SILENCE OF THE RAMS...
Derby kids have no reply to historic Magpies
WHEN is a shock not a shock?
When an exper ienced non-league team of former EFL players beat a side of kids representing a Championship club.
This truly was men against boys as Chorley dominated Derby’s young Rams to achieve an FA Cup upset – on paper at least.
But take nothing away from giant-killing Chorley and it is not their fault that Derby boss Wayne Rooney and his entire first-team squad were sidelined because they are self-isolating.
They could only beat what was in front of them and they did a professional job on Derby’s youngsters to make it a hat-trick of EFL scalps from their historic cup run.
Jamie Vermiglio’s side thoroughly deserve to be progressing to the fourth round for the first time in their 138-year history.
They played to their strengths as they used their greater experience, physicality and aerial prowess to make this the one-sided contest it might have been in reverse if Rooney and Co had played.
Mike Calveley, scorer of the Magpies’ second, said: “We knew we could dominate them because they will never have played as physically strong a side as us.
“They started well, but we soon got into the game. We are all absolutely buzzing. We could never have thought that this club would get to the fourth round of the FA Cup. It’s amazing, unbelievable.”
Regardless of the respective teams, the history books will record this win as the greatest in Chorley’s history and there are 83 places between the National League North side and Derby.
The game had the strange feel of an EFL Trophy tie because of Derby’s mixture of Under-23s and Under-18s and Pat Lyons’ side only trained together for the first time on Wednesday.
Vermiglio’s team had six players with EFL experience, while winger Ollie Shenton had played for Stoke in the Premier League. Former Southend midfielder Isaac Hutchinson was the only one of Derby’s side to have played in the EFL and six of their starting line-up were U-18s.
Vermiglio’s day job is as a primar y headteacher in Warrington and he must have felt right at home against Derby’s young charges.
The Chorley legend knew his side could use their physicality to threaten from set-pieces and they took the lead on 10 minutes.
Ex- Grimsby forward Harry Cardwell nodded Will Tomlinson’s corner towards goal, skipper Scott Leather got a touch and Connor Hall helped it into the net.
Derby did have England U-20 striker and former Liverpool starlet Bobby Duncan leading their line, but he barely had a sniff.
The visitors improved in the second half, but the one-way traffic continued as Chorley kept on pushing for a second.
That came six minutes from time when Calveley slid in to convert Elliot Newby’s cross with his right foot.
Vermiglio said: “I’m really proud of them and pleased for the players who’ve put in so much effort.
“For a team who were bottom of the National League North after four games with zero points to get to round four is just unbelievable.
“When we were drawn against Derby, the connection with Rooney was the big thing for me. He’s an England legend and someone who grew up in Liverpool. I wanted to compete against him, but I would swap all of that for getting through to the fourth round proper.” CHORLEY: Urwin 7, Birch 6, Leather 6, Halls 6 (Henley 71, 6), Baines 6, Newby 7, Calveley 7, Tomlinson 7, Shenton 7 (Smith 78), Cardwell 7, Hall 8 (Reilly 80). Unused subs: Miller, Putnam, Malakai, Roberts, Marah. DERBY COUNTY: Yates 6, Bardell 5 (Cybulski 73, 5), Jinkinson 5, Bateman 5, Williams 6, Solomon 5, L Thompson 6 (Ibrahim 85, 5), Aghatise 5 (Ebosele 64, 5), Hutchinson 7, Cresswell 5, Duncan 6. Unused subs: Sykes-kenworthy, S Thompson, Rogers, Rutt, Christie. MAN OF THE MATCH: Connor Hall. The striker was a real threat and continued his hot scoring run in the Cup. REFEREE: Kevin Friend 7.