Opposition view: Rams boss Paul Warne frustrated by 'slow' Derby County in defeat to Cobblers

Derby County manager Paul Warne admitted his side were never able to find their fluent best during Saturday’s shock 1-0 defeat to Northampton.

Chasing a fifth successive win, Derby started well enough at Sixfields but missed early chances and then fell behind to Sam Hoskins’ superb opener midway through the first half.

The Rams had plenty of the ball and applied sustained pressure on Town’s goal in the second half, especially late on, but they struggled to create many clear-cut chances in a damaging defeat, and their poor day was compounded by Sonny Brady’s stoppage-time red card.

"It's obviously frustrating and disappointing," admitted Warne. "I didn't think we were amazing but I still felt we created enough chances to win the game.

"We had a bit of control in the first half, not a lot, but the goal we conceded was farcical and credit to Northampton and I congratulate them for the win. But I thought the goal was a foul, I’m biased, but they shouldn’t get there and we should stop the cross.

"The chance they took was harder than the chances we missed and sometimes it's determined on that and you need those moments to go your way but they didn't today.

"We got more and more frustrated in the second half. There were a lot of stoppages, a lot of lying down, the goalkeeper was taking ages and the subs were slow, and that seemed to impact the players because they were rushing everything and we just didn't look very cohesive.

"Northampton literally got every player behind the ball apart from one but we played too slow at times and we moved the ball side to side with no purpose. We should have moved it quicker but I felt like we wasted the first half and then in the second half we were always chasing it.

"We lost Nathaniel (Mendez-Laing) to injury and Sonny's been sent off so as bad days go, it's right up there."

On Bradley’s red card, Warne added: “I wasn’t sure what happened so I'll need to see it back but if he’s done something that’s indefensible, I’m not going to come out and say he’s unlucky because someone’s marked tightly.

"He’s a big boy and he’s had a good career so I expect him to handle it. I’ll have a look at it but it’s obviously a blow.”