Both Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell and Derby County match-winner George Thorne noted the energy-sapping effect of three games in eight days.
Powell said in-form Derby, where he had a two-and-a-half-year spell as a player in the nineties, were one the last teams he would have chosen to face after the goalless draw at Ipswich Town and 2-0 home win over MK Dons.
“We came up against a side who will be up there at the end of the season,” predicted the boss after fifth-placed Derby made it six wins from eight unbeaten Championship games.
While Muzzy Carayol returned after a family bereavement, Powell’s ability to freshen things up in terms of his matchday 18 was limited by squad size, injuries to midfielders Jonathan Hogg and Kyle Dempsey and a suspension for James Vaughan.
And a hamstring problem forced wideman Sean Scannell off in the 21st minute (Carayol came on).
Powell, whose side are 15th, added: “With all the effort put in last week against Ipswich and MK, Derby were one of the last opponents we would have wanted with regards to how they have been playing and our quite threadbare squad.
“After taking four points from two games, I wanted three, or if not, to take at least one against Derby, and I felt before the game we could have done.
“After going behind (to Chris Martin’s 15th-minute strike), we responded well.
“The players picked themselves up and got back into the game (through Harry Bunn’s 31st-minute equaliser).
“But when they went ahead again (through George Thorne’s spectacular 48th-minute shot) we were chasing it and didn’t have enough in regard to trying to break them down.
“Their keeper Scott Carson only had a couple of saves to make. Jed Steer made three outstanding saves to keep us in it.”
Thorne said: “The game was heavy on the legs, and we weren’t at our best in the first half, when the goal we conceded was sloppy by our standards.
“We got a kick up the butt at half-time and then we got the goal and showed great character to grind it out.”
