Derby County were on the road again in midweek as they took on rivals Coventry City in Championship action.
Paul Warne’s side were without a win in their away games heading into the clash at the CBS Arena, something they were hopeful of turning around.
The Rams started in a back five as the manager looked to bring something different out of his team, which worked early on.
Jerry Yates capitalised on a poor backpass to round the goalkeeper and slot the ball into an empty net to give Derby the lead.
The striker had another say in the game as his deflected cross found its way into the back of the net to double the lead.
That two-goal buffer didn’t last long though as Tatsuhiro Sakomoto’s effort from the edge of the box found its way into the back of the net.
Coventry pushed but Derby held firm as they finally recorded a first away win on the road, coming as a huge boost.
So with that said, here’s a look at the player ratings from the match.
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Derby County player ratings vs Coventry City
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom – 4
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom struggled to claim many crosses and set-pieces through the game as Coventry players looked to crowd him out on the goal line, making it tough.
The goalkeeper looked far from convincing in most key moments and could’ve done more to help settle the side.
Callum Elder – 6
Left-back Callum Elder was back in the team on Wednesday night and put in a decent performance for the first half.
The Australian was substituted at half-time, though it’s unclear if that was tactical, fitness or injury-related.
Eiran Cashin – 6
Throughout the match, Eiran Cashin was called upon to make some big stops as part of a back three that looked to hold firm.
There will be some frustration over the captain’s performance as he picked up a yellow card, which means he is suspended from Saturday’s clash with Plymouth Argyle.
Nat Phillips – 6
Back in the starting lineup, Nat Phillips had a relatively quiet night as he looked to usher out opportunities for the home side.
The centre-back only made one big error in slicing a potential clearance back into the box, which went unpunished.
Curtis Nelson – 6
There was a quiet night for Curtis Nelson at the CBS Stadium, with the defender very rarely called into action on the right.
Kayden Jackson – 5
Starting at right wing-back, Kayden Jackson was unable to make a big impact but did add some energy and effort to the match at a minimum.
Ebou Adams – 6
An uncharacteristically difficult performance from Ebou Adams, who was booked in the second half and impacted his ability to win the ball back well.
At times the 28-year-old was sloppy on the ball and struggled to help Derby keep possession in key moments, but still brought his usual energy to the team.
Liam Thompson – 7
Adding more energy into the midfield, Liam Thompson had a decent performance by buzzing around in the central areas.
The academy graduate added some decent link-up play in his return from injury before being substituted.
Kenzo Goudmijn – 7
Kenzo Goudmijn started in a more advanced position and certainly had far more freedom to play his own game.
Some delicate touches and drops of the shoulder saw the midfielder impress and make a case for starting further up.
Jerry Yates – 8
Jerry Yates was rewarded for his usual hard work by gambling on a press, receiving a gift of a backpass to round the goalkeeper and score his second goal of the season.
The forward had his say again later in the match, though a bit fortunate, as his cross deflected over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Dajaune Brown – 6
On his first senior start in the Championship, Dajaune Brown put in a spritely performance as one of two strikers in the side.
The youngster was a decent outlet, winning headers and helping to keep the ball in the forward areas for longer.
It was something to build on for the striker, who played out just over an hour of action for the Rams.
Substitutes
Craig Forsyth – 7
Coming on at the halfway mark, Craig Forsyth was called upon in a huge way as he appeared to block a certain goal for Coventry on the goal line.
The left-back performed well in the second half, going on a few mazy runs that caused Coventry problems, while also winning some headers in key areas.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing – 6
While he didn’t start the game, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing came on to try and add some extra quality and pace to the frontline and had a few chances.
Kane Wilson – N/A
Kane Wilson was brought on for the end of the match but saw very little chance to bound forward with the ball like he can.
Sonny Bradley – N/A
Defender Sonny Bradley came on for the final 15 minutes or so to slot into the back three, winning some key headers.
James Collins – N/A
James Collins came on for the final few minutes to add some energy in the final few moments to help see the game out.