Town Head Coach Luke Williams is looking for a fast start from his players against Oxford United on Sunday (12pm Kick-Off).
It is the big one at The County Ground tomorrow lunchtime and with a big three points and the local bragging rights on the line, Williams is desperate to deliver and give the Town faithful a day to remember.
“We have to impose ourselves on the game from the very beginning,” he said.
“The second-half against Bristol Rovers last week was better, it was nowhere near good enough but it was better, but it is too late to start playing after 45 minutes.
“We need to impose ourselves on the game as early as we possibly can.
“Oxford have won five in six so they will believe they can come here and win, we haven’t won too many but we’re as confident that we can win.
“The game is up for grabs and when the match is like a cup final then the form goes out of the window.
“It would be fantastic to win tomorrow and I’ve been involved here in a couple of victories against Bristol City and they were great moments.
“But the pride is for the fans and they deserve that so much and, of course without question, the players deserve to win if they play well enough and they also deserve the glory of winning a Derby.
“The new players won’t need any more motivation tomorrow because they will be pumped anyway as it is their first game for their new club.
“I’m sure they are going to be very motivated and they are going to enjoy it.
“Every single player is fully motivated for this game and is excited about it. We need to try and be calm enough on Sunday to remember the game plan and be able to combine the motivation with a clear head as well.
“We can’t wait because the fans are fantastic here and we know that we are very blessed to have such strong support in League One."
Williams wants his troops to focus on the game itself tomorrow but he has also warned them of the perils they could face if they don't prepare themselves for the fact that this fixture is very much a one-off.
“If you forget the fact it is a Derby and the other team come out with steam coming out of their ears and they want to smash you to pieces and you are surprised, then you will lose," he added.
“You need to realise that this isn’t an ordinary game. This is a game where everyone will be trying to make a statement, this is a game where every lost cause is chased down to the bitter end and this is a game where if you switch off for one moment then somebody will find the energy to make a run behind or somebody will hit a shot from where they’ve never hit a shot before with more power than they’ve ever generated before, so your senses need to be heightened.
“But, at the same time, you need to be able to control your emotions.”
