Pulis praises frontmen

Last updated : 11 August 2003 By Rob Stanway

He said: "It was a good start but we don't want to get carried away.

"The front three are a handful. Asaba and Noel-Williams have power and commitment while Greenacre has a little bit of craft about him. They work very well together.

"I am especially pleased that Gifton got a goal as it will do his confidence the world of good."

He added: "We had a game plan. I had a feeling that if we had a go we would cause them problems.

"The Derby defence knew they had been in a game by the look on their faces."

Noel-Williams added: "After our results in pre-season we would definitely have been happy with 1-0," said Noel-Williams.

"That's what the lads talked about on the coach on the way to the game, grinding out a 1-0.

"Although we worked really hard in pre-season the results did not really go our way. But you could see how our fitness work paid off and our workrate and determination was clear.

"We all worked our socks off and that's the way it's got to be this season."