Wayne Burnett's team have clocked up the miles this week - a midweek trek to Exeter in the EFL Trophy followed by this trip up the M1 to Long Eaton.
If there were any physical effects of the mileage it didn't show at Grange Park as we flew out of the traps at the start of both halves - Reiss Elliott-Parris scored after two minutes, a feat repeated by Ellis Lehane after the break. In-between, Tyrese Hall finished clinically with Zach Marsh replying for the Rams.
The first half couldn't have started better as Miracle Adewole's cross was cleared to Elliott-Parris, who guided home a precise finish, side foot, along the ground into the corner from the edge of the box.
However, Derby responded almost immediately as Charlie Smith's low cross was turned home by Marsh from six yards.
We controlled the next half-hour, pinning the home side in their half with some lovely passages of attacking play and crisp passing, the returning Callum Olusesi key to it floating around in the '10' area. Tye Hall headed wide and Harry Byrne's shot was spilled by Alfie Halliwell, who did well to get up quickly and block Olusesi's follow up before Adewole fired over.
It felt like a goal was coming and it duly arrived on 28 minutes as Tye Hall went wide to Adewole, Tristan Gill directed his clearance straight to Tyrese Hall who rifled into the roof of the net for his third goal in as many league games this term. Halliwell then twice denied Olusesi.
Derby got back into it via a couple of counter-attacks, Gill and Dantel Hodges missed the target and Charlie Smith struck the crossbar from a free-kick, Sam Archer there to palm away Hodges' follow-up. Archer then had to be on his toes to parry away Marsh's strike from 20 yards.
We came out with some intent at the start of the second half. Tye Hall let fly within 30 seconds, then forced a fine save from Halliwell seconds later. A minute after that, substitute Lehane's curler from the left corner of the box was deflected home for 3-1.
It was another 15 minutes until the next action of note as Archer got his angles right to block from Cameron Wilson. Israel Green then headed over from close range.
We maintained a level of control after that, but clear-cut chances were at a premium, Johnson Osong going closest for the Rams with a curler just wide.
‘We didn’t maintain the standards’
Although we’d secured the three points, coach Wayne was unhappy with elements of what he saw, telling SPURSPLAY: “In the first half, for 80 per cent of the half we were very good but you can’t have such a wide spectrum and be 80 per cent very good and 20 per cent not so good. We didn’t maintain those standards in the second half and I’m very disappointed with the performance in the second half. Of course, I’m pleased we’ve won, but I’m disappointed in the second-half performance.
“The performance is very important, the way in which we play and the manner in which we conduct ourselves is extremely important and I didn’t think we maintained those standards and maintained those behaviours as well as we did in the first half. There was still some improvement in the first half needed but we weren’t anywhere near where we should be in the second half for sure.
“(In the first half) we played some really nice football, got in some really nice positions and created some really good chances but there were times in the first half where we were in control and unnecessarily gave the ball away and caused our own problems. As I said, for 80 per cent of the first half we were very good, some of our football was outstanding but for 20 per cent it was way below standard and you can’t have that disparity.”
Line-ups
Derby County: Halliwell, Gill (Gordon 59), Robinson, Cononville (Osayande 46), Offor (c), Tola, Smith, Hodges (McAndrew 59), Marsh (Green 59), Wilson, Jones (Osong 59). Substitutes (not used): Kane, Wren.
Spurs: Archer, Feeney, Sowunmi, Hardy (c) (Adedeji 86), Dorrington, Byrne, Adewole, Tye Hall (Moncur 77), Tyrese Hall, Olusesi (Lehane 46), Elliott-Parris (Ramsey 74). Substitutes (not used): Doran, Thomas.
Match data
Goals: Derby - Marsh 5; Spurs - Elliot-Parris 2, Tyrese Hall 28, Lehane 47.
Yellow cards: Derby - Smith 53, Tola 77; Spurs - Moncur 79.
Referee: Gareth Thomas.
Venue: Grange Park, Long Eaton United FC.
Weather: Mild, 18 degrees at kick-off.
Attendance: 310.