THAT Nigel Clough confessed Derby had beaten the better team will have been of little consolation to Chris Hughton.

Nor to the 4,000 travelling fans at Pride Park who were boisterous in their backing and not the hangdog bunch who fear the end of the world (or the club) is nigh given the turbulent events of the summer.

Judging in a harsh light, it was a concerning result as Derby don’t appear to be particularly great shakes.

Blues were in a position of comfort and control at 1-0 up but didn’t keep their foot on the throttle.

They were, as Clough said, the better team, but still managed to lose.

So as a self-confessed bad loser, Hughton won’t have held much store in Clough’s magnanimity. And ultimately Blues fans want their team to win and return to the Premier League ASAP.

But it was game one of 46 (maybe 49?) back in the Championship, Hughton’s first, and six players debuted.

And after the summer of upheaval at St Andrew’s following on from Premier League relegation, with the comings and goings and financial fragility, could we really have expected a smooth, straightforward ‘came, saw and conquered’ performance? There was disappointment, but also reasons for an air of optimism around Blues.

They played decisive, swift football, totted up 20 shots at goal and were constantly keen to set the agenda.

The goals conceded were avoidable and, in the first case, a little unfortunate.

So there is scope for tidying up in those areas and others, too.

But on the whole, it was more of an emboldening display than a barren one by Blues.

Admittedly, Derby were missing three prime players, but the trio of Blues absentees Cameron Jerome, Marlon King and Nikola Zigic were more keenly felt.

Had they been able to call upon them, you would have backed Blues to have won, possibly at a canter.

For all the approach play and possession, it was at the top end of the pitch where Blues could have benefitted from such proven quality.

Hughton went with Jean Beausejour off Adam Rooney to start with, and there was some decent inter-play involving, and up to, them.

In fact, in the period before and after Curtis Davies’ thumping 19th-minute header from Jordon Mutch’s corner, Blues appeared well set. Liam Ridgewell headed Beausejour’s centre off the face of the crossbar and Chris Burke, Morgaro Gomis and Mutch were in command of matters.