However, Blues were more than their equals during the first forty-five minutes and should probably have been home and hosed, always being the more dangerous team in the final third. Although having said that Derby had a few moments, which of course included a decent opening goal which James Beadle should probably have saved at the near post.

Yet Blues fired back before half-time when Carlos Vicente showed he could head a ball to put the visitors on level terms before the break.

In terms of outstanding performances both in the first half and throughout the game, Jhon Solis showed what we had been missing whilst both full-backs in the shape of Osayi Samuel and Alex Cochrane were immense defensively as were Christoph Klarer and Phil Neumann, although that now seems just par for the course.

In midfield Tomoki Iwata just went about his efficient business whilst up front Liam Miller got star billing, and not just because of the part he played in the attacks. This seemed to rub off on Vicente who apart from his goal, had one of his most effective games.

A word also for Jay Stansfield who, as usual was perpetual motion and was a trifle unlucky when his goal-bound shot was blocked on the line. Luckily Paik Seung-ho got on the score sheet from close in which will do his confidence no harm.

In terms of substitutes, Ethan Laird gave Blues an extra dimension going forward although Luis Vasquez, our Argentinian acquisition, made the sort of miss that would have even made Ronnie Rosenthal jealous.