Championship: Steve McClaren relieved after Derby win at Blackburn

Steve McClaren claims it would have been a "travesty" had Blackburn's spirited late fightback denied Derby their first away league win of the season.

The Rams were two goals ahead with 12 minutes to go after Jamie Ward's brace sandwiched Will Hughes' sumptuous left-foot strike.

However, Rovers, who had taken the lead after just 51 seconds through Ben Marshall's deflected opener, pulled one back through Rudy Gestede and poured men forward in search of an equaliser.

They came close on several occasions, with Gestede's stoppage-time header flicked on to the crossbar by substitute Omar Mascarell in a final act of defiance in Derby's 3-2 victory.

It left McClaren praising his men's character as they continued an impressive first few weeks following May's play-off final disappointment at Wembley.

"That is always evident - they showed it on Sunday (against Nottingham Forest) and we had to show it again but in a different way," said the former England boss.

"I think we deserved the result; it would have been a travesty if they had equalised. Last year we drew this game against Birmingham 3-3 when 3-1 up but we've hung on and got the point and it's a big win."

McClaren had gone on record claiming his men were not ready for promotion last season but, after coming so close to securing top-flight football in that agonising loss to QPR, their boss knows other sides in the division see them as a serious threat this time around.

"This league is tough, it's really hard, and there's so many teams now who see us as big fish and a big scalp and are approaching it differently to stop us playing," he added.

"We have got to find different ways, like we did tonight, to impose our game on the opponent and that pleased me."

Rovers could certainly not be accused of parking the bus after taking the lead early on before allowing their opponents time and space to cut through them at will in midfield.

Their late barrage on Lee Camp's goal almost earned them a point, though, which Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer thought their efforts warranted.

"I think it was the least we deserved," he argued.

"I thought we were outstanding. Steve McClaren is running up and down the technical area with five minutes to go. The sense of relief from their bench and their players just shows the amount of pressure we put them under.

"We've had a right good go and we've been excellent."

The hosts turned around a one-goal deficit to beat Wigan at Ewood Park last Saturday and their never-say-day spirit was again evident, much to Bowyer's delight.

The former Derby youth coach was also adamant that Ward's second goal should not have stood after he appeared to push Craig Conway in the build-up.

"It's a foul," Bowyer said.

"We should have defended it better after the foul but I don't know what we can do on that. But after that, the way we responded...

"This group have now got a real spirit, character and fight about them that I haven't seen for a long time here.

"They never give up - even with the injustice of that, they were magnificent."