-hearted performance and before the weekend we would certainly have taken four points."

Next Match - FA Cup:

Crawley Town vs. Derby County

8:00pm Monday January 10th

Broadfield Stadium - Crawley

 

 

 

Photo: Action Images via Reuters