Derby manager Paul Warne watched his players reward him for giving them Christmas Day off as they picked up a 1-0 victory at League One strugglers Wigan.
Curtis Nelson headed home the only goal in the 19th minute, but only the brilliance of Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle kept the scoreline respectable.
And Warne – whose side have now won seven of their last eight matches – was a happy man after subjecting one of his former clubs to a third defeat on the spin.
“It was the most pleasing performance of the season, because it was away from home against good opposition and probably the best we’ve played collectively,” he said.
“Even at the end I was making substitutions just to help the lads out, not for any other reason.
“Wigan have taken a couple of good scalps here, so we knew we would have to do a lot out of possession.
“It takes a real understanding of the game, and they’ve been well coached this week to understand how we wanted it to look.
“But then they changed their shape which made it more difficult.
“I just liked the energy and the drive of the team. There were tackles and heads when it was needed. There was also a bit of creativity and some really good performances.
“I gave them Christmas Day off and I wanted them to show me it was the right decision. They paid back my trust in them.”
Warne’s only gripe would have been that the game was not put to bed during the utterly one-sided first half.
“Sometimes you perform at a level then it can all go wrong, so I was anxious,” he added.
“When one down, you throw the kitchen sink and that’s what makes football.”
Wigan boss Shaun Maloney took full responsibility for the disappointing first half that paved the way for the Rams’ victory.
Due to injuries, illness and unavailability, Maloney’s starting XI featured seven academy graduates – with an average age between them of just over 21.
Maloney made a double change at the break, sending on the more experienced Callum McManaman and Jonny Smith, which led to a second half that was far more even, but the damage had been done.
“It kind of felt like two performances in one game, one in each half,” he assessed.
“But I can’t be too critical of the players in that first half, I have to take that one.
“I think I was over-reliant on too many young players in that first half.
“Those young players have been brilliant for me and this football club since I’ve been here, and they’ll definitely come again, that’s for sure.
“Derby are a really good side, good squad, very experienced, a match for anyone at this level.
“Normally when you’re bringing young players in, you’re wanting to drip them in, when the team is in good form.
“In the second half – apart from the first five minutes, when they had a couple of chances – I felt it was much better.
“It felt like we went toe to toe with Derby, and there wasn’t much between the two teams in the second half.”
