Wassall puts Ram raiders back on course

MAYBE, just maybe, the green shoots of spring will blossom into promotion glory for Derby, rather than shrivel up and die as they have done in the past two seasons.

A third win in four matches under interim head coach Darren Wassall, right, as they beat Huddersfi eld 2- 0, has halted their slide and stabilised their place in the Championship top six and put the two automatic promotion places within sight.

What gives rise to further optimism is the fact that Chris Martin, their talisman since his arrival from Norwich it took a stunning late strike from Johnny Russell to make the three points safe.

Russell believes the Rams are back on the right track, an appropriate choice of phrase given that the squad had taken time out from their normal training routine to enjoy a day at Silverstone.

Eyebrows were raised when the club dismissed Paul Clement and replaced him with academy director Wassall, more so because the main reason given was that he had failed to build on the ‘ Derby way’ by producing a stylish brand of football. The growing consensus that Wassall’s more positive approach has given the players licence to play with greater freedom was endorsed by Russell.

“With the attacking players we’ve got, we should be ruthless, scoring more goals,” he said, recognising his own contribution has fallen well short of expectations.

“The manager is a very positive guy who has been brilliant since he came in. He has given me a lift and that has spread among the boys.”

Russell added that there is still time for Derby to make up lost ground and close the seven- point gap between them and second- placed Middlesbrough, but they will have to avoid what happened in the last two seasons.

Three defeats and two goalless draws from seven games in March of the 2013- 14 campaign was a major blow, while three defeats and two draws were part of a collapse 12 months ago. Despite the chilly start to spring, a warm glow of optimism is sweeping across the iPro Stadium.