Davies targets eight wins for Premiership promotion
Derby manager Billy Davies is targeting the first of “seven or eight” wins from the remaining 12 Coca-Cola Championship games against Colchester tomorrow night to ensure automatic promotion to the Barclays Premiership.
Four points separate the top eight teams in the division as the season enters the final straight and two consecutive defeats make the visit of Colchester to Pride Park all the more important in Davies’ eyes.
“There are 12 matches remaining and seven or eight wins could possibly be enough for automatic promotion and a possible four or five needed for a play-off spot,” he said.
“Coming where we have come from at the start of the season, it’s been a massive turnaround for us.
“We are delighted at the progress and we are looking forward to the remainder of the season.
“Friday will be a good three points if we can get them but it matters not where you sit in the division at this stage of the season as there are no medals handed out.”
Stephen Pearson and Dean Leacock are both struggling for fitness while Paul Boertien and Richard Jackson are also still recovering from medial ligament injuries.
Colchester have no new suspensions or injuries to report for their trip to the east midlands.
Forward Richard Garcia recognises that teams have shown Geraint Williams’ team greater respect in recent games and battened down the hatches at the back.
Garcia told the Colchester Evening Gazette: “It’s a compliment to us but we have to learn how to break that down, starting with tomorrow night.
He said: “Teams are starting to get a bit wary of us. We’ve noticed that a lot of teams have changed their play to suit against us.”
