Manager Frank Lampard was pleased with his side’s character after turning around a two-goal deficit to earn a replay against Premier League Southampton in the Third Round of the FA Cup.
Southampton went two goals ahead early in the second half as a Nathan Redmond double put the visitors in control.
However, the Rams showed good spirit to get back level at 2-2 and earn a replay.
Jack Marriott pulled a goal back for Lampard’s side to give them hope and three minutes later Tom Lawrence fired home the equaliser from 25 yards just after the hour mark.
Marriott had a huge chance in the final minutes but it wasn’t to be for the Rams who face a replay at St Mary’s.
“I feel for Jack because I’ve been there,” Lampard told RamsTV.
“It was a tense game and in the 95th minute. With tension in your legs you can snatch or stretch slightly because of that.
"Jack scored the winner for us against Norwich last week and has scored good goals since he’s been here. Things like that can happen.
“Let’s have another game against Premier League opposition. Let’s go to their stadium and see what we’re made of.
“It’s a great challenge for myself and it’s a great challenge for the team. Southampton are a good team, they’ve been getting results in the Premier League, they have had a big upturn recently and we managed to show when we are at it, we can give anyone problems and we will have to show that now.
“It wasn’t a great game in the first half. They got their goal but from then on our character to turn the game around was good. To get ourselves back into it was a big ask for the players but they did it and it just shows what urgency, aggression and passion can do.
“We didn’t have it as much as we should have done in the first half but then it came and it shows what a difference it makes.”
It was a lovely finish from Lawrence to equalise for the Rams, who also set up Marriott's goal.
He had missed Derby's previous four games following an ankle injury sustained against Nottingham Forest in mid-December but the manager was pleased to have the Welshman back.
“That’s why I’m happy to have Tom fit. He can do that and he has that quality,” Lampard commented.
“The flicked pass for Jack's goal was great and his finish for the second was brilliant. I was right behind the strike.
“It’s not easy when the ball gets transferred. Everyone expects you to beat your man easily and get that shot away. It’s not easy to do it and he did it spot on and it was a fantastic goal.”
The Rams fell two goals behind against Norwich last weekend and fought back to win and this afternoon they showed fight to come back against the Saints to earn a replay.
“It’s not ideal, far from it, and we’ve had a couple of those recently,” Lampard said.
“On the flip side it’s great character but we need to make sure that we don’t start like that because week after week it can’t happen.
“You will drop points or you will get knocked out of competitions because of it. We always talk about lessons about on how we can improve and learn and there is a glaring one there today that we need to start better.”