Home delight again for the Rams as they make it four on bounce
DERBY County made it four home wins in a row with a 2-0 Championship defeat of Huddersfield Town at Pride Park Stadium.
A first goal for the Rams for central defender George Edmundson after 22 minutes set them on their way and Martyn Waghorn left too much ground for the Terriers to make up when he added a second 20 minutes into the second half.
To make their night worse, Huddersfield finished it down to 10 men when substitute Jaden Brown picked up two very quick yellow cards.
Derby made two changes to the team that lost at Watford on Friday night.
Defender Matt Clarke returned after a hip injury and striker Lee Gregory came in. Out went Waghorn and Patrick Roberts.
Only five loan signings can be named in a match-day squad and with Clarke, Gregory, Roberts, Edmundson and Teden Mengi in the 20, midfielder Beni Baningime missed out.
Derby went into the game having won their previous three home fixtures, beating Bournemouth, Bristol City and Middlesbrough.
Huddersfield arrived at Pride Park Stadium lifted by a 4-1 victory over Swansea City at the weekend in which former Rams midfielder Duane Holmes scored twice. Holmes lined up against the Rams, as did former Derby skipper and twice the club’s player of the year, Richard Keogh.
Derby opted for three at the back in Edmundson, Wisdom and Clarke, with Nathan Byrne and Lee Buchanan as wing-backs. The shape was 3-4-1-2 or a 3-5-2, depending on Jason Knight’s position in and out of possession.
When Derby had possession, Knight was the most advanced of the midfielders playing just behind Colin Kazim-richards and Gregory.
Huddersfield started confidently and forced a save from David Marshall in the opening minutes. Pipa beat Buchanan in the area and pulled the ball back to Fraizer Campbell, whose effort was tipped over by the keeper.
But the Rams went ahead after 22 minutes.
Their corners had already given Huddersfield problems and when Byrne whipped in another, Campbell did well to clear off the line.
But the ball was soon back with Byrne, who crossed and Edmundson’s determination saw him head in for his first goal in a Derby shirt.
Edmundson has added to Derby’s considerable threat at set-plays. Taking the lead boosted the Rams and seemed to knock the visitors’ confidence.
Knight and Graeme Shinnie began to drive through the middle of the pitch and when Shinnie was brought down 22 yards from goal, Kazimrichards drilled the free kick straight at the keeper.
Derby made two changes at the
break, Jozwiak and Waghorn replacing Edmundson and Gregory.
The Rams reverted to a back four, with Jozwiak and Waghorn wide in more of a 4-2-3-1.
Huddersfield started the second half on the front foot and had 67% possssion at one stage, but it was the Rams who doubled their lead after 65 minutes.
Kazim-richards dropped deep, received the ball and split Huddersfield’s backline with a raking pass to release Waghorn. He moved forward before planting a confident finish past Ryan Schofield.
It was Waghorn’s third goal of the season, but his first from open play and his first since October.
Huddersfield substitute Brown was sent off a minute from the end of normal time after picking up his second yellow card for a foul on Knight. Brown had only been on the pitch for 14 minutes.
Waghorn stung the palms of Schofield from the free kick before the final whistle brought a deserved win.