Early 0’Clock, birds tweeting, leaves rustling in the breeze, a deserted railway station. In the distance the faintly audible rumble of rubber tyres on the concrete bypass indicates faraway life.

Almost apologetically the train ambles early into the village station. A class 153, a one coach wonder in the eyes of some folks. The journey to Barnsley begins.

Fields flick slowly by through windows marked with children's greasy palms, nose prints and more, evidence of recent holiday makers on their pilgrimage to Skegness.

“Nottingham Are You Listening” mentally the words slip out as we pull into their mainline station. Time for a tea before the Northern train that heads to Leeds.

It heads nowhere. After sitting on the train for ten minutes with the engines running the announcement comes that our train is cancelled — the reason “exhaust fumes venting into the carriages”. Fair enough but why are you running the engines then with us all sat here?

Thirty minutes later we cram into another 158 heading to Liverpool, no exhaust fumes this time other than the beer fuelled variety as we pick up the “can brigade” at A’freton.

Sheffield, a wander and breakfast, you have to make the most of these days when you can't guarantee a happy ninety minutes in the middle.

Beers and Barnsley, Old No 7, home and away fans mingle, no kerfuffle. Up hill and down dale. Oakwell, same as last time we were here a few years ago.

Team news, no real surprises, Darren Bent preferred to Chris Martin, Jacob Butterfield to Will Hughes. Work rate is king.

And if that is the case then The Tykes are King whilst Derby are waiting in the wings, Barnsley newly promoted through last seasons playoff chase, hassle and hustle the Rams from the off.

Just like Tuesday we start slowly and try to control the pace of the game by retaining possession, harried though we are, we make mistakes, gaps appear, we don't get close enough.

Conor Houriane, twenty yards out, space to unleash a shot, it beats Scott Carson by a foot, it cannons off the post and the still trying to get there Carson finally does as the ball ricochets off the back of the keeper and into the net.

An unfortunate own goal. We trail with ten gone.

A minute later and Jeff Hendrick ends the day early feeling his thigh and Hughes takes over.

The game in all honesty lacks quality, balls from the flanks ludicrously over hit from the left and woefully short from the right, we struggle to impose and on the rare occasion we muster a half chance it's high and wide.

Half time is a relief, we expect motivation from manager Nigel Pearson, we expect improvement, we expect to see ideas and options.

We get changes, Martin for Bent.

Barely had we kicked off, Butterfield, his man getting away from him, challenges from behind, in our eyes a hundred or so metres away he takes the ball. In the eyes of the referee much, much closer it was the man. A free kick, twenty five from goal and a yellow card.

Houriane whips in a ball from the right across the box and despite a line of white shirts centre half Alfie Mawson rises majestically to nod the ball down and into the net.

Two down, three minutes gone as the stragglers emerge from the half time queues.

It was nearly three as that man Houriane unleashes a dipping volley that Carson does well to tip over the bar for a corner.

A slight change in our corner defending sees one man left up, Tom Ince on this occasion, it doesn't though make much difference.

Ryan Kent, on loan from Liverpool drives a powerful shot against the post as we breathe again, whilst our efforts on the Tykes goal come from free kicks from Ince and Martin that are wide of the target.

The trickle of visiting fans that leave after the second goal becomes a stream and then a river as time ticks away.

Johnny Russell on for Butterfield comes the closest for the Rams, forcing Adam Davies in the Barnsley goal to dive low and concede a corner.

It's all too little too late. The final whistle. Rams fans split. Boo’s hatred and bile spewed from roughly half the terrace whilst the remaining fans applauded Derby off.

I can't quite remember us ever being this split on opinion of our team, I can't image Pearson will be happy with the performance. Nor should he be. Nor should the players.

I can believe he will get it right eventually. Given time. And support.

Right now the collective noun for a bunch of Rams fans could well be a “glum” let's hope we have something to cheer soon.

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Photo: Action Images

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