Another soft goal so costly as Rams miss golden chance

POOR DEFENDING ALLOWS TOWN TO SNATCH A POINT

FAILURE to master the basics of defending will, more often than not, prove costly, as Derby County have found to their cost of late.

The type of goals conceded in four of the last five League games have been soft.

And those soft goals have seen valuable points squandered at a time when top-six places in a crazy Championship of weaker quality than last season are up for grabs.

Missed opportunities are what spark frustration and this season has been deeply frustrating.

Think of the defeats to Luton Town and to Bristol City and now this 1-1 draw against Huddersfield Town at Pride Park Stadium and then add those missing points to Derby’s current tally.

Had Derby managed to hold on to their lead against Huddersfield, given to them by Tom Lawrence’s excellent strike, they would have climbed into the top half of the table for the first time in almost three months.

This is not about whether Derby can make the play-offs. This is about taking small but important steps forward. A move into the top half would have been such a step when so many above them were slipping up on an afternoon of head-shaking results.

Derby received praise for an improved run of results that saw them lose only once in 11 matches in all competitions. They have now taken seven of the last 15 points from two wins, two defeats and a draw.

They will need to defend better if they are to finish this season on an upward curve, which is the plan.

But take nothing away from Huddersfield. They had a game plan and it worked.

They restricted the time and space for Derby’s conductor, Wayne Rooney, and they settled into a disciplined shape without the ball that was difficult for the Rams to break down.

Losing Duane Holmes to injury before the half-hour did not help Derby’s cause. His energy and menace has been a key component and he was missed. Holmes has the ability to prise opponents from their shape.

Huddersfield striker Fraizer Campbell saw one effort saved in the first half, wasted a good chance when he put a free header wide and then struck the woodwork early in the second half. All warnings, all letoffs for Cocu’s team.

Derby started slowly but began to improve as the first half unfolded. Huddersfield keeper Jonas Lossl pushed out Rooney’s curling free kick and turned a fizzing low shot from Graeme Shinnie behind for a corner.

The Rams needed to improve or produce a moment of magic. The latter happened after an hour.

Rooney and Shinnie worked a short corner and Tom Lawrence took a touch before smashing a shot from 25 yards into the top corner with Lossl grasping at thin air.

Lawrence has such moments in his locker and it is the reason he starts each game, despite his inconsistency. The Welsh international produced two quality finishes to sink Huddersfield in Derby’s opening fixture of the season in August and the three goals in two games against the Terriers showcase his capability.

Martyn Waghorn, picked out by Andre Wisdom’s delicious centre, was denied by Lossl from a diving header like the one he buried against Bristol City. A second goal for Derby would have ended the contest.

“The confidence went up, the passing tempo was higher and we should have scored a second goal. It is crucial if you score a second goal,” said Cocu.

Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley was pleased with the way his team handled the setback of going behind.

“We conceded when we had a really good place in the game but I was pleased with the minerals and substance they showed to have the discipline to stay in our structure and not chase the game,” said Cowley.

Their reward came in the shape of an equaliser nine minutes from the end of the 90.

Jayden Bogle had lost his place in the 11 after two poor performances at Swansea and Bristol and he will not want to see the Huddersfield goal again, although he was not the only one at fault.

Bogle had been on the pitch as a substitute only two minutes when his hesitant, weak headed clearance fell to Harry Toffolo, who surged past Curtis Davies and beat Kelle Roos at his near post.

Once he had made a poor header, Bogle should then have pushed Toffolo

outside and not allowed him to go inside, a basic of defending. Davies could also have done more and Roos should have stood up longer and stayed bigger at his near post than he did.

The goal denied Derby a sixth consecutive home win - something they last achieved in 2014 - and a fifth in the League. They had Roos to thank for preventing the visitors leaving with all three points as he made an excellent save low to his left to thwart Chris Willock.

It was a mixed bag of an afternoon for Roos, who made his first start in the League since being dropped following the defeat to Fulham in November. Roos came in for Ben Hamer, who is on loan from Huddersfield and ineligible to face his parent club.

Huddersfield deserved a point, while Derby were left frustrated and disappointed. Pretty much the story of the season so far.