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"Burnley came out strongly in the second half and really got at us. What we needed to do was sit tight and weather the storm, but we didn't have chance to do that with the red card.
"In the heat as well we had to chase the game, so it was not ideal for us and we have to pick ourselves up from this, recover and get ready for Norwich on Bank Holiday Monday."
Clough was otherwise pleased with the way his team played. "We played the ball around well and created quite a few chances, which we should have taken," he said. "I suppose that is the biggest frustration, that we weren't further ahead at half time.
"It was a bit like the games against Norwich and Reading before Christmas when we played well and got nothing for it. This has to be a major change for us next season where we get something from these games."
Eddie Howe saw it very much as a game of two halves as Burnley continued their habit of coming from behind to win. He also had some very special words for Chris McCann who was starting a game for the first time since January last year.
Talking about McCann, he said: "It's a fantastic story for Chris and it was a superb all-round performance, especially for someone who has been out for so long. He's had four reserve games and we felt that was enough and that he was ready, and he proved he was.
"The big decision for me was when to put him back in. He played against Accrington in the reserves in midweek and I thought he put in four or five similar tackles in that game. That, to me, was a sign that he was ready to return and the biggest compliment you can give him is that nobody would know he had been out injured for so long.
"The character and determination to come back from that is huge and he has shown that hunger and desire to get back on the pitch as soon as he can.
"It's a testament to how he has looked after himself and how the physio has looked after him too. I was trying to protect him at the end by substituting him but I think he could have gone on."
Speaking about the game and Burnley's performance, he said: "It was the old game of two halves. Derby looked a threat every time they went forward and then in the second half everything clicked into gear.
"Even before they went down to 10 men I thought we were terrific. We were cutting them open and putting balls into their box. It was a complete turnaround because in the first half, although we were good with the ball, we were below average without it.
"We looked vulnerable, particularly early on and I wanted to get the lads in at half time and address a few things. We looked shaky every time they went forward and I didn't feel confident we were going to deal with it.
"We will try to assess the negatives, but I prefer to look at the positives and in the second half that is as good as we've played. We looked like a side that is chasing something and fighting for it."