Perhaps we had one eye on the evening activities. Or perhaps we were full of cheese and wine?
Whatever the reason, the Rams were frustrated by a dogged Wigan side, producing their most lacklustre home performance for a considerable time.
In fact, we were left indebted to our goalkeeper for preserving a now EIGHT match run without conceding at home, leaving the hardy bunch of away fans travelling back to the pie capital wondering how they hadn’t won.
Anya carried on at left back in the absence of… well…. all of our left backs. The players were greeted by pre-midnight fireworks-to make up for the lack of them during the game! However, the most special reception was left for the legend that is Jake Buxton, who seemed visibly moved on his return. Sadly, the M&S bag was nowhere to be seen.
Neither was our sharp attacking play, as it quickly became apparent that Wigan’s bus was parked firmly outside their 18 yard box. Russell poked a difficult volley wide as our visitors never ventured out of our half during the opening ten minutes.
When they finally did, they were very nearly rewarded. After forcing a corner, the delivery was met by Grigg, whose hooked volley came back off the post.
A warning and a wake-up call.
Sadly, the Rams weren’t awoken from their festive slumbers, as they were nearly haunted by a ghost of Christmas past!
Having drawn Keogh out of position, supposed Derby target Wildschut laid off to Warnock, whose teasing cross was met by Nigel Clough’s favourite - Michael Jacobs. His header was a cracker, as was the save from Carson, diving full length to his right to expertly tip round the post.
Wildschut was performing well on his audition, pacey and powerful and soon too much for Keogh on the left. Reaching the dead-ball line, his cross across the box begged for a tap-in but only found Pearce.
We were guilty of no tempo or purpose in our play, with Butterfield waiting too long on a couple of occasions when looking to pull the trigger.
As you’d expect for a team with Buxton in it, Wigan were throwing bodies in and doing the dirty work well. It was a shame for them that they couldn’t do the other part.
A horrendous square pass from Hughes presented Grigg with a free-run to goal from 40 yards. Driving into the box, he could have picked his spot, put the kettle on and still finished. Thankfully, he scuffed his shot straight at Carson. Will Grigg’s on fire? I think someone’s extinguished him!
Finally, it was our turn to create an opening. Anya, easily our brightest spark, danced past one, two, three defenders before cutting back to Russell near the edge of the box. The pass probably favoured a right-footer but Johnny cracked with his left… just over.
There were no more alarms at either end before the break. Surprisingly, there were no subs-just a ‘jaffa cake and a rollicking’ as my mum says. Not that it had any effect, with Gomez striding through our non-existent midfield to fire over. It spoke volumes that McClaren was already down on the touchline.
Finally, a double change, as Bryson and Camara replaced Butterfield and Russell. Still, there was something missing, as our passes were either over hit, too slow or easily intercepted. Frustration was growing, as was Wigan’s time-wasting. Not that this seemed to bother a portly gentlemen in the away end, who spent the entire game topless and loving life.
His mood was almost soured soon after though. A neat turn saw Hughes fouled 25 yards out - perfect for Ince which it almost proved to be, as Tom’s effort was brilliantly clawed away by the evergreen Jaaskelainen.
As the game neared its conclusion, Vydra was introduced for Bent. With our visitors getting deeper, you sensed a late winner may just come. And it very nearly did. Keogh, playing increasingly as a midfielder, fed Ince, whose clever flick found Hughes. Poking it goal wards, Will was unlucky to see his effort go agonizingly wide.
What wasn’t unlucky was his decision to stupidly clatter into his man and pick up his tenth booking of the season. Nearly as stupid as the decision of some people to boo at the full-time whistle. Not a vintage display by any means-but 10 unbeaten and 8 clean sheets in a row at home is not something to be sniffed (or booed) at.
You feel that January could well be a key month, with fixtures against Norwich, Leeds and Reading. It could well however be what happens in the boardroom that shapes the season.
Perhaps a certain number 9 could help?
Weston’s Player Rating:
Scott Carson - 9: Two crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet run.
Chris Baird - 5: Not his best game.
Richard Keogh - 6: Played as a midfielder for long spells!
Alex Pearce - 6: Shaky in spells.
Ikechi Anya - 7: Brilliant first half, faded second but good game out of position.
Will Hughes - 5: Lacklustre display and stupid booking to get banned.
Jacob Butterfield - 6: Back to being too slow in possession.
Bradley Johnson - 6: Another not at his best.
Johnny Russell - 6: Time for a spell out of the side for me.
Tom Ince - 6: Most innocuous game for a while.
Darren Bent - 6: No service.
Subs:
Craig Bryson - 6: Looked sharp.
Abdoul Camara - 6: Flashes but couldn’t influence a winner.
Matej Vydra - 6: The same as Bent.