Central defender Curtis Davies gave an honest assessment of Derby County’s 3-1 defeat against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
The Rams dominated the opening 45 minutes and were rewarded for their good play with the opening goal just before the half hour mark as Ravel Morrison notched his third goal in three games.
But, two goals at the start of the second half turned the game on its head as Scott Wharton and Tyrhys Dolan headed home from corners to put Blackburn ahead.
Substitute Sam Gallagher made sure of the points in the second half stoppage time to ensure victory for the home side.
Speaking to RamsTV after the game, Davies said: “It was absolute domination in the first half. We had the chances, we created openings to be two or three up which doesn’t happen but we are still comfortable in the game.
“We expect changes from Blackburn, both personnel and style. They get in our faces, which we expect, but we don’t deal with it well enough. Two set pieces cost us.
“One we are arguing with the opposition and don’t do our jobs, the next one, we are arguing with each other and don’t do our jobs and they are 2-1 up 15 minutes into the second half. It’s not good enough.
“We are fighting for our lives and we do that to ourselves so we only have ourselves to blame. We kept trying. Blackburn are then 2-1 up and take their foot off it a little bit. They still play with energy but are a bit more conservative.
“We didn’t create enough in that second half to get us back into it and ultimately we are down to 10 men when Kaz comes off. I go forward and we try and get something back but we concede again, which we might as well lose three trying.
“The big disappointment is that first 15 minutes at the start of the second half because it's not like us. We just capitulated, which I don’t like saying about us, when we have a little bit of pressure.
“If we can’t handle a little bit of pressure then the next eight games are going to be really sticky so we need to grow up, give it a good go and make sure we are there to be counted for, first and foremost, then let the football take care of itself.”
The Rams have eight games remaining in the Sky Bet Championship and following results elsewhere this evening, they sit six points behind Reading.
They face Coventry City on Saturday before a two-week international break and Davies knows how big the game is.
“It's massive,” he admitted. “We look at the table and it’s about getting a certain amount of wins to get out of it. We have missed an opportunity tonight based on the fact we are 1-0 up, cruising and comfortable and you lose it so you don’t even get a point.
“It’s about wins and we are going to see the same urgency and energy but I’m hoping to see a little bit more fight, more cojones from the lads when it’s needed because everyone has to stand up and be counted. That first 15 minutes of the second half wasn’t good enough.
“We have shown that fight enough but more often than not, that fight comes when we are behind. You need to fight for a lead, to keep a lead, to keep a clean sheet, to stay in games and it’s a different kind of fight.
“It’s easy to throw the kitchen sink at it when we are losing and we can try something, anyone can do that, but it’s about having the guts to take the ball at the right time, get up the pitch and defend properly, but we just got caught between that in the first 15 minutes and it’s cost us.”