A comment from a Derby supporter as the game finished was “Well, we gave it a good go.” Actually, Derby did rather better that. With the game at 27 – 31 with minutes to go, and in procession, the home side was looking to catch up and win. However, a dropped pass, the Preston inside centre lurking offside, (as he had been all match) a breakaway, and the game had gone. 

Derby’s worst enemy was going off at half-time, something teams don’t do outside of the National League. At this point Preston were inches ahead at 12 – 10, Derby having scored through a text-book lineout take, a rolling maul and over, with Richard Sparkes scoring his first senior try for Derby. (His father, Steve Sparkes, played for Derby v ‘Grasshoppers in 1988.) 

Preston came out for the restart determined to put the game beyond Derby in the first five minutes and this they almost did with two rapid hammer blows that yielded 14 points. To the sideline this looked like the opening of the floodgates, but the team on the field had other ideas and never gave up. 

Make no mistake, Preston are a very good side. They sit on the top of their national league because they are well-drilled, make few mistakes and punish sides that err, plus they use their gained procession to best effect. Points.  

Make no mistake. Derby did not raise their game on Saturday. They played how they could be performing week in, week out – and now folks, we know they can do this stuff, and after this performance – they know now that too. Based on past evidence, and therefore to some people’s surprise, the Derby pack stood up to be counted. The backs ran, tackled and ran and scored the games, maybe the season’s outstanding try, that was finished off by take-it-to-them mister Mafi. The team as one never gave up and from the touch-line, all watchers’ had witnessed a full eighty minute, end to end contest. 

Okay. Derby lost. But what does the club take away from this?

Confidence. A comment in the bar from a Preston supporter was: “We under-estimated you, we did not expect the standard at this level to be this good. Play like today and I’d put money on promotion.” 

Match Report by Paul Richardson