Derby County Head Coach Paul Warne admitted to being 'really proud' of his team following the 3-2 comeback victory over Oxford United on Friday evening.
The Rams found themselves 2-0 down early on at the Kassam Stadium but goals from Craig Forsyth, Liam Thompson and Eiran Cashin turned the game on its head in a thrilling Sky Bet League One fixture to see out 2023.
Speaking to RamsTV after the game, which was Derby's eighth win in nine league matches, Warne spoke of his pride at both the result and performance in Oxfordshire.
On his thoughts on the night...
I'm really proud of the lads. Even if they didn't win, I'd have been really proud of them. I thought we were really good in the first half, to be honest. We didn't start the game well but I thought we had quite good control of it. The goal before half-time from Fozzy was a big swing and it changed my team talk a little bit. I want the lads to be champions and play like champions, so to come back tonight and win 3-2 tonight is quite exciting and I'm really pleased.
We played with a real energy which made me really proud and, irrelevant of the scoreline, I would have been really pleased tonight. It's a good win against a team that are up there with us.
On being patient and keeping the belief...
We said to the players at half-time: 'just relax, you'll have plenty of chances to score, you don't have to rush things.'
It shows real character because if you are to be successful, you have to win in different ways and the lads have found a different way to do that tonight. If they hadn't taken the chances then sometimes that's just football. We were the better team and I don't think anyone can leave here and say we weren't the better team. I'm really proud of the group.
On winning against a top six rival...
It was more important not to lose, but we came with an aggressive team and we wanted to win. I believed if we were at our best tonight we would win and we did. The players thoroughly deserve the three points and it's probably the most hard-earned one they've had all season.
On what it was like going over to the fans at the end...
I thought the fans were really good how they stayed with the team in the first half. I appreciate the fans sticking with the players and they had a role to play in that win. To be able to share an away win with the fans was pretty amazing and it's the first time I've been tempted to bounce! It was exciting and that's how life should be.
On Peterborough United on New Year's Day...
I think Peterborough are the best team in the league currently. Their wide players cause problems and create loads of chances. They are really strong in a lot of departments and for us to beat them, we'll have to be at our best and hopefully we will be. I am sure it will be a game that people enjoy.
On how much of a different game he expects from earlier in the season when Derby won 4-2...
They are in better form than that day and I think that scoreline flattered us. We're in much better form than we were then and the lads are in a better place so hopefully it will be a good game. It's a big one for us, as it is for them. I'll look forward to it after I've had some sleep!
