Rams striker slams Derby's performance in defeat to Cobblers

Derby County striker Martyn Waghorn admitted his team were ‘nowhere near’ the levels they expect of themselves during Saturday’s shock 1-0 defeat at Sixfields.

As the only team in League One’s top five to play at the weekend, the Rams could have opened up a seven-point lead in the race for automatic promotion but instead their hopes took a blow when beaten by Sam Hoskins’ first half strike.

"It was nowhere near the levels and standards we've set as a team, individually and collectively,” admitted Waghorn, who missed Derby’s best chance at 0-0. “We just weren't good enough for large parts. We started relatively well and had opportunities to score, but you've got to take them in games like this. It just wasn't good enough overall.

"We weren't carving them wide open, but we'd got a foothold in the game and two or three things before that allowed them to get up the pitch and get the goal, which is a bit of a sucker punch. We've got enough quality and experience on the pitch to manage the situations but overall we didn't do that well enough.

"Each and every one of us didn't do enough for the full 90 minutes to win the match. We've got some big games coming up so we need to try and get away from the fact that today is very disappointing. We've been on a good run and we need to try and remember that. We need to bounce back and finish the season well.

"We've got to use this as motivation as it shows if we don't perform to the levels we know we're capable of, then every match is going to go the same way. We need to realise it, use it and hopefully bounce back next week.”