After a good first half of chances and some good football, the Rams abysmal second half performance allowed Reading to get two goals to the good. A wonder strike from Will Hughes finally ignited the team into action before an injury time third goal for the Royals put the game out of Derby’s reach.

The no wins at home issue, is one that is building and despite professional sportsmen world wide claiming that these things are more in the heads of fans and the media, there is no doubt the longer they continue the more they get between the ears of the team in question.

The Rams were good enough in the first, with good chances, but good enough was not enough as they could not put their dominance on the scoresheet.

It felt as if they were on cruise control, the chances were created and the football was played but it lacked desperation and a genuine need to put the criticism of their home form to bed once and for all.

In the second it was a limp and lifeless display that would have home fans wondering if the team they were watching was the one they had heard stories of heroics about in away displays.

In a heart beat Reading were two goals up as the Rams showed little resistance or interest in taking the game to the visitors. Then it was the same old story — the Royals parked the bus in front of goal and said “come on Derby, try and break us down”.

For much of the second forty five Rams players looked uninterested, loping around and following the second goal, seemed resigned to their fate. That was until Will Hughes let fly with a fabulous strike that looped over the keeper.

The goal reminded Derby players that you are always in a game until you give up and with that they stopped sulking and put the pedal to the metal as they charged forward at every opportunity for an equaliser.

Unfortunately the Rams had left it too late and the goal never came, not for Derby anyway, as Reading added a third on the break as the home team pressed for the leveller.

If an equaliser had come, Derby would not have deserved it as their below par display only deserves a rocket from Nigel Clough who must be pulling his hair out at his teams schizophrenic form between home and away.

Sammon and Jacobs will have done their chances of being recalled to the starting line up no harm, as once introduced the pair showed the spark and hunger that was sorely lacking from the Rams for most of the match.

All we can be thankful for is that our Cup clash against Leicester on Tuesday and next Saturdays game Vs Forest are both away.

After that the Rams had better hire an ape handler to get this monkey off its back - as it is fast becoming a gorilla!

RamZone reporter Ryan Weston was at Pride Park and on Sunday will present a full match wrap with report, stats and reaction from another disappointing home defeat.

That’s if he isn’t in a dark corner somewhere rocking back and forwards……

Photo: Action Images

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