Head Coach Paul Warne admitted Jerry Yates’ first goal for Derby County was richly deserved as his side took a point on the road in a 1-1 draw in the Sky Bet Championship against Millwall on Saturday.
The result saw Derby play out their first draw of the 2024/25 Championship campaign after a battling performance at The Den.
Yates’ 79th-minute goal burst the game into life and looked to see the Rams take home all three points before Millwall substitute Mihalo Ivanović took advantage of a loose ball five minutes later to see both teams take a point.
Warne spoke to RamsTV after the game to discuss taking a point on the road.
On taking point away from home…
I’m pleased that we're moving on to the next one quite quickly. I'm disappointed that we conceded the goal - random as it was. We were seeing the game out quite well before that - so the lads are devastated. If you'd have told me we'd have got a point before the game we'd have probably took it.
There were a lot of restarts and free kicks in the game, I thought we defended them well. We were dangerous on the counter too, but at times we needed to have a little bit more confidence in our play. I keep telling the lads all the time: ''you're better than you think. It's our job to prove it.
Overall, we can be pleased. With the way the goals went, we are disappointed. If they'd have scored in the fifth minute and we'd have scored in the 80th, I think we'd say that's a great point. The way it happened and the way how random it happened as well, makes it less palatable, but it doesn't detract from the fact that I'm pleased that we've got a point away from home. It was not a classic.
On keeping Millwall at bay…
We've got a point, and I'm pleased with that, but to drop two points in the Championship is disappointing. Especially as it came from something so random, but then it's harder to be critical of it because of that. Unfortunately, today we were on the end of a bit of misfortune, and I didn't think my defenders deserved it. Millwall had a really good chance early on when they hit the post but apart from that, I thought we defended well.
On Jerry Yates getting his first goal for the club…
What makes it for me is the lads' reaction. Behind me on the bench they were all pleased for him because they know how hard he works and how much he wanted the goal. It was an important goal, and it's just a pity it didn't end up being the winning one because that would have been sweeter for him. He's been outstanding for us and leads the line really well as an amazingly popular member of the group. It sums up how tight a group and culture we've got.
On having a quick turnaround to play Oxford United on Tuesday…
We’ll look at Oxford again on the way home. We've already done a lot of work on them, but we'll watch their game today and work out our best combination of players and substitutes to get us through.