First Team Coach Matt Hamshaw is hoping Derby County can continue this season's impressive away form with a positive result at Reading on Tuesday night in their latest Sky Bet League One outing (8pm kick-off).
The Rams travel to Berkshire to take on the Royals and are looking to build on Saturday's point they picked up in their 0-0 draw at Lincoln City to make it five wins and a draw from their last six league outings.
Speaking to RamsTV ahead of the match against Reading, Hamshaw gave his thoughts on what he's expecting to be a difficult clash against the Royals.
On how the squad is looking...
Everybody is alright. There has been a bit of quick turnaround from Saturday's match to now and worked on a few things that we want to take into this match, but everyone has come through it unscathed and that is good news.
On the messaging to the team following the draw with Lincoln...
We just to be a little bit more clinical in the final third and take a few more risks. Between the two 18-yard boxes, we were in control of the game really but Lincoln hit us on the counterattack a couple of times and were quite brave with the way they went about it. Certainly after half-time, we looked threatening and I thought a goal was coming. We were disappointed not to come away with three points but we will probably look back and think we got a little bit fortunate with a point after the opportunities they missed.
On whether he feels the squad have come a long way after being disappointed with an away point...
We go into every game to win, so I wouldn't say we've come along way; we want to win games of football. I felt we controlled a lot of the ball without really having that killer touch and we got caught a couple of times on the counterattack. We were disappointed not to get three points. Had we been at our best, we probably would have done and that's the disappointing thing.
On what to expect from Reading...
It's a difficult one because up until the last nine or ten games they've struggled, but over the last few weeks there isn't much different between us and them with the points picked up. We know a lot of their players, they've got a lot of good League One and arguably Championship players that have been at that level. It's going to be a difficult game for us but with a big pitch, we feel that will suit us. Our away record has been good. Their manager has obviously worked in the Premier League, albeit for a short period, but he's done it at a high level so it will be a tough match. However, it is one we are looking forward to.
On how much sympathy he has for the club with their off the field difficulties...
You have to have huge sympathy for them and you have to because people have seen it here at Derby County. As a football man first and foremost, you don't want to see any club go out of business or see supporters that live and breathe it not have their club. We've experienced that as a club in recent times, so you don't want to see anyone suffering. Sometimes, these things happen in football and you'd like to think Reading will get through it. Speaking purely from a Derby County perspective, we want to turn up on Tuesday night and see a game of football. We are taking a lot of fans down there and I like to think they, as a set of fans, would like to see a game of football.
On the carrot of moving into the top two with a win...
It's massive because that's where we want to be. It's a good opportunity. Our point on Saturday could look much better if we can get three points on Tuesday, but it's going to be tough. Every game is difficult, but I also think there is a prize on Derby's head because of the size of the club. That's something, when playing for a big club, that you have to deal with.
