Matty Godden believes yesterday’s draw was a ‘point gained’ rather than two lost as City continued their unbeaten home start in the league against Derby County.
Graeme Shinnie equalised in the second half for the Rams after Godden had scored the opening goal from the penalty spot after he was fouled in the area and there was no doubt in Godden’s mind it was the correct decision.
“It’s a point in the Championship, disappointed obviously to lose our 100% record at home but we are still unbeaten, it’s still a fortress and it’s probably a point gained looking at it.” Godden said.
“You can hear it, it’s obviously clear contact, but at the same time as much as it was clear contact and I’ve gone down because of the contact, in the back of my mind I’m thinking if he don’t give this then ‘oh no if he don’t give this I’m in a lot of trouble’, but it still runs through your mind but luckily you can hear the contact on my shin pad and he takes me out, he knows he said it was a clear pen.
“It’s something I’m comfortable in doing, taking penalties and its something that I enjoy, I enjoy the pressure like I’ve said in the past.”
Godden explained the challenges of facing such an experience side and despite having a goal disallowed in the second half for a tight offside call and thought City created some of the better chances.
“They (Derby) are really experienced, you know especially the back two, past Premier League players, Jagielka being an England player, and they’ve got the experience and the know-how, they know the game very well, so we knew it was going to be tough in that aspect but with the energy we’ve got with everyone really we knew we’d have that little bit to break them down eventually.
“Obviously with the penalty then we could have scored a couple more in the first half and probable disappointed with the header that has gone in that was chalked offside, was probably a little bit harsh but it could go either way.
“It’s part of being a striker and what I like doing is sniffing out chances that defenders don’t react to but like I said its very very tight but we move on.
“That’s probably why we look back on it now and see it as a point gained as much as we were in the ascendancy. It was a game of two halves I should say, they had a lot of the ball second half and as much as we had the goal chalked off for offside, Gus hitting the woodwork but they had a couple of chances so we take the point and move onto Hull next week.”
The striker was recalled to the starting line up after missing the last two games due to suspension, in place of Tyler Walker and he was pleased to sign off a week where he agreed a new contract with the club with a start and a goal.
“Listen it’s a squad game and its part and parcel of the game, obviously Tyler is unlucky to miss after scoring two goals this week so he has done very well in that aspect but the Gaffer has probably freshened it up with some legs which was needed after two very long away trips which have been very, very difficult so he’s probably looked at it and freshened it up that way and I was obviously to get the nod and get on the scoresheet as well.
“I’m delighted (to sign the contract), it was very, very quick and easy to sort out and something the gaffer mentioned in the summer but when we got the call it was something that didn’t take long at all, the club wanted to and I was very very keen as well with the memories we have made so far and something I wanted to be apart of for another couple of years.”
Finally, with the biggest crowd of the season at the Coventry Building Society yesterday Godden spoke of the importance of the fans and how happy he is to see their support rewarded.
“We all wanted to come back here and experience the noise they create and having the fans back is a massive part of what we’re doing.
“We know what our club is capable of, there would have been 21,000 without the Derby fans so that just shows the fans are right behind us and we are a club as one. We know they bring a lot to us here and away, the following I saw at Blackburn was incredible, but we know when we come here and especially when we get in front they are right behind us and they push us right to the end.”