LAMPS NOW FULL ON FIGHT FOR PROMOTION

FRANK LAMPARD believes Derby’s FA Cup exit has given them “clarity” for the rest of the season.

It will be full focus on their promotion bid after Derby came up short at Brighton.

Ashley Cole’s consolation header, his first FA Cup goal, and Derby’s attempted comeback was too little too late at the Amex.

Now they can focus on the bigger prize after having their attention diverted by good runs in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Derby, seventh in the Championship, have beaten Manchester

United and

Southampton and also gave a good account of themselves at

Chelsea before facing Brighton. Boss Lampard (below) said: “We mustn’t forget our bread and butter is the Championship and we are in a position now where we are fighting with a lot of teams for those top spots and the play-off positions.

“So what today does is give us a real clarity, a real focus on the 15 league games we have left.” Lampard laid into his team during the interval and, while he was pleased to see them improve in the second period, insists they must learn from the experience in order to successfully chase that top-six finish.

“It’s the best lesson for the players in terms of what we have now, because all 15 games are so important,” said Lampard.

“And if we perform as we did in the second half, we’ll have a real opportunity this year. If we perform as we did in the first half here, then we won’t really have that

opportunity. I was very clear in the half-time message – I told them in no uncertain terms.

“They’re not bad lads, it happens in football. I had those performances myself as player, you don’t mean to have them but sometimes you walk into them.”