Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder was critical of his side’s first-half performance after they had to settle for a point from a 1-1 draw with struggling Derby.
Bobby Clark gave the Rams a first-half lead with Patrick Bamford equalising in the closing stages of the game, while Derby had Dion Sanderson sent off in the 66th minute after he received a second booking.
Wilder said: “It was never going to be a straightforward game, as a Championship game never is. Really frustrated and disappointed with our first-half performance. I thought maybe the team thought that the game would come to them.
“It’s always a full house when we go there and when they come to us, and it was always going to be competitive. And we gave them the game that they wanted first off, and that was down to us and our approach.
“We were too passive, we were too quick in possession, too slow in possession. We gave away the ball when we needed to have control, we went long when we needed to shorten things up.
“Out of possession, we lost too many first and second balls, and we never got up to the ball. It felt we needed a poke of some sort to get us going, which was annoying. And the poke came in the form of the goal.
“Everybody’s brother was playing first half apart from Kalvin (Phillips) and Coops (Michael Cooper) and we turned up second half, tried to get back into the game.
“I’ve got to say, for the life of me, we have to win from that position. I thought the intent of the team was really good. Goalkeeper’s made some huge saves for his team. A couple of things that could have fallen for us didn’t.”
Derby boss John Eustace praised the “effort” and “togetherness” shown by his struggling team.
He said: “Very proud of the effort of the group. I thought we were excellent in the first half. I thought we were fully in control of the game.
“We played some good football. We created a fantastic goal. And then in the second half, we knew we’d be under a bit of pressure. I felt we downlined that. And then just before the red card, we were again creating a few chances.
“Really disappointed not to get all three points of course but to go up against a really good, physical team that were going to put the ball in the box and sustain attacks. Overall I was really pleased with the way we defended.
“The fighting spirit was there for everyone to see. Over the course of the season up to now, we’ve had our so called better players not available. And, you know, the players that have performed have been excellent.
“Their attitude has been very good. We looked more of a physical presence, which we haven’t in previous matches. It’s about getting the group back together.
“I was really pleased and proud of the effort of the group, and you know, it just showed the togetherness of the group.”
On the challenge that led to Sanderson’s second booking, Eustace said: “I haven’t seen it back but obviously if they’re hunting a yellow card, it’s the way the referee read the game today, he’s probably always going to get another yellow so can’t be doing it.”
