"There Is A Positive Feeling Around The Training Ground And Stadium"

Manager Frank Lampard revealed that the mood around the club has lifted following Tuesday night’s 2-1 home victory over Wigan Athletic.

The Rams had suffered three league defeats in succession before the win against the Latics in midweek.

However, Lampard’s side moved back level on points with Bristol City, who occupy the final play-off position, as a result of claiming all three points and with three home games coming up, the atmosphere is good.

“There is a positive feeling around the training ground and around the stadium following on from Tuesday night,” Lampard told RamsTV.

“That is why it is always important to keep context and balanced through all these periods. People have spoken a lot about the last few results pre-Wigan and of course you all feel it and it affects all of us.

“We want success, but these difficult moments are part of the road. The reaction the players showed on Tuesday said a lot about them and us as a group, so we need to continue from there.

“[The fans] made it. They definitely made a difference from the start of the game. When you consider that we went through a really tough patch in the game, where we were the better team but conceded, it is when you need them even more.

“The first-half they were good and even at half-time with the feeling of disappointment – we all had that, staff, players. The push and the drive of the fans, it’s hard to put numbers on it, but it absolutely means a lot in terms of how we can perform and how we can react.

“I always say, of course it is the players responsibility first, we have to give everything and the fans saw that very early in the game on Tuesday night. It was a joint effort.”

Mason Bennett played a key role on Tuesday night, coming off the bench to get the equaliser, and the manager had praise for the winger.

“It was a stunning goal from Mason; an absolutely stunning goal,” Lampard said. “It has to be in all the running for goal of the year and not Derby County. Harry will be disappointed because his seven have been superseded by one from Mason.

“I think in terms of the league stage, the world stage, you don’t see those goals every day. You see them once in a blue moon from world class players normally and Mason came up with a bit of skill that he should be proud of in it’s own moment and how it changed the game for us.

“He has done it very well from the first game of the season when we won against Reading. You can go through numerous games where he has come on and impacted well. The next stage for Mason is more than that.

“I want him to be able to start, to bring that power and that game-changing ability from the start. He has done it in the earlier parts of the season and he has been crucial and there have been a lot of good performances from him.

“Consistently if he can do that I will be happy and so will he be. He is a driven young man and that goal will do him the world of good because when you know you have that in your capabilities then you should be confident and aiming even higher.”