“I’m immensely proud” – Derby fall just short on rollercoaster Championship final day

If you could bottle the feeling inside Pride Park during the opening ten minutes on Saturday for The Rams to sell, they would not be worried about the financial incentives of promotion.

In stupendous sunshine, the Derby faithful rocked as John Eustace’s side flew out of the blocks against Sheffield United knowing a win and a bit of luck would be needed for a top six finish.

Within sixteen seconds, Joe Ward shot low, his effort on the turn gathered by Adam Davies in net. Moments later Sam Szmodics was played in following a perfectly timed run down the left but dragged a shot wide with Carlton Morris and Ben Brereton Díaz square in support.

Combination play from Morris and Jaydon Banel then had Chris Wilder’s side on the ropes, the Dutchman seeing a shot blocked from Morris’ cushioned header. Before the striker’s following cross was cleared for a corner.

And from said set-piece, Derby took the lead. Having already been free to put the corner back across goal at the far post, Szmodics remained unmarked to prod home when Banel’s deflected cross found him on the goal line.

It was surely one of the simplest finishes of the attacking midfielder’s career, but it prompted sheer joy in the stands, nonetheless. With Wrexham behind, and Hull goalless, it was advantage Derby. But with 85 long minutes to go, maintaining this intensity of high pressing and constant runs in behind would be a tall order.

Captain Lewis Travis was next to work Davies, his cut back from the byline tipped behind. While Jacob Widell Zetterström made a strong save to deny Gustavo Hamer from a dangerous free kick at the other end. There were chances too for David Ozoh, Matt Clarke, and Sondre Langås, who glanced a header over the bar.

In what was surely the best display of his loan spell, Szmodics slipped through Brereton Díaz in a give-and-go before delivering another teasing ball which wreaked havoc before The Blades sliced it away. On top of the goal, these runs in behind and out to the right, dangerous crosses and flick-ons for his teammate meant he was central to everything good going forward.

The Rams were handed a further boost when Mohamed Toure put Norwich in front at Hull, but Oli McBurnie equalised from the spot within three minutes. In that time, Josh Windass levelled for Wrexham too.

The ball was still in Derby’s court, though as it stood, only a win would do; they had to get on with the job at hand. Next, Morris worked Davies from range, before half chances for Hamer and Tom Cannon as The Blades finally threatened from open play.

This could have been compounded by news that Wrexham had turned their game against Middlesbrough on its head in the 42^nd minute, but David Strelec’s instant equaliser was celebrated like a Derby goal.

Speaking about his side’s excellent first half performance, Eustace said: “We were top, top drawer, really took the game to them. The atmosphere was fantastic. I was very proud and we could have easily been a couple of goals up.

He added: "Our football's certainly evolved and we've got good players now who can handle the ball.” But one lapse in this would be The Rams’ downfall.

It was the 62^nd minute when Ward passed the ball straight to Hamer, attacking down United’s left. The visiting number eight teed up Patrick Bamford, a former Derby team-mate of Eustace, who was set to shoot. But instead, he expertly dummied the ball to Cannon, who could simply slot into the bottom corner with Zetterström having been lured out of his goal.

Derby’s number one next brilliantly denied substitute Tahith Chong with his feet from a tight angle but could not stop Sydie Peck’s 25-yard drive into the bottom-right corner as he got down late.

And to make matters worse, then came the news that McBurnie had put Hull in front. Now Derby would need to come from behind to win, and hope Norwich could find an equaliser. All in 21 minutes.

As unlikely as a top six finish now was, still Derby battled. Langås headed Travis’ perfect second-phase delivery over the bar from inside the six-yard box, and Clarke put Ward’s corner off target.

A top reaction stop from Zetterström kept The Rams alive heading into ten minutes of added time, but as Hull held on to beat Norwich, even a win would not have been enough for a play-off place.

Analysis: Pride, progress, and perspective

Post-match Eustace sat in his press conference with “immense pride”, fielding questions on the growth of his side over the course of the season, injuries, and the summer ahead. Yes, that’s right, within an hour of the regular season ending, we’re already thinking about transfers!

Eustace too, was thinking ahead. He said: “It’s a really exciting time to be part of the football club.

“That group of players we’ve got there have done terrific, but there’s still a lot of growth to come from that group of players. And there’s still more players I want to bring in to help bring better quality in.

“We want to keep the loan players, of course we do and we certainly want to create something special at the club.”

While there is clearly little time for Eustace and co to rest as they prepare for the next campaign, this is the moment where we, as outsiders, can pause for breath. That an eighth-place finish was the disappointing outcome of the final day shows how far this side has come. Talk of Premier League hopes no longer feel detached from reality.

The Rams head coach explained: “Obviously, we want to get into the Premier League and, with that backing over the next two or three seasons, that's why I came here, and that's what we want to do.”

Eighth will of course be enough for a play-off place next season, but under Eustace, Derby are aiming even higher.

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Goals: Szmodics 5’ | Cannon 62, Peck 69’.

Derby (4-2-3-1): Zetterström (GK); Ward, Langås, Clarke, Forsyth (Fraulo 74’); Ozoh (Salvesen 75’), Travis (C); Brereton Díaz (Johnston 68’), Szmodics, Banel (Clark 60’); Morris.

Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK); Batth, Sanderson; Allen Eames.

Sheffield United (4-4-2): A. Davies (GK); Seriki (Hoever 64’), Tanganga (C), McGuinness, Burrows; Hamer (Ings 72’), Peck, Arblaster (Rothwell 64’), O’Hare (Riedewald 85’); Bamford, Cannon (Chong 64’).

Unused Substitutes: Betts (GK); Sasnauskas, McGlinchey; Soumaré.