DERBY County manager Nigel Clough has set Steve Davies a challenge – to win a regular starting place.

Davies made an immediate impact as a second-half substitute in Saturday's 3-1 victory over League One club Exeter City at St James' Park.

He put Derby back in front within six minutes of the restart and, five minutes later, the 21-year-old set up Paul Green for his second goal of the game.

Davies' display impressed Clough, who wants to see the player push on this season.

"He made an impact straight away and he has done that a couple of times in pre-season," said Clough.

"The next challenge for him now is to do that from the start, because he has all the ability and attributes to be a Championship-and-above player but he has got to start putting 90 minutes together week in, week out.

"If he does that, he will be getting a starting shirt rather than coming off the bench.

"He has showed quite a few good things this pre-season but has also had one or two niggles, which has meant him missing a few days.

"But we are looking for 46 to 50 games out of him this season and that is something he hasn't done for some while."

Davies' time at Derby since signing from Tranmere Rovers a year ago has been blighted by injury.

He has suffered a fractured eye socket and cheekbone, needed a hernia operation, has been sidelined with a groin strain and then an infected big toe before he broke a metatarsal in his right foot towards the end of last season.

The injuries have restricted the forward to just 11 starts for the Rams.

He is hoping his injury misery is now at an end and showed after replacing Lee Croft at Exeter what he is capable of delivering.

Davies played 152 minutes of the three matches during the Rams' tour of the south-west.

He came off the bench to hit both goals in the victory at Yeovil and started the goalless draw against Torquay United.

Croft took a knock on the knee at Exeter and was taken off as a precaution.

"His knee stiffened up at half-time and with two weeks to go to the start of the season, there is no point in taking any chances with him," said Clough.

"Once again, he got in some good positions and could have scored in the first half.

"He doesn't need too many more games between now and Peterborough."

Striker Chris Porter returned to action in the final match of the tour against Exeter after a slight recurrance of the hip injury that troubled him last season.

He played for just over an hour.

"It's nice to have him back in the team," said Clough, who looks likely to be without injured striker Rob Hulse at the start of the Championship campaign.

Clough added: "It is difficult for Chris because he has been out for a while but it will be good mentally for him to get through that hour with no problem from his hip."

Derby will talk to Arsenal about whether or not they will take young midfielder Mark Randall on a long-term loan. The 19-year-old joined the Rams on tour and started against Yeovil and Exeter.