Derby caretaker boss Matt Hamshaw said he had experienced the highs and lows of football in the space of 24 hours after his side grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Norwich.
The Rams sacked Paul Warne on the eve of the game after a run of seven successive defeats, with first-team coach Hamshaw asked to take charge at Carrow Road, and they responded with a spirited show.
Jerry Yates levelled from the penalty spot after Josh Sargent had given Norwich the lead midway through the second half.
Hamshaw said: “I think football can be the best and the worst game in the world and I have certainly experienced that.
“It has gone from being a really tough 24 hours to a really good 24 hours.
“There was a feeling of devastation in the dressing room yesterday because apart from being a good manager, Paul is also an incredible guy.
“Paul sent us a message before the game, that’s the sort of guy he is, and I am sure Derby fans will remember him as the man who got their team promoted, not the one who was in charge during this bad run.
“He told us to go out there and do our utmost to win the game and although we had to rely on a late penalty to get a point I was really pleased with the way we played.
“Whoever takes over here – and I am sure there will be a lot of interest in the job – will have a good group of players.
“As for me, I would like to stay on and as it stands right now I will take the side again on Tuesday – but obviously that could all change.”
In a match of few clear-cut opportunities, Norwich looked to be edging towards a win which would have taken them into the play-off zone after Sargent’s well-taken goal after 68 minutes.
The American was picked out in the box by a precise pass from Emiliano Marcondes and fired home in emphatic fashion to make it four goals in three games since his return from a long-term injury.
But Derby earned a point they just about deserved when Yates converted from the spot.
It was awarded after Jack Stacey had caught Marcus Harness on the forehead as he hooked the ball clear, with Yates sending goalkeeper Angus Gunn the wrong way.
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup was angry with the way his side let two points slip through their grasp.
He said: “I’m not pleased because this is the third time this has happened this season, a player sticking his leg out in the box when he should be using his body. We simply have to learn from this because it has cost us.
“I also wasn’t pleased with our first-half performance. We knew they would come here and sit deep, trying to disrupt the rhythm of the game, but we weren’t good enough to break them down. It was very disappointing.
“In the second half it got a bit better and we scored a beautiful goal but when the score is just 1-0 you can always be caught out like we were.
“Had we been better in the first half, it probably wouldn’t have ended like that.”
