Professional Phase Development Coach Rory Delap believes his side can ‘absolutely bounce back’ from the ‘disappointing’ 6-3 defeat at Manchester United in Premier League – North.
In what was a truly breath-taking game of football, Delap saw his side go firstly 3-0 down courtesy of goals from Jimmy Garner, Mason Greenwood and Nishan Burkart, and then trail a 5-1 lead as Callum Minkley turned a Burkart cross into his own net and Greenwood doubled his tally - either side of Jason Knight scoring a superb volley from the edge of the box.
Debutant trialist Kieron Proctor scored a fine goal, drilling into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to reduce the arrears before fellow substitute Ayomide Jibodu found the net just a minute later to make the deficit just two and set up a potential grandstand finish.
It wasn’t to be, as Derby’s search for an astounding comeback, amidst heated tensions and intense battles on the pitch, was quashed with a United counter-attack finished off by Burkart in injury-time to end the game 6-3.
Speaking to dcfc.co.uk Delap said: “That’s not good enough, you can defend your players sometimes but all over really they weren’t prepared and brave enough to get hold of the ball. It was disappointing, our defending was as poor as it has been all season – not just the goals we conceded but in general.
“From going 2-0 down to two sloppy goals at half-time, get back into the game but then concede three goals so quickly to go 5-1 down was difficult to take.”
Derby were missing three regulars in defence with captain Fuseine Rashid unavailable through injury and full-backs Jordan Mills and Jayden Bogle in action for the Under-23s.
Delap continued: “It was so scrappy to see us just kicking things and booting things and that’s not us, we’ve got better players ability-wise and mentally to be able to play under pressure. But today apart from a twenty-minute spell where we thought we could get something from it that wasn’t good enough today.
“We’ve got to be much better than that out of possession otherwise teams like this will turn us over.”
The 41-year-old, alongside fellow boss Justin Walker, has often praised his side’s character throughout the season but believes the team needs to show more than just determination.
“The character was there again today but they have got to prove they can play. It’s alright having character and work-rate but you have got to have ability and show the ability in games like this today.”
Delap believes the taste of defeat will be short-lived, however: “Absolutely (I’m sure we will bounce back). I’m sure it’s a one-off and we will bounce back. We have a game midweek and then we have Blackburn which will be a really tough test next Saturday.
