Rose to blossom ...but not quite yet
‘NEW’ RAMS NOT READY FOR ROBINS
LIAM ROSENIOR was proud of Derby’s first display under their new coaching team – despite a narrow defeat at Ashton Gate.
While Wayne Rooney led the team on the field as captain and player-coach, Rosenior was animated in directing from the dugout.
A 78th-minute goal by City sub Famara Diedhiou proved the difference between well- matched sides.
The powerful striker was allowed too much space inside the box and buried a low left-footed shot past David Marshall.
It settled a game of few chances in which Derby played a full part. “The players gave us e ver y thing and we are proud of them,” said Rosenior.
“We may not have had too many clear openings, but we got the ball into dangerous areas on countless occasions and had two good penalty shouts.
“One of them saw their player booked without a foul being awarded. I have never seen that before.
“Those are things we can’t control. Rather than feeling luck turns against you when you are bottom, we want the players to take responsibility for the things they can affect.
“That will be the message when we play Middlesbrough in our next game. But I am not going to have a go at any of the players today because they all were fully committed and tried their hardest.
“It was a proud day for me directing things from the dug-out for the first time. At one point I passed a slip of paper to Wayne because I felt we needed to change formation and he passed the message on.
“He showed again what a great player he still is.
“But it is not about me or him. It is about four of us doing our utmost to bring the best out of the lads.
“We all have an equal say and that will continue. We have some very good players to work with, which is very important, and there were plenty of positives.” A brilliant sixth- minute save by Dan Bentley prevented Derby taking an early lead. It was the only save of note by either keeper.
But City head coach Dean Holden had cause for pride at the end of a week which saw his club’s training ground closed until Thursday because of a Covid-19.
“To play like that after only one-and-a-half day’s training to prepare was an unbelievable effort by the players,” he said. “There was concern about many players and staff, but they all responded professionally.”
Bentley 7; Hunt 7, Vyner 7, Kalas 8, Dasilva 7; O’Dowda 6 (Brunt 69, 6), Nagy 7, Paterson 6 (Rowe 90); Semenyo 7, Martin 5 (Diedhiou 69, 8), Wells 6 (Moore 83).
O’Leary, Mariappa, Edwards, Towler.
Marshall 6; Byrne 7 (HectorIngram 88), Wisdom 7, Clarke 8, Buchanan 7; Bird 6 (Sibley 81), Rooney 7; Knight 7, Holmes 8 (Whittaker 72, 7), Lawrence 7; Waghorn 7.
Roos, Forsyth, Shinnie, Evans, Davies,