Derby County 1-2 Port Vale reaction – “about time we had a bit of fortune with the penalties”
Reaction from Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke, defender Nathan Smith and Derby manager Paul Warne comment on a “controversial” game at Pride Park.
It was a match that saw the Valiants end a 73 game run of no penalties with two in one game, there was a sending-off and a first goal of the season for talisman James Wilson as the Vale came away with a 2-1 away victory
Darrell Clarke
It was an entertaining game; a few decisions went our way today and we managed to capitalise on it.
I think after last week against Sheffield Wednesday, we have to play without fear against some of the bigger teams in the league and we came here, didn’t get off to a great start, and then we got a little bit of a foothold in the game within the first 20 minutes and they then looked dangerous on the counter, they have some good players.
We then got the penalty, missed the penalty and you start thinking it is not going to be our day but the lads have shown it over a period of time that they have a lot of character about them and we needed that today.
It is a good day for our football club, a good day for our owners who have put a lot of money and effort into the football club and then to see our tremendous fanbase fill out the away end.
The support today was absolutely outstanding – even when we were 1-0 down, our fans sang louder, and we thank them for their support and wish them a safe journey home.
You have to come back and get back in games and the mentality of the team was very good today.
I thought Ellis Harrison and James Wilson were absolutely outstanding and gave us a good foothold in the game and both deservedly got on the scoresheet.
They are two good players; Willo takes a few games to get up to speed but when he does we know he is a cracking player. He gives me more than just goals, he is very clued in with and without the ball. Ellis was a battering ram today; he won so many first contacts, took so many knocks and kicks and our fans will be very appreciative of that because they love an old-fashioned number nine and he is certainly performing very well in the first quarter of the season.
Nathan Smith
After starting the way, we did, putting ourselves on the back foot, finally getting a penalty to get back into the game, not quite going the way we wanted.
Going in at half-time we thought we’re well in the game, we just said to stay in it as long as possible, keep putting them under pressure and the chances will still come, and we will capitalise on it then.
Then we come back into the game, the fans came alive, and after that, it was a little bit of a blur, we just pushed and pushed, and we got the win.
A great day, and a well-deserved win in my opinion.
We just go back to last season, the amount of times we came back from behind, what we dealt with last year, it’s a testament to the lads that have come in to join us.
We (have) the same sort of characteristics that we had in the changing room last year.
After the last few weeks, not getting the results we wanted, we could have gone hiding and it could have been another one of those afternoons, but we pulled together, we kept piling on the pressure and I think it was only a matter of time (until we) got a goal back.
Perhaps take Peterborough out of the equation, every time we have played a top team that’s supposedly meant to do well, we’ve come close, matched them, and perhaps deserved points we didn’t get.
It just gives a lot of confidence to the lads that we are not out of place here in this league, but we know that it’s not an easy ride, we have a lot of things to work on, and we can improve.
It’s not the best of us you’ve seen.
On the red card incident…
It was just a bit of an altercation in the box, I’m not quite sure what connected with my face, but it came keen.
The ten men perhaps changed the game, but it’s about time we had a bit of fortune with the penalties, 73 games, was it?
Derby County manager Paul Warne
It was the start I wanted because we scored after five minutes and we could have scored after six and a half.
It is disappointing obviously. I thought in the first half we had really good passages of play. We were very good on the counter attack. Not as good in open play as possibly I would like but very good on counter. We could comfortably have gone in two or three up in the first-half but you have to take your chances when they come.
But then in the second half the penalty hand – it was definitely handball. I hoped it was their arm but it wasn’t so I can give the officiating credit for that… and that only possibly.
Then the sending off is a massive turning point. I thought Collo and the centre half were sort of scrapping. I didn’t think Collo had done anything more than the player. Obviously I am biased because I want a penalty for my team. But I thought the defender wasn’t looking at the ball, he was just trying to keep hold of Collo.
Collo is just trying to get him off to be able to get a chance. They went to ground and I think Collo’s frustration has got the better of him. I don’t think he has connected with the lad but he has hit the ground.
So, unfortunately, and that is a big swing. I can’t knock the lads’ effort, it was good to the very end, you are going to have mishaps along the way and it just seemed that a lot of things that could go wrong did go wrong.
The penalty in the first half definitely wasn’t a penalty. So, frustrating. The penalty in the second half is definitely avoidable. We lose the ball in the middle of the pitch for their second goal which isn’t ideal. All in all, there were some really good bits I really liked but collectively we need to improve.