Rams won’t be cowed by final-day fight for play-off place, says Rowett

Posted Sunday, April 29, 2018 by PA

Derby boss Gary Rowett insists the Rams will have no fear as they head into a final day play-off shoot out.

Lewis Grabban rescued a late point for Villa after Cameron Jerome gave Derby a first-half lead, with Villa’s slim automatic promotion over following the 1-1 draw.

Villa were wasteful as Grabban and Jonathan Kodjia hit the bar and Conor Hourihane missed a golden chance.

Rowett’s side rode their luck and are now sixth in the Sky Bet Championship before a nervy final day when they hosts relegation threatened Barnsley, with Preston and Millwall chasing them.

Victory over the Tykes next Sunday will clinch a top-six spot for the Rams and they could still return to Villa Park in the play-offs.

Rowett said: “We’re not fearful of it.

“We’ve just played Cardiff and soundly beaten them and we’ve just played Villa and dealt with a lot they threw at us – but for us it’s about getting in play-offs.

“If we can get there we’ll be that team who probably didn’t feel they were going to get there. Certainly we’ll have a lot of momentum, but we have a lot of work to do to get in there.

“We have to assume someone will win their last game and we know Barnsley will be fighting for their lives.

“We won’t look for the draw, if the game happens to be drawn that might be enough.

“You don’t want to scrape it, you want to go into them with a little bit of form.”

Cardiff’s 2-0 victory at Hull ended Villa’s top-two challenge and they will finish fourth regardless of their result at Millwall next Sunday.

But assistant boss Colin Calderwood believes they will shake off any hurt of failing to catch Cardiff or Fulham for the final automatic promotion spot.

He said: “We’re clear where we are, we’re not going to have the disappointment of missing out. Whichever way you dress it up, you have to deal with the situation in front of you and there can be no negatives in our thoughts.

“I think Middlesbrough are on better form than us, but the pleasing thing today was the rhythm of our game and how we looked powerful in the second half.

“You have to add a note of caution in there, Derby played on Tuesday and had to chase the game. There must be something in that. As pleased as we are, we know it has to be better.”