Today's game should have been a home victory. Take nothing away from a strong Derby side who caused City problems late on but by then it should have been academic.

Michael Chopra failed to score from two one on one situations and he hit the post. All in the first half. In the second half Chopra fired wide and so did Paul Parry when in good positions. The stats show we had twice as many efforts on goal as Derby.

The goals we did score came from Loovens header when he stole a yard in the box from a corner and then a sublime piece of play set Chopra in on goal and he didn't miss this time.

In between Steve Howard scored with a header, he's a big player and rose well to score at the back post. Then the late sickener, City were under pressure and could not clear their lines. A poor kick out from Alexander lost City possession and the Rams speaed the ball wide, a cross came in from the right which was half cleared and it dropped to Barnes who spanked it home. He'll probably never hit a ball so sweetly again.

Derby fans went wild, City fans dfelt as though they'd lost.

Still though we are clear at the top and playing the kind of football you are happy to spend your money on watching.

A shock result today was Norwich. After beating us last week they were hammered 5 - 0 at Stoke. We go to the Britannia late in November. Sunderland, our opponents on Tuesday won with an injury time goal at Hull and Colchester, who we play next Saturday, beat Southampton.

The other two teams we play in the coming month, Q.P.R. and Sheff Weds, both drew.

Sam Hammam was in the directors box for the game and stood to "ayatollah" on several occasions.