Furious Lamps set out the Law

TOM LAWRENCE said Frank Lampard showed his nasty side to inspire Derby’s comeback win on his managerial debut.

Usually mild-mannered Lampard cut an animated figure after rousing his underperforming players with a half-time rocket at Reading on Friday night.

And the inspirational team talk laid the foundations for the dramatic turnaround at the Madejski Stadium.

After Lampard’s first game began with a 2-1 victory, match-winner Lawrence revealed the ex-England star was not afraid to dish out a few home truths when needed.

Lawrence (below) said: “In the first half we weren’t at it all. We were nowhere near good enough, we knew that and the gaffer did let us know.

“He told us to keep believing but also gave us a bit of a ramp up.

“He knows what we’ve got in us and is not afraid to tell anyone if they are not performing.

“It did get us going for the second half.

“Going behind is not easy but we had to show great character as a team to turn it around.

“We do set high standards.

“But we don’t feel the pressure of him being the manager.

“We will just play the way we want to and try to kick on this season.”

Derby encountered teething problems as their shift in playing style under their new manager left them exposed at times.

Lampard’s men played themselves into trouble and rode their luck before falling behind to Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s header.

But Mason Mount soon levelled before Lawrence’s last-gasp header sparked wild touchline celebrations.

Meanwhile, a war of words has broken out between Reading boss Paul Clement and Darren Bent.

Clement spent eight months as manager of Derby – when Bent was a player there – before he was sacked in February.

Free agent Bent, 34, said on Sky Sports on Friday it was “inevitable” Clement would fail at the club because he changed his “philosophy” and training methods and “didn’t like confrontation”.

Responding on Twitter, Clement said: “I sense some bitterness here, which is normal if a player does not play much.

“It is never a difficult decision to leave out a player who is overweight and lazy.”