ROBBIE Savage says the Derby County players should take the blame for the club's "embarrassing" FA Cup defeat at non-League Crawley Town – and not manager Nigel Clough.

The Rams lost their third round tie 2-1 at Broadfield Stadium on Monday.

Club captain Savage is making no excuses for Derby's performance that night.

"It was an embarrassing performance," said the veteran midfielder.

"It's OK saying the right things before the game but after you cross that white line, it's all down to the players.

"As captain of that team, I looked around and thought we had enough good players in there to beat Crawley.

"It's one thing talking a good game but it's all about going out there and delivering on the pitch when it matters. We didn't do that and it was not good enough.

"It's all right saying we want to put it right against Watford this weekend but talk is cheap – we need to deliver when it counts and we haven't done that recently.

"The fans who travelled down deserve their money back, because it was an inept performance and it still hurts now.

"I was very critical of some fans after the Millwall game, saying booing is not going to help.

"But to give the 500-odd fans who travelled to Crawley credit, they got right behind us all the way through the game.

"And I haven't got a problem with them booing us after that performance, because it wasn't good enough.

"As captain, I apologise."

Craig McAllister gave Crawley a 30th-minute lead when Derby failed to clear Michel Kuipers' long goal kick.

Miles Addison levelled for the Rams after the break but Sergio Torres' stoppage-time strike, from Dean Howell's scuffed corner kick, won it for the Blue Square Bet Premier side.

Savage added: "The manager blames himself but it's not his fault. It's down to the players who cross that white line.

"You can't legislate for a 90-yard punt from the goalie and then two missed tackles, as there were for their first goal.

"And you can't legislate for letting somebody have a free shot in the box in the 91st minute of the match.

"It is individual errors from the players that are costing us again."

Savage believes the outcome of the tie could have been different had Kris Commons' 10th-minute penalty not been saved by Kuipers.

"The missed penalty had a big bearing on the match," said the 36-year-old.

"It's not Commo's fault – he struck it and the keeper's saved it – but if that had gone in, it would have been a different game.

"They would have been deflated, the crowd is silenced and we're 1-0 up. From there, we would have expected to come through that."

Crawley striker Matt Tubbs was lucky to escape a red card for a rash challenge on Savage shortly before half-time.

"I'm not going to have a go at the kid Tubbs for the tackle, although it was a very, very bad one," he said.

"I'm more annoyed with the referee for missing it – he was two yards away!

"Tubbs apologised to me and I accepted it and got on with the game, although I might not have done if he had broken my leg, which he easily could have done.

"I knew Crawley were going to be physical and get stuck in. There was always going to be tackles flying in all over the place.

"That is what's going to happen in a cup tie and you have to be big and strong. On the night, I don't think we were.

"I said before the Crawley game that we would need to treat them with respect and we did – but we weren't good enough.

"On that night, they dealt with conditions better and got the result."

Savage revealed this week that he is considering an offer to join MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps before the end of the England season, after which his contract at Derby expires.

He added: "One of the most disappointing things for me is that the Crawley game could be my last ever FA Cup tie – and what a way to go out."