NIGEL Clough praised the character of Richard Keogh after the Derby County skipper's costly error against Blackburn Rovers.

Keogh's mistake just before half-time let in Colin Kazim-Richards to give Blackburn the lead in Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie.

Scott Dann scored the visitors' second goal after 66 minutes before Jordan Rhodes struck five minutes later to complete Rovers' 3-0 victory.

Clough said Keogh's error was a key moment but also stressed it was a rare slip by the defender.

"I think Richard has made only two or three mistakes in 30 games all season," added the manager.

"He came in at half-time and held his hand up but I thought he played very well in the second half, which shows the strength of his character.

"The timing of the goal, just before half-time, changed the nature of the game."

Striker Theo Robinson was missing from the squad on Saturday due to a bout of tonsillitis.

Jamie Ward and Mark O'Brien were substituted as a precaution when Derby trailed 3-0.

It was Ward's second start since missing more than three months with hamstring trouble and O'Brien's groin tightened up.

Craig Bryson completed the game having struggled in recent weeks with a knee injury.

"He seemed OK," said Clough. "We kept asking him if he was all right.

"We were going to bring him off as well, just in case, but I think he needed 90 minutes."

Jake Buxton could join in training later this week as he steps up his recovery from a knee injury.

The defender has been sidelined since the home victory over Leeds United on December 8.

A TEENAGE motorist has been locked up after he reversed his car, dragging a police community support officer to the ground.

Zakir Ajaib knocked Monica Bhardwaj from her feet after she became suspicious that he was smoking cannabis in his vehicle. She banged her head and suffered ligament damage to her wrist and whiplash injuries.

Sending Ajaib, 19, to a young offenders' institution for 30 weeks, Judge John Gosling said: "This officer was doing her job when you ran her down. These injuries could have been much worse but you didn't care."

He said Ajaib, of Crewe Street, Derby, had literally used his vehicle as "a weapon".

Derby Crown Court heard PCSO Bhardwaj and her colleague, Holly MacGregor, had become suspicious of the car while it was parked in Hastings Street, Derby.

Alex Wolfson, prosecuting, said: "Miss Bhardwaj stopped and challenged the defendant and asked him what he was doing. He had an open cigarette paper on his knee and something in his hands but he didn't reply. He looked back blankly at her. PCSO MacGregor stood in front of the car and called for back up."

Mr Wolfson said that Ajaib then started fiddling with his keys in the ignition and was told to stop but started the car and reversed back about three metres.

The car door had been slightly ajar and caught PCSO Bhardwaj, dragging her back, then knocking her to the floor so her head hit the pavement.

Mr Wolfson said she had put out her arm to break her fall. Ajaib drove off but he was arrested after his vehicle was traced.

After the incident, PCSO Bhardwaj was taken to Royal Derby Hospital for treatment. She was off work for three months.

In court, Ajaib admitted driving dangerously on July 12. Clive Stockwell, in mitigation, said: "As to that day, he accepts he was misusing cannabis and understands he shouldn't have done that but it no doubt affected his decision-making skills.

"He apologises to the officer and feels very sorry for what he has done."

After the sentencing, Inspector Richard Keene, who is in charge of policing in Derby West, said: "Seeing this offender jailed for 30 weeks is a fantastic result and I hope he has time to reflect on what he did while he is behind bars."

A NEW station for high-speed trains serving the East Midlands will be built in Toton, between Derby and Nottingham, it has been revealed.

The Government announced today that the second phase of the High Speed 2 rail link will run from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester.

It means new stations will be built in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield, as well as at Toton Sidings, close to the M1 and A52.

The rail link will see passengers being able to travel from Toton to London in 51 minutes, to Sheffield in 17 minutes, to Birmingham in 19 minutes and to Leeds in 29 minutes once the line is opened in 19 years' time.

Business leaders in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire believe the line, which will carry trains capable of speeds up to 225mph, will bring economic benefits to the area.

And the Government says the £32bn project will create 100,000 jobs.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "This Government will do everything possible to ensure that Derby benefits by getting the connections it needs.

"HS2 will be woven into the transport fabric of the nation, accessible to all, including those in Derby, and I believe these proposed routes north of Birmingham offer a great starting point for the consultation process to follow."

The first phase involves creating a link between London and Birmingham. Construction will start in four years' time. The route will open in 13 years' time.

The second phase, which was announced today, will see lines from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester.

Transport connections around all high speed stations, particularly at non-city centre locations, such as Toton, will be enhanced.

The Government says the line will ensure the railway network can cope with increasing numbers of passengers and will free up capacity on existing lines for commuter and freight services.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "High Speed Rail is an engine for growth that will help to drive regional regeneration and invigorate our regional economies. It is vital that we get on board the high-speed revolution.

"We are in a global race and this Government's decision to make High Speed Rail a reality is another example of the action we're taking to equip Britain to compete.

"High Speed Rail is a catalyst that will help to secure economic prosperity across Britain, rebalance our economy and support tens of thousands of jobs."

A BOSS at train-maker Bombardier says the company will fight for new work for its Derby site – and is confident it will win more contracts to secure the firm's long-term future in the city.

In an exclusive interview with the Derby Telegraph, Paul Roberts, chief country representative of Bombardier Transportation UK, said he also wanted to "draw a line under Thameslink" – a £1.4 billion contract which the company lost out on to German firm Siemens, resulting in the loss of 1,000 temporary jobs at its Litchurch Lane factory.

He said: "This company isn't a charity case. We win contracts, in the UK and all over the world, because our bids are competitive, our products and service offerings outmatch the competition and we deliver on our commitments to customers.

"We are confident of winning more orders."

Mr Roberts admitted that missing out on Thameslink was a "surprise", which left the company "bitterly disappointed".

But he said the firm was now fully focused on winning another large deal, the £1 billion Crossrail contract, as well as securing other work.

TEMPORARY traffic lights on the slip road between the A6 and St Alkmund's Way in Derby will be switched on at 10am today.

The eastbound carriageway will also be reduced to one lane as part of a £1.2 million six-month programme of maintenance to repair three bridges and lighting.

Traffic delays are expected in the area during the morning and evening rush hours until July.

CASH-STRAPPED Derbyshire County Council has come under-fire for spending tens of thousands of pounds on removing hundreds of road signs.

The Tory-led authority plans to spend £70,000 on taking down surplus signs in 2013-14 – with vast amounts having already been spent removing signs in areas including Ashbourne town centre and Hartington.

The council's Labour opposition said it could not understand the large sums of money being spent and argued there were more pressing priorities, such as repairing potholes.

But Councillor Simon Spencer, cabinet member for highways and transport, insisted the work would lead to "less confusion" on the county's roads and lead to long-term savings. He said: "Many signs are lit, costing money. They have to be tested and maintained which all contributes to their cost.

"Signs which clutter the road have been causing problems for road users, as it can be quite challenging to take in all the information, so these need removing. And some signs are out of date."

A cabinet report reveals the council is planning to spend £40,000 on removing signs in the Derbyshire Dales – including on the A6 between Matlock and Cromford – £10,000 in Hatton and Hilton and £20,000 along the A61 near Alfreton.

Labour opposition leader Anne Western said: "How this all adds up to £70,000, I don't know.

"A similar exercise has been taking place in a North Derbyshire village I represent and the cost was relatively small. To say it is going to cost that amount of money and then say it will make savings seems spurious to me. Some signs are illuminated but most are not."

Mike Ashworth, the council's deputy director of environmental services, said: "When you remove hundreds of signs, £70,000 doesn't, in fact, go that far.

"If you want to remove a sign on a priority road, you have to spend money on traffic management. You then have to pay the utility company to disconnect the power supply.

"And new signs are not cheap as they are made from aluminum."

THE removal of road signs became a national political topic recently – when Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin called unnecessary ones "ugly" and "potentially dangerous" blots on the landscape.

Mr McLoughlin, also MP for Derbyshire Dales, told a conference in London: "Near me, in Derbyshire, there's an ugly big sign by a beautiful medieval church that just says: 'No Footpath'.

"It's on a small country lane. Of course there isn't a path. We don't need a huge sign to tell us that. So I'm determined to do more to sort this out.

"Ugly and unnecessary signs clutter up the network. New signs seem to sprout like weeds, without any apparent consideration of what's already there. Often what we're left with is not just a blot on the landscape. It's confusing and potentially dangerous too."

Ridiculous examples spotted in England include signs declaring Sign Not In Use and Lane Closed To Ease Congestion.

AA spokesman Paul Watters backed authorities which remove unnecessary signs. He said: "This is long overdue. There's far too much clutter and it needs tackling."

WORLD Superbike star Leon Haslam endured a frustrating test session as he familiarised himself with his new Pata Honda team in Spain.

The session at Jerez was the last before the teams head to Australia for the opening round at the end of next month.

But Haslam and team-mate Jonathan Rea were able to get little track time as they tried out a new electronics package on the factory-supported machines.

The last opportunity they will get to come to terms with the bikes will be in the week before the first round in Phillip Island on February 23.

The 29-year-old Smalley ace said: "It's been a long, tough couple of days and frustrating in a lot of ways.

"We had some electronics issues and what we thought were engine braking problems.

"They turned out to be a problem with the brakes themselves. In the end, we changed the pads and threw in a random electronics package and I got maybe four or five laps towards the end of the day.

"It's been one problem after another but those last laps showed that the bike is going to be good

"It was a much needed test but ended up as a frustrating one, so I can't wait to get back on it in Australia."

The team have returned to their base in Holland, where the machines will be crated up and flown to Australia this week.

The team's technical coordinator, Pieter Breddels, said the new electronics, based on those used on Honda's MotoGP machinery, had caused a few headaches and that weather conditions had been against them.

"I think the guys did a great job and Jonathan was able to do a lap of 1m41.6s. Leon had some brake issues, which set him back a little, and he was using Jonathan's electronics settings which didn't really work for him," he said.

"The bike is working well, though, and the new components are performing as we want.

"We have some more parts to test, so we could do with more than the four testing days we have remaining before the start of the season but we're in quite good shape for now."

World Supersport racer Sam Lowes, the twin brother of rising British Superbike rider Alex Lowes with whom he shares a house in Derby, has also been testing at Jerez.

He has joined the Yakhnich Yamaha team for the coming season after four years with PTR Honda.

"I'm excited because I can see that the potential of the bike will allow me to try and win next season," he said.

"The team welcomed me in the best way and I felt immediately at home. I'm sure we will have a great season in 2013."

A LEADING councillor says he is surprised social services were not involved in tragic Riley Pettipierre's life.

John Nelson spoke out as it was revealed the outcome of a serious case review sparked by the Belper tot's death has been delayed.

Councillor Nelson, leader of Belper Town Council and Mayor of Amber Valley, was speaking following the manslaughter conviction of the parents of Riley.

The two-year-old died after drinking his drug-addict mother's methadone.

It was revealed in court that drug workers knew Riley's mother, Sally Dent, of Belper, who had been on a methadone prescription from before becoming pregnant, used heroin and crack cocaine.

Mr Nelson said that if officials had known that Riley was living in a household where drugs were taken, then social services should have been informed.

A serious case review, commissioned by Derbyshire's Safeguarding Children's Board, to look at the circumstances leading up to Riley's death, to see if it could have been predicted or prevented, was supposed to be completed this month.

But the safeguarding board has now said the final findings are expected "in the next couple of months".

Mr Nelson said: "The people in social services do not take their job lightly and I am sure, if they had been notified, they would have done something to help the family.

"I think social services should very much be aware of these situations and find out which children are at risk."

But Mr Nelson said his true anger was directed at drug suppliers who got people hooked in the first place.

He added: "I feel sorry for people hooked on those drugs and who cannot get off them. My view is the people who supply the drugs are the criminals and should be the ones who should get sent down.

"It's terrible what drugs do to people. If it hadn't been for the drugs, the child would not have been put in this situation."

A spokeswoman for the safeguarding board, said: "We're keen to ensure the final report and its recommendations take account of all relevant information leading up to Riley's death.

"We also need to look in detail at the information presented to the court which may not have been available prior to the hearing.

"There is, therefore, some further work to do on the final report.

"However, we have not waited for the outcome of the report to change and improve the way we work together to support families like Riley's.

"Our services are now better coordinated."

A MAN has been jailed for five years after police found a loaded sawn-off shotgun in a Derby house.

Aaron Waite pleaded guilty at Derby Crown Court yesterday to possessing a firearm.

The weapon was discovered by officers during a drugs raid at the house in Field Rise, Littleover, on November 9.

No drugs were found but police discovered the loaded gun wrapped in a carrier bag, hidden in a cardboard box.

Waite, 24, of no fixed address, was arrested at the scene.

Inquiries revealed that the gun had been stolen during a burglary at a house in Doncaster in 2008.

The investigation was led by Detective Constable Matt Meyers, of Operation Redshank, a specialist team which tackles gun and gang crime.

He said: "I'm pleased with this sentence as it reflects the serious nature of the crime.

"We may never know what this gun was intended for but the fact that it's now off the streets of Derby can only be a good thing."

BUSINESS leaders warn that HS2 could be in danger of becoming a "white elephant" if a link is not created between Derby and a proposed station at Toton.

Yesterday, the Government announced details of the next phase of the £32 billion high speed rail network – including its preferred route and the location of stations.

The section that affects Derby runs from Birmingham to Leeds and the station serving the East Midlands will be at Toton Sidings, between Derby and Nottingham.

Some have questioned the effectiveness of an "out-of-town" parkway-style station.

In Derby, officials had been hoping that the station would be sited in the city but, instead, ministers opted for Toton, a goods yard close to junction 25 of the M1 and A52 over the border in Nottinghamshire, about 10 miles from Derby.

Now, business leaders and rail industry figures are calling for some kind of link between Derby and Toton, which would make it easier and more attractive for potential HS2 users in Derby.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, a public/private sector organisation which attracts investment to Derby, insists a link to the city is "critical" to HS2's success.

He said: "First of all, we welcome this latest announcement on HS2, which will bring significant benefits to the UK economy. It's really important that it comes through our area and that we have a station in the region.

"However, it is disappointing that the Department for Transport's preferred option is for a station outside of the major cities. We believe that the best economic option was to site the station in Derby. I'd be interested to find out why Derby was overlooked.

"Consultations will now begin and, to my mind, it is absolutely critical that there is some kind of link created between Derby and Toton."

Mr Forkin expects Nottingham to push for its existing tram network to be extended to Toton – and would like to see this link extended to Derby. He said: "If this does not happen there is a very real danger that HS2 could end up being an expensive white elephant. I would like to see a high-speed tram link running from Derby station to Toton. This could also mark the start of a tram network in Derby itself, linking Pride Park and the city centre."

Mr Forkin believes a tram link would also help alleviate existing problems on the road network.

He said: "The whole point of HS2 is to increase connectivity between cities and take cars off the road.

"There is little point in having a station in the middle of nowhere that people have to drive to."

Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum, which represents about 100 businesses involved in the rail industry, has welcomed the Government's HS2 announcement but it, too, believes that options to create a link between Derby and Toton need to be explored.

This could involve a tram or the creation of a rail link using existing "classic lines" that are no longer in use. DDRF spokesman Rupert Brennan-Brown said: "We welcome the announcement on HS2, which will provide significant opportunities for the supply chain, but we are keen to find out more detail about what plans the Department for Transport has in terms of linking up Derby and Nottingham with Toton.

"This could be in the form of a new rail link, which could use some existing routes, which are no longer in use."

But Derby City Council has said it will fight on to bring the station to the city.

Leader of the council Paul Bayliss has said the authority was prepared to pay tens of millions to do so.

He said: "The choice of Toton is very disappointing because we had undertaken a detailed study of the economic benefits to the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area of the two alternative station locations.

"This report was provided to Government and has been available publicly and it shows that the two counties would derive greater benefits from a station at Derby.

"A tram would be entirely pointless because firstly the cost would be absolutely astronomical and the speed the tram goes means that it would take too long to get to Toton to connect with HS2.

"What we would prefer is for the route to go through Derby, meaning the need to build an extra platform at Derby station to facilitate it.

"A report we commissioned shows the economic benefit for Derby would be £440 million, compared to £300 million at Toton and £410 million at Nottingham.

"Our argument is that the money could be partly funded by the £32bn total cost of the HS2 project the Government has said it will cost, with us having to put some money in ourselves for on-site car parking or a park and ride scheme.

"We would be prepared to do this, to find that money, because the economic benefit is so huge for the city."

Adam Wilkinson, city chief executive, said: "We will be responding to Government on the basis that Derby would be a better location for a station serving the East Midlands and we will be submitting further information that will evidence such."

A spokeswoman for East Midlands Airport – which will see the line pass underneath in a tunnel – said it supported major transport investment but added: "We will clearly need to digest the announcement and we will then work closely with HS2 to understand the implications for East Midlands Airport in more detail."

HS2 would free up capacity on the Midland Main Line, which has already been earmarked for £500 million of government investment, to fully electrify the line.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin – also MP for Derbyshire Dales – said: "It's not just about journey times, it is also about capacity. We are finding the railways are overcrowded. We've seen massive growth in rail passenger numbers, so this is taking HS2 so it serves the north."

According to George Cowcher, chief executive of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, HS2 could unlock economic benefits of around £3.8 billion for the region. He said: "Around 55% of local firms are firmly behind bringing high speed tail to the East Midlands.

"This is not just about faster train times between Derby, Nottingham and London – it's also about connecting the East Midlands to a first-class UK and Europe-wide rail network and the opportunities that brings to local firms, as well as making the region an extremely attractive place for inward investment.

"High-speed rail will bring all the regions of Britain closer together and create the capacity our businesses need to invest with confidence, expand and compete on a global scale."

Mr Cowcher agreed that a solution needed to be found to connect Derby and Nottingham with HS2.

Justice Minister Christopher Grayling visited Stanton-by-Dale yesterday to put his support behind HS2.

He joined Erewash MP Jessica Lee at Stanton Bonna, which, among other items, manufactures concrete railway sleepers, including winning a £20 million contract to supply the London to Kent Channel Tunnel Rail link.

Mr Grayling said: "HS2 will be, I hope, fantastic news for the economy and the creation of jobs in the East Midlands.

"We have to go through all of the due processes but hope, if the Bill is approved, to get working straight away on tendering processes for various elements of the project which could see business in the region benefit."

Peter Richardson, chairman of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, which covers Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, said HS2 was "crucial" to the region.

Mr Richardson, who is also chairman of the Derby Renaissance Board, which oversees the city's regeneration, said: "One of the most crucial factors in enabling business growth is the quality of the country's infrastructure, yet for too long, the UK has struggled with dated, over-burdened rail services whilst its competitors in Europe and elsewhere have invested in 21st-century high-speed rail.

"In order for local businesses to develop and grow, they need to be connected to a rail network that not only brings London and the regions closer together but also creates the additional capacity we need to compete.

"I'm delighted the DfT has finally confirmed its plans."

BUSINESS leaders have demanded that the Government invests in a tram link to the proposed location of a station on the High Speed 2 rail route, warning that the project could fall flat if there is no Derby connection.

But leading city council figures are still hopeful of seeing the HS2 station sited in Derby and said that they would try to find money to help make that possible.

Yesterday, ministers announced that Toton Sidings, near the M1, would be the location for an East Midlands station on HS2, a high speed rail line which is capable of carrying trains travelling at up to 225mph.

But critics in Derby have warned that the project could be an "expensive white elephant" if there is no link to Toton.

While welcoming the scheme, John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said it was "critical" the city had a tram link to the HS2 station. He said: "If a link was not created then HS2 could cause even greater problems on the roads."

Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum, which represents rail companies in the region, said that ministers should now explore ways to connect Toton to both Derby and Nottingham.

Meanwhile, there was concern the announced rail route puts 6,000 jobs at risk.

NIGEL Clough believes the spirit in the Derby County camp will help the team emerge from a stuttering spell.

Derby have won only one of their last six Championship matches and have slipped back into the bottom half of the table.

They also crashed out of the FA Cup on Saturday, losing 3-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers, and a number of the players are suffering a dip in form, including midfielders Will Hughes and Paul Coutts.

Clough has on a number of occasions this season praised the togetherness of his small squad and feels that could be a key factor in the coming weeks.

"This is the time the team spirit really matters," said the manager.

"It is OK having a great team spirit when you are winning, playing well and scoring goals.

"But this is where it will be tested and I think we will come through with flying colours."

Hughes, at only 17, and Coutts, the summer signing from Preston, have missed just one game between them this season but have been below-par in the last two games.

Injuries are also playing a part.

Jamie Ward is easing his way back after being out for more than three months with hamstring trouble and midfielder Craig Bryson has being ploughing on with a knee injury.

Mark O'Brien, who had been out for a year with a serious knee injury, was drafted in when central defender Jake Buxton was injured last month.

Clough admits he is concerned about the dip in form of some of the players.

"We have felt that in the last two or three weeks," he said. "Some are not playing as well as they were and some are getting niggles.

"But we have no doubts at all about the character and the ability of the players and it is important now that everyone looks after each other."