Rams' early rampage keeps survival hopes alive

Derby came into this one desperately needing a result to end their losing streak.

Three games since John Eustace came in as manager, and three losses in that time, meant the visit of the club he left to join the Rams was no longer just about bragging rights, hopes of Championship survival were now also on the line.

Pride Park was a cauldron of noise before kick-off. The build up to this one had been fiery to say the least, with both sets of fans dishing out plenty of fighting talk via social media and in the stadium prior to kick-off.

The 3,000-plus travelling Blackburn Rovers fans turning up with inflatable snakes to taunt their former boss was the catalyst for the way the atmosphere would play out for the remainder of the afternoon.

Setting up with a back five allowed Derby to be more creative and provide more of an attacking threat down the channels, something which had been lacking in previous matches.

And boy did it prove effective. Just seven minutes in, the Rams found themselves in dreamland.

A combination of poor defensive play from Blackburn, paired with fight, determination and desire from Derby, saw goals come like buses for the Rams.

No goals at home since Boxing Day, and just like that two had come along at once, taking the roof off Pride Park in the process.

Despite getting a goal back before half-time, through the hard-to-handle Makhtar Gueye, Blackburn struggled to create enough to trouble the Derby goal.

The final whistle felt like it took centuries to arrive, and the additional seven minutes of added time wasn't news that was welcomed by the home fans.

After being punished several times late on throughout the season, it felt like history may repeat itself for the Rams as the players began to understandably tire.

Bitten nails, sweaty palms, and screams of "CLEAR IT!" took over Pride Park for seven long minutes. And, eventually, ecstasy.

A win that was not only needed to build confidence and end a terrible run of form, but one that felt crucial, knowing all the other teams in the bottom five had lost.

Derby were up to 22nd in the table from 24th, and closed the gap to safety to only four points. The survival dream, which felt crushed last weekend after defeat at Boro, felt alive once more.

A man of the match performance from Harrison Armstrong in the defensive midfield role, in which he oozed class from minute one to 90, and a welcome return to the starting XI for Kane Wilson, who carried bags full of attacking threat all afternoon, were two big positives to take forward into midweek for the Rams.

Tuesday's match will see another tale of a manager returning to their former club - this time Frank Lampard returns to Pride Park for the first time since his tenure at Derby in the 2018-19 season.

Derby now need to take some momentum and confidence forward into next week, which ends with a huge game at the bottom of the table away at Plymouth Argyle next Saturday.

You can often catch Amelia Warren as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.