Jones hails Owls' support

Dave Jones: Sheffield Wednesday manager praised his club's fans after the 2-2 draw with Derby

Dave Jones praised the Sheffield Wednesday support for inspiring a fightback against Derby County as Nigel Clough again lamented his team letting the lead slip.

Derby had appeared set to open the new Championship season with a win after goals from Nathan Tyson and Jake Buxton had the hosts in control at half-time.

However, Chris O'Grady pulled one back and Reda Johnson scored a last-minute equaliser to send the 6,000 travelling Owls fans into raptures.

Jones admitted his team were nervous going into their first game back in the Championship, but said he was proud of his players and the vocal following from the blue half of Sheffield.

Bouncing

"When we got them in at half-time, we said they had nothing to be fearful of in this division with six and a half thousand behind you. When they are bouncing up and down like that, the fans are some sight to see," he said.

"I've never seen support like that away from home, when they are bouncing like that they need to get the stadium checked for cracks!"
Dave Jones Quotes of the week

"I've never seen support like that away from home, when they are bouncing like that they need to get the stadium checked for cracks! That's some support and they drove us on.

"We looked nervous and we sensed that before the game. We looked a bit like rabbits in the headlights for the first 20 minutes but we had five or six making their debuts at this level which is a lot.

"It's a learning curve for us and I think we were just finding out what it was all about but we know now. Once we got our foot on it and started to play we looked a different team and it was relentless in the second half.

"That was some performance from them because Derby couldn't get out at all just as we couldn't in the first 25 minutes. They were hanging on with everything they had and their keeper made two unbelievable saves."

Derby manager Clough saw his team lose a lead for the second game running after the dramatic Capital One Cup exit to Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.

Mistake

"They put us under a lot of pressure without creating too many chances but when we got to the 89th or 90th minute after what we went through the other night we thought we had done enough but one mistake again has cost us," he said.

"We are pleased with the majority of the game and different facets of it and in the first half we played some great stuff. Their wonder goal gave them a massive lift - there's not much you can do when they fly in the top corner - but we defended well and put bodies in the way and generally we are happy with the performance.

"Nathan (Tyson) has now got two goals in two games or three in three if you count Sunderland in pre-season. He just needed a little break and he's got three in the six-yard box now which is where you've got to get yourself when you are short on goals.

"He's been short of confidence at times but he's kept going and kept plugging away and we believe you will get your reward if you keep doing that."