Jewell inspired by Laws claims

Jewell: Owls victory

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Derby boss Paul Jewell admitted he used Sheffield Wednesday boss Brian Laws' words to inspire his team to victory.

The Owls manager had talked up his side's chances ahead of the clash at Pride Park, but the hosts ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.

Kris Commons, Miles Addison and Jordan Stewart were all on target as Jewell celebrated victory against his former club.

He said: "Brian said he'd seen our last two home games and said they had a good chance to beat us. That fired us up a bit, and I thought we were by far the better side.

"It was a comprehensive 3-0 win, and it could have been five or six.

"But we are not getting too carried away, because we still need to improve the squad, but we've got a decent spirit, we are getting better, and we are moving in the right direction."

Derby are certainly unrecognisable from the team that was relegated from the Premier League, and Jewell can look ahead with confidence as he approaches his first year in charge at Pride Park.

He added: "It seems like an awful lot has happened in the last year. When I came, we were staring at relegation, but the thing that keeps you going is the supporters, and the size of the club.

"The chairman has been great to me and stuck with me, and hopefully in the long run I can repay his faith."

Not at the races

Laws kept his players in the dressing room for an hour at the end to pick over another dispiriting display on their travels.

He said: "I've been in there for an hour with the players because we seem to be psychologically a different team away from home.

"We are very resilient at home, and have only conceded a few goals, but away we have let in a bucketful.

"Psychologically we were not at the races, and that's why I was in there for an hour, because we've got to get this sorted - otherwise I'm going to be very grey by the end of the season!

"It certainly was not a witch hunt; it was a clear-the-air meeting. I had my say, and they had theirs, and I expect a reaction next week.

"We had a great chance to get in the top eight today, and we are coming away from Derby very disappointed in the manner in which we have lost."