Despite some external bravado, it was with some trepidation that most Rams fans looked forward to the latest Derby v. Forest encounter. Derby’s last league home match was a 1-4 defeat to Scunthorpe, whilst Forest’s last away match saw them beat title chasing West Brom 3-1 and by all accounts, completely outplay their opposition. Forest were unbeaten away from home all season, had not lost in 19 matches and won 5-0 only days ago against another side who had scored four at Pride Park this season.

Pre-match, Billy Davies was keen to stress that this was just another game. That being the case, you would fully expect the Forest juggernaut to roll over the erratic Rams. Right? Except Billy Davies didn’t treat it like any other game. Right from the off, Forest seem to be playing for a scoreless draw: goalkeeper Lee Camp was noticeably time wasting from the first minutes; Davies and his assistant Ned Kelly frequently declined to retrieve the ball (before hilariously scrambling for it in the final minutes); Forest players went down and stayed down at every opportunity; and Billy Davies began removing his attacking options one-by-one with twenty minutes to go.

In contrast, Clough out Billy Davies-ed Billy Davies with Derby demonstrating a masterclass in the pressing game: forcing errors; winning corners (16 of them); and dominating possession. Clough also decided to start with the recently out of favour potential match winners  Rob Hulse and Kris Commons and the two duly won the match.

The selection of Commons was especially brave. Commons had not started a league match since October and had a stinker in the corresponding fixture. However, Clough knew that Commons had a point to prove and would not hide. Linking with the midfield when possible, Forest’s playmaker Paul McKenna was dragged so deep he looked like he had the bends when he forlornly fumbled the ball out for a corner with the clock running down.

Some may even think that Clough had this planned all along; keeping Hulse and Commons on the bench like animals being fed raw meat before being unleashed when they were most needed.

So the Rams have restored some pride and the supporters will be cheered not only by the result but also by the performance against a team who could have gone top today. Forest meanwhile will have to regroup. Is this a temporary blip or will their season be an exact replica of Derby under Billy Davies – poor start, brilliant middle, weak finish. It was a victory against Derby that kick-started Forest’s run back in August, so it is fitting that the run should be book-ended by a defeat to the same opposition. It has been a remarkable run though by any standards.

As for the Rams, we won’t get too carried away. We are still trailing our neighbours by several points and need a few more performances like this.
If nothing else though, this win should provide Nigel enough goodwill to continue the rebuilding process into next season without calls for his head everytime we slip up.

For the time being though, there’s no harm in enjoying the moment.

S Spaceram