Paul Warne: Derby boss says 'desperate' squad must stay calm in race for top-two
- Published
Paul Warne has won 49 of his 96 games in charge of Derby since being appointed in September 2022
Promotion-chasing Derby County need to stay calm and patient and not fall into the trap of trying too hard in their bid to finish in the top two in League One, says boss Paul Warne.
The second-placed Rams' hopes of going up automatically were hit by Wednesday's goalless draw with Wycombe.
It leaves them only two points ahead of Bolton who now have a game in hand.
"We were lucky not to lose so it may end up being a really important point," Warne told BBC Radio Derby.
Despite shading possession at Adams Park, Derby failed to produce a shot on target as they saw two points, and the chance to put some daylight between themselves and third-placed Bolton, slip away.
Only three games ago, Warne's side had a six-point cushion over the Trotters after beating Blackpool 1-0 but successive draws - including one with leaders Portsmouth in a game Derby led 2-1 - have potentially handed Wanderers the initiative in the race to win automatic promotion to the Championship.
Warne said the Wycombe result was "frustrating" and thinks his players are potentially trying a bit too hard to impress.
"Sometimes they want it so badly, it spills over into their performance," he said.
"Some of our players weren't really on song. They were trying to make things happen and, weirdly, the harder you try sometimes the worse things get.
"Fundamentally, we had two absolute sitters and we had to take one of them."
Derby play Leyton Orient at Pride Park on Saturday before a trip to Cambridge United and the final game of the season at home to relegated Carlisle on 27 April.
Bolton take on leaders Portsmouth on Saturday, who arrive knowing a win would clinch the title, and play their game in hand over the Rams on Tuesday, 16 April against Shrewsbury Town.
Ian Evatt's team then face relegation-threatened Port Vale before finishing the season against Peterborough, who could still win automatic promotion themselves.
"You look at all the results at this stage of the season - people fighting relegation and people trying to make the play-offs - the pressure does mount," Warne said.
"They [the players] aren't robots and they feel the pressure. They're desperate for success.
"Sometimes you've got to not curtail it but let them calm down and play the way you play and be a bit more patient."