End of season games are often an excuse for a party; to celebrate success or more likely for Derby to forget the woes of the previous 9 months. So whilst the Rams faithful partied hard on the terraces of Vicarage Road, the team got in the mood and took to the field with a starting formation that under any other circumstances could have only been picked through a game of pin the tail on the donkey. For example Derby began the gane with leading scorer Rob Hulse  at centre back and midfielder Stephen Pearson at left back. 

Despite this, the signs looked promising for the Rams, who started brightly and came close to taking an early lead had Barry Bannan not been thwarted in his efforts by the crossbar.  But any hope that this bright start would be reflective of the rest of the game quickly drained away as Derby fell back into old habits. 

Derby gifted Watford the lead through their inability to clear the ball; Jobi McAnuff pounced upon this opportunity to put the ball past Bywater from all but ten yards.  

It wasn’t long before a familiar face doubled the Hornet’s lead.   Former Derby ace Grzegorz Rasiak made the most of a goalmouth scramble to pounce onto the loose ball push it across the line into the empty net. 

The Polish striker had the game in the bag shortly before half time; latching onto an excellent ball from Tommy Smith to fire the ball in off the post. 

With the game as good as over at half time, the Rams turned focus  away from the past season and focused firmly the future.  The second half saw first team debuts for Mark O’Brien a 16 year old defender, and Mark Dudley a 19 year old left back.  Whilst these two represent a glimpse of a future Derby side it became apparent that for several of the players on display today this would be their final appearance in the hallowed shirt.  

One of those players almost certain to bid farewell after today’s game did so by grabbing a consolation goal for the Rams; John Eustace headed powerfully past Watford keeper Loach making the most of a Gary Teale cross. 

To end the season on such a low note is always disappointing, but Rams fans will take heart in the fact that the Derby side that left the field today will be much changed when August comes. 

After all, in Clough we trust!

Derby’s midweek visit to Ninian Park was the result of the previous tie being postponed due to the weather; after ninety minutes many Derby were left hoping once again for some divine intervention. 

Out of the blocks it was the Rams who created the best chances, with John Eustace twice making a nuisance of himself amongst the Bluebirds’ defence, but as Derby’s luck goes this season it was Cardiff who struck first. On 16 minutes Roger Johnson rose to head Peter Whittingham’s free-kick past a helpless Bywater. 

With a goal behind them Cardiff finally began to pick up the pace and challenged Derby on effort.  Throughout the rest of the half both sides posed threats, but both were able to soak up the others pressure. 

Like the first half it took Cardiff 16 minutes from the restart to find the net again. Gavin Rae was able to roll the ball home after latching on to the perfectly weighted through ball of Stephen McPhail.

With Derby’s defence now crumbling badly it took only two minutes before Jay Boothroyd reacted quickest from a Whittingham corner to made it 3 for the Bluebirds and effectively sealed up the three points. 

In a telling substitution Clough acted swiftly to replace Albrechtsen with Todd, whilst the Dane may have offered the Rams a rock on which to build their defence in earlier parts of the season in recent games he has increasingly become a liability. 

The presence of Todd however was not enough to stop the rot, and with eleven minutes left on the clock former Derby target and Kansas City Wizard Eddie Johnson stole the ball from the experienced Derby defender before tucking the ball neatly into the net. 

An Eddie Johnson own goal late into injury time offered little consolation for a Rams side who had once again had its defensive frailties ripped open for all to see. 

With a long list of players on the treatment table it was always going to be a lacklustre afternoon for the Rams.  

Fielding an unchanged side Clough’s boys managed to impress little during the first half, failing to get a single shot on target.  Barnsley faired little better; however the Tykes did come close through Michael Mifsud; who when through one on one with Bywater was unable to guide the ball past the Derby shot stopper. 

The second half was a slightly brighter affair, with Barry Bannan coming on to replace the frankly disappointing Barazite. 

Derby’s best chance came through John Eustace, who after over 60 minutes of play forced Barnsley keeper Muller into his first proper save of the match.  

Gary Teale came close for the Rams as well, with a well struck shot from the edge of the area; however it proved to be an easy save for Muller, summing up Derby’s afternoon. 

Barnsley too had their chances.  In one ‘heart in mouths’ moment for all Derby fans, Tyke substitute Mounir el Haimour swung a cross/shot/miss kick (delete as appropriate) into the box from the far left, thinking it was harmless enough Bywater left it only to watch helplessly as the ball struck the inside of post and away past the ready to pounce Jon Macken. 

Bywater was able to redeem himself with a wonderful save deflecting Macken’s shot wide from close range. 

Overall the Rams found themselves outplayed by Barnsely; however they can take heart from a rare clean sheet and hopefully return from the international break rejuvenated for the busy run in to the end of the season.