Davies is delivering at both ends of pitch for battling Rams
FESTIVE CHEER TO KEEP SURVIVAL HOPES ALIVE
THE run of three consecutive wins came to an end but Derby County are unbeaten in four as they bid to beat the odds and avoid relegation.
Here are four talking points from their 2-2 draw at Reading:
■GUTSY DERBY UP FOR THE FIGHT
Derby County’s players keep taking hits and yet they keep picking themselves up off the canvas. That shows spirit, character, defiance and guts.
Not once but twice they have been handed points penalties this season that have sent them tumbling into the red. Not once but twice they have regrouped to move back on to plus points.
On Monday, they found themselves 2-0 down away to Reading.
It was an undeserved deficit as both goals, though neither was particularly well defended, came against the run of play when Derby were enjoying good spells in the Championship contest.
Disappointed, understandably, they were not deterred.
They plugged away, they kept believing and their reward came in the shape of two goals in the closing minutes to salvage a point from a 2-2 draw.
The odds have been stacked against Derby all season but the players are showing they are up for the fight.
■IT’S A SQUAD GAME
Every member of Derby County’s squad will be needed to play their part in the Rams’ scrap for survival in the Championship.
No player is highlighting this more than Colin Kazim-richards.
The striker has made only one start since returning from injury almost three months ago.
He has appeared as a substitute in 12 of the last 14 matches and, crucially, has scored in each of the last three games when he has come off the bench.
Two of those goals were winners against West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City. The other was Derby’s first as they staged a dramatic recovery to draw 2-2 at Reading.
Ravel Morrison and Festy Ebosele are also making a difference as substitutes. Although they, along with Kazim-richards, will want to be starting matches, they are making a telling contribution.
Another example of the importance of the squad is Richard Stearman. He made a rare start in the victory over West Brom and was man of the match but has found himself back on the bench in the past two fixtures.
Stearman is another player who is epitomising the togetherness in the squad, as assistant manager Liam Rosenior explained.
“Richard Stearman against West Brom was man of the match and comes out of the team and yet he is the first one off the bench (celebrating) when Curtis heads the equaliser (at Reading), Sam Baldock the same,” Rosenior said.
■■DAVIES DELIVERING AT BOTH ENDS OF PITCH
Curtis Davies, at 36, is the youngest of Derby County’s first-choice centre-back pairing.
His defensive partner Phil Jagielka is 39.
They have been key figures this season.
Jagielka has started 20 of the 24 Championship matches, Davies has been ever-present in the League and has not missed a minute.
Their experience and know-how has helped the Rams build a strong defensive platform.
Only three teams in the division leaders Bournemouth, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion - have conceded fewer goals.
Both players have displayed terrific consistency, both have shown a terrific desire to defend in and around their box.
Davies has also been a threat in the opponents’ area, as we saw in glorious fashion in added time at the end of the Reading game.
Junior Hoilett’s double had Reading two up with time running out for Derby.
Colin Kazim-richards pulled a goal back when he bundled the ball in after 86 minutes before Davies rose to meet Nathan Byrne’s centre, hung in the air majestically and powered a header past Luke Southwood from eight yards.
Southwood saw it but he was left rooted to the spot due to the power and accuracy of Davies’ finish. It was Cristiano Ronaldo-esque.
It is important that defenders chip in with goals and Davies has four this season, including the one cred
ited to him in the opening game against Huddersfield Town that looked to be an own goal.
■CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR CHEER
Derby County’s Christmas and New Year programme featured a home game against high-riding West Bromwich Albion followed by back-to-back away fixtures against Stoke City and Reading.
Had an offer of seven points from nine from those matches been offered, most would have snapped it up.
Derby bagged seven points from two wins and a draw to keep alive their slim hopes of pulling off what would be the greatest of football escapes and avoiding relegation after being docked 21 points this season.
If the Rams can keep picking up points and trimming the gap between themselves and safety, then those teams just above them in the table will become edgy, just as Reading did once Derby pulled a goal back.