REACTION: Eustace And Elder React To Dogged Display In Birmingham Draw

Head Coach John Eustace said he was ‘very proud’ of Derby County's battling performance in their 1-1 draw at Birmingham City and admitted he was disappointed his side didn’t take all three points back to Pride Park Stadium.

Eustace’s side played for more than 50 minutes with ten men after wing-back Joe Ward was shown a second yellow card in the first half, as Jack Robinson's second half finish cancelled out in-form striker Patrick Agyemang’s opener for the Rams just before the half-hour mark.

Speaking to RamsTV after the final whistle, Eustace offered his assessment on the Boxing Day clash against the Blues.

On A Battling Performance:

I'm disappointed we didn't win the game. I felt really comfortable, even with ten men. I thought the effort of the group was amazing.

I am really proud of the fans. They stuck with the team and got them through some really difficult moments. We really limited a really good team to next to nothing.

I think they hit the crossbar in the last couple of minutes from a long-distance header. Apart from that and the first effort of the game, I didn't really feel threatened at all. So, I'm disappointed that we didn't get all three points. However, I’m very, very proud of the effort today.

On The Squad's Spirit Shining Through:

It's a continuation of all the good work that everyone's doing. The team spirit, the work ethic, and the way the lads train every day in training is very pleasing. Whoever comes in, you can see they're match ready.

Curtis Nelson coming on at half-time, he was excellent. Danny Batth coming in without a start for a while was top drawer as well. Ebou Adams has been poorly all week and hasn't been able to train properly, so the effort he put in that second half was outstanding.

It's what we drive every day with the training that we do and the culture that we bring to the football club. Overall, it's a good point - but I am disappointed it's not three.

On A Developing Front Three:

It's a group effort. Patrick's really finding his feet now in the Championship. You know, the connection between him, Ben Brereton Diaz and Rhian Brewster is certainly something that is exciting. We've had to find a different way to play and to build, but I'm absolutely delighted.

We're missing, arguably, the best striker in the league in Carlton Morris. We've had to adapt, and there's still a long way to go, but I'm really pleased that there's a connection there with those players.

On Conceding A Contentious Equaliser:

I feel it was handball, but I also think we've got to get the set-up right from our free kick. It probably wasn't quite right. To concede when it's like that, it is disappointing. We've got to learn from it, because I certainly didn't feel they were going to breach us at all in open play.

Everyone's very happy with the point and everyone's proud of their efforts, but I think there is a slight bit of disappointment as well.

On Reaching The Midway Point Of The Season:

We’ve had lots of ups and downs already this season, including some setbacks. But the way we've come back from those has been really pleasing.

It's important that we can see progression. I'm really proud of the players' efforts. The staff are working so hard day in, day out to making sure that we have the right environment to train and come into every day. There's lots more to come.

We want to make Derby County a fantastic football club that's, again, pushing at the right end of the Championship and pushing for promotion. The most important thing is we all stick together and realise this is a long process, not a short process.

Australian international defender Elder echoed his Head Coach’s sentiments, telling RamsTV his Derby team-mates showed ‘great character’ to come away with a hard-fought point.

On Showing Resilience As A Team:

The lads are disappointed in there; it really feels like two points dropped. I thought we showed great character throughout the game. We had to weather a bit of a storm at the start. We knew it was going to be a fiery atmosphere, a Boxing Day home game for Birmingham, so we were well aware.

We caught them on the break for the goal, which was a terrifically worked goal. We knew we could get in behind them, and it was a good finish by Patrick [Agyemang].

I thought we defended really well and kept a good shape in the second half. There are a lot of positives to take from the game.

On a Strong Defensive Display:

That's the standards we set in that changing room. Through adversity, we'll always stick together.

It's unfortunate for Joe Ward to get sent off, but we regrouped well at half-time and made a couple of changes. We changed our shape a bit, and I thought we executed that really well in the second half.

It was really disappointing to concede off a set piece. We've got to be stronger dealing with the first phase. But we didn't let it affect us. We carried on through and we showed good leadership throughout the squad. We take a point moving onto Leicester.

On Promising Signs:

Over the course of the season, you're going to have moments of adversity and it's about leadership, character and standing tall when things like that happen. I thought we showed that in abundance today, especially in the second half.

We had lads coming in, the likes of Danny Batth and Curtis Nelson, who haven't played a lot of football. They were two Man Mountains at the back.

It's going to take everyone over these next three games against Leicester, Middlesbrough and Wrexham in such a short space of time. We want to attack the league moving into the New Year and we're excited about those games.