A balmy barmy night at Pride Park. For 62 minutes the Rams dominated, they destroyed Scunthorpe the most comprehensive performance seen at Pride Park since it opened all those years ago.

Richard Keogh then Jake Buxton both with powerful headers from set plays. Theo Robinson a tap in benefitting from the creative play of Michael Jacobs. Three nil at half time! In the sparsely seated stadium 4,000 fans could barely believe it.

Even the surprise of standing still and letting Andy Barcham run and run into the area where he grateful slotted home with ne’er a tackle in sight couldn’t phase us. We just went back on the attack and Buxton planted another free kick by the impressive Jacobs straight into the back of the Irons net.

Four one then, coasting, coasting through the exceptional hard work of Will Hughes whose composed passing belied his actual age of seventeen and Craig Bryson who ran the midfield.

On sixty two minutes we committed hari-kari. Left full back Gareth Roberts was replaced by Tom Naylor and then Nigel Clough brought off Bryson despite originally signalling for Paul Coutts and Ben Davies joined the fray.

Scunthorpe fought back, two quick goals both from Naylor’s area. But we lost it completely in midfield, Coutts showed moments of skill but overall looked leggy and lethargic and was a poor replacement in the centre for Bryson. Davies added nothing on the right wing and Derby were chasing shadows.

A spot kick miss by Robinson with a jinky, jangle, jink, placement penalty excellently saved by Sam Slocombe when we were baying for a Bucko hat trick.

Nathan Tyson added a fifth and we again breathed easier before Clough yet again nobbled the eleven on the park. This time he brought off Will Hughes and threw Mason Bennett into the fray.

Cue two quick goals in injury time for the Irons. Cue thirty minutes of extra time. Cue a 7-6 defeat just like that at Belle Vue Park Doncaster all those years ago.

This game though was all down to one man and his management team. Step forward Nigel and hold you hand up. If you’re man enough, of course Nigel, to admit to your own mistakes.

Me. I’ll not hold my breath.

Oh and if you spent two hundred quid on a telly that didn’t work with black, blue bars all over the place before reducing to one little square and the bottom before shutting down completely you’d be justified in sending it straight back.

Spending a million on something similar shows spectacular incompetence from the non-footballing decision making section of the club.

Finally with many Season Ticket Holders still not having received their tickets, the question is based on this performance (sic) by our manager how many will actually care come the visit of the Owls on Saturday.

Photo: Action Images

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