Butterfield boosts Derby revival

JASOn BUTTERFIELD’S spectacular early goal enabled Derby County to gain their first home win since Boxing Day and took Darren Wassall’s side to within five points of the automatic promotion places.

But the new head coach said: ‘ We’re not interested in the league table at the moment. It’s our performances that count and if we continue to play like that, we’ll finish the season very strongly.’

Derby’s fall away from the top of the Championship at Christmas cost Paul Clement his job.

But Wassall, initially appointed until the end of the season, was full of praise for the quality his charges displayed in the first half and the character they showed to protect their lead as they made it two wins inside five days. ‘You saw both sides of Derby County in the game,’ said Wassall. ‘The first half was full of quality, good passing and movement off the ball with a brilliant goal from Jason Butterfield which was good enough to win any game.

‘Then you saw the grit and determination and desire to keep the ball out the back of the net in the second half.’

Butterfield’s seventh goal since signing from Huddersfield Town for £4million last summer was memorable. The midfielder (left) latched on to Shane Duffy’s headed clearance from Chris Martin’s right-wing cross to loop home a superb, left-footed shot from 25 yards. Wassall was punching the

air as the ball nestled in the far corner of Jason Steele’s net.

For their part, Blackburn have won only once in 11 league games — beating Fulham 3- 0 last Tuesday before their muchchanged team crashed 5-1 at home to West Ham United in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Manager Paul Lambert, however, was encouraged by his team’s performance last night. And they could have stolen a point when Jordi Gomez, impressing on loan from Sunderland, headed against the crossbar in stoppage time.

Blackburn goalkeeper Steele had ventured forward to head on Elliot Bennett’s corner.

Lambert said: ‘I thought we deserved to win the game. I’m proud of the way they played. There’s a way to lose the game. There was a lot of edginess in the stadium.

‘You expect Derby to be up there, they’ve spent a lot of money but they are a good team.’