Derby fall just short in five-goal thriller at league-leaders Coventry

“We’re really excited, we’re playing against the best team in the league. We’ve got nothing to lose.” John Eustace told Sky Sports in his pre-match interview.

And despite the absence of Sam Szmodics and Rhian Brewster, who will miss the rest of the season following knee surgery, adding to an already lengthy injury list, his side played like it. While this encounter may not quite have lived up to the 5-3 at Pride Park back in August, it was still utterly enthralling, with many of the same themes present.

From Derby’s fitness woes to penalty controversy. A looping finish from out wide, poor marking and Coventry’s attacking quality shining through in the latter stages.

“The three goals we conceded were very poor on our part, and it’s something that moving forward, we’ve got to stop doing.” Eustace told BBC Radio Derby while also expressing his pride in their attacking display.  

Frank Onyeka got the first, when he won the ball off Derry Murkin and curled the ball from the right-flank past Richard O’Donnell, who should have done better.

But The Rams responded well, recovering to continue their otherwise bright start by taking the game to Frank Lampard’s side and dominating the ball. Bobby Clark, back playing as the number 10 was key in this, making runs beyond Carlton Morris up front and seeing a shot blocked by Bobby Thomas after a Ben Brereton Díaz cross.

The Chile international, who was able to start due to having “a day’s extra rest” compared to American Patrick Agyemang, who was a substitute, then went from creator to scorer.

After Matt Clarke ventured forward down the inside-left and drifted wide to cross, Brereton Díaz got on the end of the defender’s inch-perfect ball, which had evaded Carl Rushworth to head a deserved leveller into an empty net. Clarke’s runs may not always be enjoyed by Eustace on the touchline, but his quality crosses, as well as body-on-the-line defending, are a big reason why some fans feel he’s nailed on to win player of the season.

You didn’t expect to get through this without a tenuous Easter reference, did you?

Derby should have been in front at the break, but Jaydon Banel spurned two golden chances on his first start. First, he was gifted the ball by Onyeka, and denied by the leg of Rushworth, who made himself big. Then, he failed to generate enough power on his header after Morris flicked Joe Ward’s ball back across goal.

“I thought he was okay. His attitude was brilliant and he could have scored a couple of goals,” Eustace said. It was not the most glowing endorsement, but an accurate description of the young Dutchman’s night after he mis-controlled a Brereton Díaz in a good shooting position too. Tricky, but raw, it might be unfair to expect the same finishing proficiency as Szmodics, Brewster or Agyemang already.

The Rams survived a scare when Ward’s back pass fell to Josh Eccles, but O’Donnell used his leg to deny one of the hosts’ own before Ellis Sims blazed the follow up over.

Jack Rudoni, though, was much more clinical. Two shots, two goals. The first coming when he showed great feet to pass the ball into the bottom corner while surrounded by three defenders following Milan Van Ewijk’s deflected cut-back.

Now firmly on the back foot following Lampard’s attacking triple change, The Rams were handed a lifeline thanks to a questionable penalty decision which capped off a poor night for referee Tom Nield.

Oscar Fraulo played a beautiful ball into the path of Brereton Díaz, who took a heavy touch before being taken down by Rushworth, who had already got contact on the ball. The Southampton loanee did not care about the circumstances though, waiting for Rushworth to dive out the way before he calmly slotted the ball in.

But despite then looking like they could push for a winner; Derby squandered their lifeline by leaving Van Ewijk to find Rudoni in far too much space before he beat O’Donnell. Another classy finish from a Premier League player in-waiting.

Analysis: So close, yet so far

File this one under the same category as Hull and Millwall. A tough trip to a promotion-chaser, where Derby largely held their own but were undone at key moments in both boxes.

There are certainly more positives to take than negatives for John Eustace’s side - this calibre of test is crucial in their development. Consider that while Lampard may only have been in the job for only 17 months, this Coventry team had already been established in the Championship top six but were underperforming after Mark Robins was left without trusted sidekick Adi Viveash.

The Sky Blues have been where Derby are and show that it can be done. Resurrection from the heartache of administration to within touching distance of the top-flight.

While this was not a game that Derby were expected to win, the visit of Stoke on Monday will be. If a top six finish is to be achieved this season, points matter more than positives. Though, post-match references to improvements for next season and the need to keep the squad together may hint at Eustace thinking longer-term.

He told BBC Radio Derby: Obviously, [I’m] very, very proud, but we are so close. We are so close to being a top, top team and it’s really, really important now that we build on all the positive things from this season.

“And keep growing this squad and try and keep as many as we can of this squad going into next season and just keep believing.”

Given their improvement over the course of the season, belief is one thing this Derby side should definitely have in abundance.