Saturday 3 October 2015 20:30, UK
Derby head coach Paul Clement explained traffic problems were behind Darren Bent's absence from their 2-0 win over Brentford, their first at home this season.
Bent had come off the bench to score in the 89th minute at MK Dons last Saturday but he was left out of Saturday's squad when he was caught up in traffic and arrived late.
Even without the former England striker, Derby's second home win since late February was achieved in relative comfort after they went in front for the first time at the iPro Stadium this season in the 20th minute when Chris Martin bundled in Cyrus Christie's cross.
Tom Ince should have doubled the lead but fired over in the 35th minute but he made amends two minutes before the interval with a precise low finish from 12 yards after Jeff Hendrick had sent him through.
That ended the game as a contest and although Brentford substitute Philipp Hofmann had a shot cleared off the line by Christie in the 88th minute, Derby's grip on the game was rarely threatened, although Clement admitted there was still room for improvement.
But first he outlined the reason for Bent's absence. "Darren arrived late for the naming of the team which was unfortunate for him because it can happen to anybody.
"He got caught in a lot of traffic and I couldn't be totally sure what time he would arrive. He did arrive in plenty of time to play the game but I needed to name the team and the bench so at that point I needed to make a decision and I made the decision to leave him out.
"It was not a decision I wanted to make but we have to get on with our preparation and we can't wait."
Clement, who confirmed Bent will face no further action, was not totally satisfied with the performance, even though it was a big improvement on the display at MK Dons.
"I said to the players at half-time against MK Dons that I didn't know who I was watching, we were unrecognisable, but in the first half here it was much more like what I would expect.
"We were on the front foot, pressurising high and playing with intensity. I thought we were so-so in the second half and I don't think we managed the game very well at the end, we left ourselves too exposed.
"We've still got a lot to work on, the last 15 minutes shows that, but there's been a brilliant response from the players and they've got to keep it going."
Brentford's new head coach Lee Carsley admitted his return to one of his former clubs had been hard. "It was a tough one, especially the first 15 to 20 minutes. I thought we looked nervous, edgy and were making simple mistakes which happens when you're lacking confidence.
"We tried to change the team around a little bit but coming in at half-time 2-0 down was tough to take, although I didn't think we deserved much from the first half in all fairness.
"There was a good reaction in the second which is what we asked for and we huffed and puffed without being anywhere near what I imagine we will be like.
"For me the main thing now over the next two weeks is to try and build the confidence of the players and try and make them a bit fitter and it's apparent we need some more physicality in the team."
