Derby County finally notched up their first point away from home over the weekend as they settled for a 1-1 draw at Millwall.
In a tough encounter low on quality, both teams struggled to break the other down in search of a goal during the match.
The opener came in the final 15 minutes as the Rams put their set-piece prowess to the test, causing a scramble in the box.
Jerry Yates was first to a bouncing ball, eventually nodding it home to pick up his first goal for the club since joining on loan from Swansea.
While it was a sweet moment for the striker, the match would become slightly more bittersweet for him and his Derby teammates as Mihailo Ivanovic equalised for the home team with just five minutes to play.
There were still some positive moments for Paul Warne to reflect on though in his post-match assessment.
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Paul Warne on Jerry Yates goal reaction in Millwall vs Derby
After some impressive performances at Pride Park, the only thing missing for Yates had been a goal to reward those displays.
He finally got it against Millwall, with the celebrations speaking volumes to his impact and the overall squad.
The whole team lifted the striker into the air, almost acknowledging his efforts had finally been matched with a goal.
Discussing the forward’s first goal, Derby boss Warne told RamsTV: “What makes it for me is the lads’ reaction; behind me on the bench, they were all pleased for him because they know how hard he works and how much he wanted the goal.
“It was an important goal, and it’s just a pity it didn’t end up being the winning goal because that would have been sweeter for him.
“He’s been outstanding for us and leads the line really well – as an amazingly popular member of the group. It sums up how tight a group and culture we’ve got.”
Paul Warne’s culture important to Derby County
One of the greatest strengths of Warne as Derby manager is the man management side of the game, which has involved building a culture.
Given the manager’s insistence that players give 100% all the time, it’s clear that those foundations can only be built on trust and a willing desire to play for him.
That culture translates well onto the pitch, with a positive atmosphere that can build momentum and push the side forward.
While there are still plenty of areas to improve, the base level of performance, at the very least is effort and energy.
That will always give the side a chance and it’s built on a culture being cultivated well by the head coach.