It was Tommy Smith who secured 3 vital points against fellow relegation potential’s Milwall this weekend and lifted our chances of steering clear of the dropzone.

While Milwall dominated the majority of the match, they just didn’t have the ability to create any real chances to threaten the Rams. Thanks to Tommy Smith’s low shot in the 31st minute, we managed to clinch the game and add another 3 points to our campaign.

With 4 games left of the season and Crewe needing 12 points to jump above is, things are looking comfortable. It doesn’t mean we can sit back and relax. Our away performance hasn’t exactly been perfect so we need to travel to QPR and take at least a point next week. On the positive side, that’s our 4th home win in a row. It shows we do have something!

Match Reports: BBC | DCFC

Filed by Si at 8:52 am under Fixtures
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The less said about the match against Reading the better really. Yes, they have won the Championship by beating us and yes, they’ve done it with 5 games to go. But did they really need to take five goals over us in the space of 20 minutes?

It seemed like a pretty even match for the first half. Noone really broke away and there were no major attempts on goal from either party. But just before the hour, the Royals’ James Harper skipped over a few tackles to score the first goal for the home team. It wasn’t long before another one went in and the game was well and truly tied up after 20 minutes of good performance from the new Championship winners.

Fair play to Reading - they have had a good season and they should be able to put up some stiff competition in The Big League (aka. Premiership). But that’s not important to us. We’ve still got to take on the relegation battle and avoid dropping any more points. We’re still safe but we also need to take maximum points against Milwall this coming weekend. With 5 games left, the competition doesn’t offer any serious threats: Milwall, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday at home, QPR and Ipswich away. We have the potential to take every team coming up over the next five weeks so fingers crossed and keep supporting the Rams.

Match Reports: BBC | DCFC

Filed by Si at 12:16 pm under Fixtures
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Derby showed the rest of the Championship that you shouldn’t be taking us as “one of those teams at the bottom of the league” after Saturday’s home performance against promotion-hungry Crystal Palace.

It was Crystal Palace’s Clinton Morrison who opened the scoreline with a tap-in during the 18th minute but Idiakez levelled the game with a superb 25-yard curling shot in the 27th minute.

It remained quite steady for the rest of the game with both teams pulling out all the stops but Inigo gave the Rams the winning goal in the dying minutes of the game thanks to a rebound shot from his saved penalty.

Yet another strong performance from the Rams shows that we’re not giving up yet! Our away performance hasn’t been great but we should be able to travel to QPR on Saturday with a positive mental attitude with the ability to at least leave with a point in the bag.

Match Reports: BBC | DCFC

Filed by Si at 11:57 am under Fixtures
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After last week’s impressive performance, the Rams travelled to Kenilworth Road with a spring in their step, brimming with confidence that they could beat their gaffer’s old team.

The game was going according to plan. If we could leave the match with a point, it proved our capability for playing away from home, as well as reinforce Derby’s ambition to steer well clear of the relegation zone over the coming weeks. Both teams were putting on a brave performance but Luton seemed to have the stronger side. Several attempts from Carlos Edwards and Chris Coyne threatened our goal but both missed.

The deadlock was broken in the 72nd minute when Steve Howard’s strike gave Luton the lead that gave them the final 3 points. Derby tried to convert through a Darren Moore header and an Idiakez free kick but to no avail.

Next week’s game against Crystal Palace will be a challenge with them currently sitting in 5th position but we’ve proved our home perfomance over previous weeks and should be able to challenge the travellers.

Match Reports: BBC | DCFC

Filed by Si at 9:05 pm under Fixtures
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Today showed everybody how the Rams can perform. The majority of the excitement came within the first 45 minutes of the game when Smith, Idiakez and Moore took the Rams to a 3-0 lead before the break.

Tommy Smith nodded in the first after Kevin Lisbie’s smart header into the box. It was then Idiakez who fired the second home through a full box of Clarets. Lisbie’s attack certainly pushed Burnley to the maximum and his determination obviously squandered the travellers as Darren “Big Dave” Moore tidied up a cross from Idiakez in the 34th minute.

Burnley tried hard to get a consolation goal but, at the end of the day, were beaten by the better side.

Derby have now got a 9 point cushion with 8 games left to play this season but, after today, there isn’t anything to worry about. Westley has put together a very confident and potentially clever team who shouldn’t need to worry about relegation and concentrate on building on today’s success. Our away match at Luton next week will be tricky for the team and Westley should be able to capitalise on his knowledge of the side but, after today’s performance against the F*xes, we should be able to travel back up the M1 next weekend with a spring in our step and yet another 3-points.

Match Reports: BBC | DCFC

Filed by Si at 9:37 pm under Fixtures
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Watford snatched a last minute goal to steal the Rams of two points after yet another very promising game.

Kevin Lisbie started the ball rolling in the 19th minute after latching on to an Adam Bolder cross. It was then Marlon King who smashed a howler home to take the Hornets level in the 35th minute.

It remained stalemate until the 85th minute when the young Giles Barnes gave the Rams the lead again but Bangura took the score level in the dying minutes of the game.

Match Reports: BBC | DCFC

Filed by Si at 10:20 pm under Fixtures
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