There was hostility in the stands, but respect in the dugout after Middlesbrough comfortably saw off Derby to move into the Championship play-off spots.
Bad blood between the two sets of supporters stems from the threat Boro owner Steve Gibson held over Derby for a potential loss of millions of pounds, while Mel Morris was trying to bankroll a Premier League charge.
With that hanging over them, no prospective owners have been able to take over the beleaguered Pride Park club, operating with a 21-point deduction this season.
It has been a baptism of fire for Wayne Rooney as a manager, but he has earned the respect of Boro counterpart Chris Wilder — a veteran of two decades in the job.