Derby County’s head coach, Paul Warne, expressed his satisfaction with his team’s offensive prowess despite a narrow 4-3 defeat to Barnsley in the penultimate pre-season encounter. The thrilling match saw former Derby skipper Conor Hourihane unleash a stunning strike from 25 yards to open the scoring, only for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to net a brace and put the Rams ahead.

As the game unfolded, Adam Phillips drew Barnsley level, taking advantage of Derby being reduced to 10 men following Corey Blackett-Taylor’s injury. Despite James Collins nodding the visitors ahead once more, Barnsley fought back with Kyran Lofthouse’s header before sealing the victory through Aiden Marsh’s opportunistic finish in the dying moments.

Reflecting on the game, Warne shared his thoughts, highlighting the team’s promising attacking display. “I thought we posed a significant threat going forward and displayed glimpses of the style of play we aspire to,” Warne remarked. While acknowledging the need for refinement in certain aspects, he commended the team for creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities, albeit not capitalizing on all of them.

The coach noted a lackluster start in the initial 10 minutes where Derby seemed outmatched but took pride in the team’s resilience and improved performance thereafter. Commending the substitutes for their contributions following Blackett-Taylor’s injury-induced departure, Warne emphasized the team’s adaptability in adverse situations.

Expressing disappointment over conceding a late goal, which deviated from their usual defensive solidity, Warne attributed it to the frequent changes made during the match. Despite the setback, he remained optimistic about the team’s overall performance and the learning opportunities gained from facing a competitive opponent like Barnsley.