Pat Lyons has commended the spirit of his Derby County Under-23 side after they defeated Blackburn Rovers 1-0 in their latest Premier League 2 Division 1 clash at Moor Farm.
The goal came in the first half after Derby dominated the entirety of the first 45 minutes. Lyons was particularly impressed with the performance in the first-half but admitted they should have been further in front.
“I thought we were excellent in the first half. I thought we grew into the game as the half went on and created a lot of chances whilst still playing possession football and doing it well,” Lyons told dcfc.co.uk.
“The only disappointing thing at half-time was that we weren’t up by three or four. Saves, blocks and two shots cleared off the line just shows how dominant we were in that first-half.”
The torrential rain worsened just before the sound of the half-time whistle. The downpour continued as the players took shelter in the changing rooms at the break. The tough conditions made it difficult, according to Lyons, for the team to continue playing their expansive style of football.
He said: “The weather had an effect on us at halftime. It made it really difficult to continue playing how we want to play and how we did play in the first half. Plus, we knew that they [Blackburn] would come out strong in the second-half and make it difficult for us.
“All credit goes to the lads though, they remained resilient and kept disciplined in the last minutes and stopped Blackburn from really having a shot. That was the most pleasing thing to see. To show how we can adapt and manage a game, playing in two different ways is all you want to see as a coach.”
Derby recorded their third clean sheet in as many games - with their last coming in their Premier League International Cup tie with Monaco in a 2-0 win. Being in the tournament meant a demanding run of fixtures for the young players which, Lyons believes, has been handled extremely well.
“Physically, it has been a challenging time for us with the number of fixtures we’ve had and the quality of the teams we have played,” continued Lyons. “The lads played Manchester City and have not long ago played Monaco which are two really tough games and we managed to win them both 2-0.
“To play here again - just a couple of days later - and still be able to maintain and replicate the same performances levels is something. They have all worked for each other and we are all so proud of them. As a coach, you love to work with these players because they give you everything.”
The side have now gone seven games unbeaten and crawled up into second of the Premier League 2 Division 1. Under no illusions, Lyons is aware that the run won’t last forever, and his team need to continue working hard.
Lyons said: “We have set the benchmark now and we need to remain consistent. It won’t last forever but we have got ourselves into a good place and we need to keep ourselves there.
“We are performing at a really high standard, better than what he might have hoped for after seeing the opening 10 fixtures. The lads just don’t seem to get tired. They win and they’re ready to play and try and win the next match; it is incredible.”
Finally, the coach wanted to take a moment to praise Morgan Whittaker. The goalscorer proved to be the difference once again with a brilliant finish from outside the box to hand the Rams all three points.
“We changed his position today and put him higher up the pitch more centrally,” Lyons explained.
“For most of the season, he has been playing out wide and we thought, today, we could utilise him better in the number 10 role and it paid off. It was a great finish and that is exactly what he can do. He’s always a threat for us and looks so dangerous whenever he gets it on that left foot.”
Words by: Joseph Lightfoot