Tom Lawrence hails Derby County boss Frank Lampard’s half-time team-talk against Reading

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Derby County came from behind to beat Reading 2-1 in Frank Lampard’s first competitive match as manager.

Tom Lawrence has told the Derby Telegraph that Derby County boss Frank Lampard’s words helped inspire his side to victory over Reading on the opening day of the season.

Derby had looked ponderous in the opening 45 minutes of the contest, and went in at the break with the scores locked at 0-0.

The Rams then went behind when Jon Dadi Bodvarsson hit the back of the net early on in the second half, but Derby fired back with two late goals.

And Lawrence believes that Lampard’s words in the dressing room were a massive help.

The Welsh international said: “He knows what we’ve got in us, so he’s not afraid to tell anyone if they’re not performing, or we need a little ramp up.

“He got us going for the second half – and it paid off.

“I think we were all annoyed as a group at half-time – but the manager told us to keep believing and I think we did that.”

Lawrence was the man who scored the winner for Derby, when he brilliantly flicked in Mason Bennett’s cross with his head.

Lampard described the winner as one of the best moments of his footballing career, which is testament to how seriously he is taking his first job in management.

Derby are next in action on Saturday, when they take on Leeds United.