Sat 22 Nov - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 3mins
Head Coach John Eustace and defender Dion Sanderson gave their reflections after Derby County suffered a 3-2 defeat to Watford at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday, which brought their five-game winning streak in the Sky Bet Championship to an end.
Despite injury concern for talisman Carlton Morris early on, the Rams took the lead in the first half as Sanderson netted his first goal for the club with a thunderous strike from distance.
Defender Sondre Langås doubled Derby’s advantage early in the second half, but a dramatic late turnaround, including two goals late on, saw the Hornets leave Pride Park Stadium with all three points.
RamsTV spoke with Eustace after the final whistle to get his verdict on the 90 minutes.
I’m really disappointed to lose the game. I thought we were in control of the game up until they scored their first goal, but we have to be better in those moments. For the first goal, we switched off at the back from a decent cross and we should be better. That’s the second game in a row we’ve given a needless penalty away, which is disappointing. Then we’ve got to see the game out and take a 2-2, so to concede from a set-piece is really disappointing.
It's not like us. Sometimes you’re 2-0 up and everyone felt in control of the game, just that lack of concentration wasn’t good enough. We tried to make some changes to maybe make a difference as well and, unfortunately, they were putting more attacking players on, more pace and power and we just couldn’t deal with it. It’s something we’ve got to look at and learn from and we’ve got to be ready now for Tuesday at Swansea.
He’s not in a good way and that’s disappointing; we’ll have to look at that. He’ll be in for a scan tomorrow. For him to come off the pitch, you know he’s struggling. It was a bit of a naughty tackle off the ball but it’s football and we’ve got to get on with it.
RamsTV also caught up with goalscorer Sanderson after the defeat.
It’s disappointing and it’s very unlike us. At 2-0 up were in control, cruising really, and then just concentration kicks in, where we’re getting late into the game and the goals were soft. We’ve given the goals away, in my eyes. The team and I have got to look at ourselves in the mirror and be honest, that was definitely not good enough. The three goals were terrible in my eyes. We’re usually solid as a team, hard to play through, head anything that comes into the box and fight for balls, but it wasn’t that today.
We’ve won five on the bounce and that wasn’t through just turning up, we’ve had to grind those games out. Every second and every minute of each game that we have won it’s been tough, it’s been hard work. The boys know that, I know that, that’s what the league is and today was definitely a wake-up call and reminder for the lads. It’s the Championship and when you get to the late stages in games, that’s where your true colours show.
Words: Ella Barber.
Pride Park Stadium
Middlesbrough
Hull City
Wrexham
Derby County
Norwich City
Birmingham City
Swansea City
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