Derby County star Ben Osborn has described his emotions from experiencing his side’s huge win over Middlesbrough on Saturday.
The Rams hosted their first Championship match at Pride Park since 2022, facing off against promotion hopefuls Boro in front of a packed-out stadium.
Plenty has changed since the last time Derby were in the second tier, but Paul Warne will be looking to ensure their stay isn’t a brief one.
The Derby boss persisted with the same system that struggled against Blackburn on the opening day.
Kayden Jackson kept his nerve early in the game to give his side the lead – profiting from Isaiah Jones’ loose pass back on the halfway line.
Crisis struck not long after though, as Eiran Cashin and Kane Wilson both suffered injury issues that required some early changes.
Despite those tweaks to the backline, the whole team stayed solid in batting away wave after wave of Boro attacks.
It resulted in a first three points of the campaign for Derby and a huge win to get them up and running.
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Derby star Ben Osborn discusses Pride Park atmosphere
The victory marked a first win for Derby at Pride Park in the Championship for many of those players, including Ben Osborn.
The summer recruit, who joined on a free from Sheffield United, is a boyhood Rams fan – despite coming through at rivals Nottingham Forest.
Discussing the feelings after the match, Osborn told the official Derby County website: “It was amazing when that final whistle went. The atmosphere was unbelievable from the start.
“We got the early goal and then, to be fair, it gave me so much energy. To soak it all in at the end was emotional and a bit overwhelming, to be fair.
“We were a bit frustrated with how it went in the opening game against Blackburn, and we were eager to get some points on the board and especially as a team coming up from League One.
“I was just gearing towards the first game of the season, really, and that was a lot to take in. But this morning when I woke up, I knew it was going to be more or less a sell-out.
“I needed to just focus on the outcome a bit more than the process. I love going out there and just warming up in front of everyone; seeing people that I know in the crowd.
“And the game, I love it. I love working together. I love playing. But beforehand, I knew I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it unless we got a good result!”
Derby County midfield decisions
In the early weeks of the campaign, it’s clear that the Derby midfield is still a work in progress for Warne.
With so many new faces through the door, with the likes of Osborn, David Ozoh and Kenzo Goudmijn joining the club, it will take time for all of them to flourish.
While Goudmijn was a standout against Blackburn, it appeared to be a better match for Osborn and Ozoh against Middlesbrough.
There are some clear quality options now available to Warne, with Liam Thompson and Ebou Adams coming off the bench on Saturday.
However, while things settle down into the rhythm of the season, all of those players will have a key role to play in confirming survival.