please log in to view this image V's please log in to view this image please log in to view this image V's please log in to view this image Derby manager Nigel Clough could include James O'Connor in his squad after the versatile defender featured for the development squad on Tuesday. Frank Fielding is set to continue in goal after returning from injury in the 2-1 win over Leicester last time out. Bristol City will be boosted with the return to fitness of winger Paul Anderson after recovering from a knock. Sean O'Driscoll has no new injury concerns but will assess midfielder Marvin Elliott before kick off. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head • Goals from Jeff Hendrick and Craig Bryson in two first-half minutes gave Derby a 2-0 victory at Ashton Gate in December, to give them the possibility of a seventh double over Bristol City and first in 18 years. • It was also Derby's 30th win in 55 league games with the Robins, in which they have scored exactly 100 goals. • Bristol City have won two of their last 12 away league games against the Rams. Derby County • The 2-1 home victory over Leicester last time out saw Derby end an eight-match winless sequence, but it was not sufficient to lift back into the top-half of the table. • The Rams have not lost a home game against a bottom-half club, and victory would give them 37 Pride Park points and equal the total they mustered at their own ground last season. • Nigel Clough's charges have kept two clean sheets in 16 Championship outings, and are looking for a first shut-out in seven. Bristol City • Basement club Bristol City are four points from safety, having bagged 17 points from a possible 36 under Sean O'Driscoll. • The Robins are without victory in eight on the road, and have only pocketed two points away from home since a trip to Sheffield Wednesday on 8 December. • Should Neil Kilkenny play any part, the 27 year old midfielder will be making his 250th career league appearance. Stadiums Derby County please log in to view this image Bristol City please log in to view this image Mascots please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Possible Teams Derby.... 1 Fielding 23 Freeman 6 Keogh 5 Buxton 24 Forsyth 7 Coutts 4 Bryson 8 Hendrick 10 Ward 25 Martin C 32 Sammon Bristol City.... 1 Heaton 19 Moloney 4 Fontaine 5 Nyatanga 17 Cunningham 25 Elliott 10 Kelly 14 Skuse 21 Anderson 16 Davies S 15 Pearson K/O 7-45 PM Managers.. please log in to view this image Rams boss eyes a good run of form over the Easter fixtures. The Easter games are important for us and it’s a chance for us to get over the 50 point mark." Nigel Clough Nigel Clough wants Derby County to carry on where they left off before the two week international break when they return to action against Bristol City on Easter Friday. Derby signed off for the final international window of the season on a winning note back on 16th March, as they claimed their first victory in nine matches with a 2-1 success against Leicester City at Pride Park. After putting a dent in Leicester’s promotion hopes the Rams will face a Bristol City side with just as much to play for at the wrong end of the table tonight, before heading to playoff hopefuls Leeds United on Easter Monday. Clough says both games provide their own unique challenges and he’s highlighted the Easter period as a key time to get points on the board and enjoy a positive end to the season. He told Rams Player: “The Easter games are important for us and it’s a chance for us to get over the 50 point mark and get a good run of form going, so we just want to carry on where we left off the other week. “We want to do that as soon as possible, especially as it’s so tight below us and this quick run of fixtures is a chance to dispel any doubts people might be having and try to end the season on a high. “Nine points are up for grabs in a relatively short space of time, throwing the home game against Ipswich Town next Saturday into the mix as well, and we’re looking forward to the challenge, especially off the back of the win against Leicester. “In the eight games we have remaining we have to play just one side that are above us in the table, which is Leeds on Monday, so there is an opportunity there for us to get some points on the board. “That’s not saying we have an easy run in, it would be foolish to think anything remotely like that, but it is a chance to rack up a few wins and go into the summer with some confidence.” Although Bristol City sit bottom of the Championship, Clough reckons City will be a tough nut to crack. Their form in recent weeks under new boss Sean O’Driscoll has seen them pull themselves within a few points of safety and the Rams boss has fired a warning message that his side must not underestimate their opponents. He said: “They’ll be very stubborn and hard to break down so there’s no-one around here thinking we’re in for an easy game. Sean O’Driscoll has got them well organised so they’ll be hard to break down and the last thing we want to be doing is conceding against them, as they’ll be an even tougher nut to crack if that was to happen. please log in to view this image Sean O’Driscoll believes City can take inspiration from the way Derby County have become a stable npower Championship club on limited resources. Following Nigel Clough’s appointment in 2009, the East Midlands club had recently been relegated from the top flight and were left with a number of players still commanding Premier League salaries. Since then the Rams have targeted young players from the lower leagues, Scotland and their own Academy system, something the City head coach believes sets a positive example to rival clubs. Speaking to Bristol City Player ahead of his side’s trip to Pride Park, O’Driscoll said: “Nigel inherited a massive wage bill following their relegation. “They came up with a strategy four or five years ago to reverse that. They developed players from their Academy and recruited from the lower divisions. “Regardless of their league position it has worked. The club have stuck with it and haven’t had cold feet halfway through. “Nigel is slowly developing the team so they can manage the Championship and they will then go on to challenge (for promotion), so they are not a bad benchmark for us to look at.” @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
nice one wiz, like the pic of Nigel describing the size of his tiddler! please log in to view this image
Bristol City FC@bcfctweets #BristolCity v Derby - Heaton; Moloney, Nyatanga, Fontaine, Cunningham, Anderson, Kilkenny, Skuse, Elliott, Baldock, Davies. Subs - Gerken, J.Wilson, Bates, Howard, Kelly, Pearson, Adomah. Derby County@dcfcofficial #dcfc Vs @bcfctweets starting line-up: Fielding; Freeman, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth; Coutts, Hendrick, Bryson, Ward; Sammon, Martin subs: Legzdins, Davies, Gjokaj, Doyle, Bennett, Jacobs, Hoganson.
Whats a real worry is there is NO striker on the bench........... BUT! this tells me were are bloody going for it tonight
Maybe wiz but wouldn't feel confident in Adomah getting us a goal if we need it at the moment. We should of really got someone in, Davies from Bolton would of been a good sensible move till seasons end.
If any of you guest's are tempted please join up with us, it's a free forum and you're most welcome.....
