Marrio brace downs Leeds to put Lampard’s Derby in play-off final

LONDON: Jack Marriott scored twice as he started and finished a dramatic revival that saw Derby County beat Leeds United 4-2 on Wednesday to complete a 4-3 aggregate comeback win and reach the English Championship play-off final.

Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard is now one game away from taking the Rams back into the lucrative Premier League in his first season as a manager, with Aston Villa their opponents at Wembley on May 27.

Leeds, already 1-0 up from the first leg, scored first in front of their own fans at Elland Road on Wednesday.

But Marriott’s first goal seconds before half-time got the Rams back into contention and he settled a match which ended with both sides down to 10 men by scoring again five minutes from full-time.

Derby’s victory was all the more impressive given Lampard’s sixthplaced side had only just scraped into the playoffs.

“I said to the lads that everyone had written us off. We needed the lads to show bravery on the ball and they did,” Lampard told Sky Sports. goalkeeper Kiko Casilla moments

“We have to enjoy the moment but a er coming on. now prepare for Aston Villa, but we’ll They drew level on aggregate be underdogs again.” straight a er the break when Harry

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa, Wilson played in Mason Mount, who speaking via a translator, was cut inside from the left and beat left regretting his side’s failure to Casilla. make the most of their first-half Derby then went ahead in the tie dominance. for the first time in the 58th minute

“We should have made a bigger when Cooper needlessly conceded a difference in the first half,” he said. penalty following a pull on Mason

Leeds were a man down 12 minutes Bennett in the area, with Wilson from time when Gaetano Berardi scoring from the spot. was sent off, with veteran Argentine Derby’s 3-2 aggregate lead did manager Bielsa adding this had made not last long, however, with Dallas the game “unbalanced”. scoring his second goal of the game

Wednesday’s match between two when he struck a precise shot into of English football’s leading clubs the far corner. of the early 1970s came a er Leeds’ Leeds were reduced to 10 men defeat of Derby in January was when Berardi’s reckless two-footed overshadowed by the ‘spygate’ affair challenge on Marrio saw him sent off.thatsawBielsaadmithehadsent a staff member to ‘spy’ on a Rams Derby’s winner arrived in the training session before the game. 85th minute when Marrio charged

Leeds took a 24th-minute lead on through on goal and dinked over the night through Stuart Dallas a er Casilla just before the keeper could Kalvin Phillips’ free-kick hit a post. get to the ball.

Derby though scored just before Sco Malone was then sent off in half-time when substitute Marrio stoppage time but his exit did not capitalised on a mix-up between allow Leeds to snatch a late leveller. Leeds defender Liam Cooper and - AFP