Waghorn leads a fightback for battering Rams
FRANK LAMPARD’s Derby fought back from two goals down to stun Southampton and take this replay into extra-time.
Goals from Stuart Armstrong and Nathan Redmond were cancelled out by a Harry Wilson free-kick and a late Martyn Waghorn header.
Derby had knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup earlier in the season as Lampard handed his old manager Jose Mourinho a bloody nose, and then gave his old club Chelsea a major scare before bowing out of that competition.
And in the first game between these two sides, Lampard’s team also fought back from two goals down to earn last night’s replay. But they went into the game having won only one of their past seven matches – even though they are lying sixth in the Championship.
Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, his team fresh from a crucial relegation win at Leicester, made five changes – but it was still a strong team. Lampard himself made six changes.
At a half-empty St Mary’s, Saints, who had won only one game at home all season, started the better, as Jack Stephens headed over from James WardProwse’s corner.
Derby were neat and purposeful, with Mason Mount cool and collected in midfield, but Saints should have taken the lead when Tyreke Johnson crossed and Shane Long raced in to volley first time – only for Rams keeper Kelle Roos to pull off a brilliant pointblank save.
Irishman Long had netted his first goal in nine months at Leicester at the weekend – but that kind of finishing showed just why the goals have been so few and far between for the striker.
Then Mount shot wastefully over after another nifty close passing Derby move – and it was clear that Saints were going to have a battle on their hands.
Derby thought they had bagged the opening goal, when Wilson and Waghorn combined to cleverly set up Craig Bryson to stroke the ball home – only for referee Anthony Taylor to consult VAR and rule that Waghorn was fractionally offside by the tightest of margins – by about a toe’s length. Armstrong then lashed a 25-yard drive just over the bar as Southampton tried to assert themselves after the break.
Chelsea loanee Mount, impressive throughout, then strode through the Saints midfield to drive his shot just wide of Angus Gunn’s post.
Saints were trying to crank up the pressure, but the Premier League side were not finding it easy.
One lovely turn from Mount left his marker nowhere, but the youngster hit his shot straight at Gunn.
A touch of real class though from half-time substitute Redmond almost undid Derby, as the winger stepped inside and curled in a drive that Roos did well to turn round the post. And finally, the breakthrough came. Mohamed Elyounoussi got past his man on the right and crossed, Long saw his header brilliantly cleared off the line by Scott Malone but Armstrong nodded in the loose ball. Two minutes later it was two, as Redmond raced onto a long pass from Stephens and chipped the ball over the onrushing Roos.
But six minutes later Derby were back in it – as Wilson’s whipped free-kick left Gunn standing.
With eight minutes to go another Wilson free-kick was headed in by Waghorn to seal Derby’s fightback and take the match into extra-time.
SOUTHAMPTON (3-4-1-2): Gunn; Ramsay, Stephens, Vestergaard; Soares, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Johnson (Redmond 46); Elyounoussi; Armstrong (Slattery 90), Long (Gallagher 72). Booked: Cedric, Johnson. Goals: Armstrong 68, Redmond 70.
DERBY (4-3-3): Roos; Bogle (Holmes 94), Keogh, Tomori, Malone; Bryson, Huddlestone (Lawrence 80), Mount; Waghorn, Marriott (Nugent 76), Wilson (Bennett 102). Goals: Wilson 76, Waghorn 82.
Referee: A Taylor (Cheshire).