Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GOALDEN BENNETT
Supersub’s wonder goal keeps Lamp’s season alive and kicking
MASON BENNETT scored an incredible back-flick volley to spark a Derby fightback.
Substitute Bennett had only been on the pitch for five minutes in the second half when he produced an outrageous moment of magic to bring the Rams back into the game.
Scott Malone grabbed their winner with 12 minutes to go as Frank Lampard’s side ended a run of four successive defeats.
The Chelsea legend and Pride Park were subdued when Wigan’s Gavin Massey broke the deadlock in the 25th minute.
And if the rookie boss had expected an immediate response to his team’s 4-0 thrashing at Aston Villa, he did not get it. He made six changes, dropping veteran Ashley Cole to the bench, but their confidence appeared low.
But Derby stuck at it and levelled in the 62nd minute when Bennett audaciously flicked in his second goal of the season with a looping leftfoot effort from Malone’s cross.
Then Malone, who had been at fault for Wigan’s opener, stabbed in from five yards from Jayden Bogle’s cross-shot. Lampard (left) recalled top scorer Harry Wilson, who had an early chance when striker Jack Marriott laid off Malone’s smart pass in the fifth minute.
But the on-loan Liverpool starlet sliced a left-foot finish high and wide and has not scored now for nine matches.
Wigan keeper Jamie Jones was called into action in the ninth minute to keep a Bradley Johnson effort out at the back post from Wilson’s delivery.
But the hosts soon lost their way with their fragile self-belief all too evident.
Malone made a naive mistake with an attempted cross-field pass to Wilson after his corner was cleared. Michael Jacobs cut the ball out then raced into the Derby half before finding Massey, who scored with a low rightfoot finish under Scott Carson.
Wigan almost doubled their lead soon after, but Leon Clarke headed Nathan Byrne’s cross wide.
Bennett’s amazing equaliser transformed the Rams, who piled forward looking for a winner and they were rewarded when Malone poked in Bogle’s cross after clever work from Wilson.