It’s such a perfect day as Rams can mark revival with emotional victory
SUPER STRIKE FROM HOURIHANE FINALLY BREAKS DOWN SOLID OXFORD RESISTANCE
A WONDERFUL goal from Conor Hourihane ensured Derby County kickstarted their League One season with a win as they overcame Oxford United at Pride Park.
The Republic of Ireland international curled a terrific finish beyond the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Simon Eastwood, to his right, after smart work by substitute Louie Sibley 10 minutes from time.
Pride Park erupted after the midfielder’s winner, which ensured the David Clowes era began in style with more than 31,000 fans in attendance.
Fielding seven new signings, Derby had a scare in the first half when Billy Bodin lobbed a shot wide but the Rams responded when Eastwood denied Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
Derby had the better chances after the break, with James Collins’ volley being cleared off the line by Cameron Brannagan.
But it was left to Hourihane to find the breakthrough after Sibley had capitalised on a poor pass from Stuart Findlay, who had attempted to play out from the back.
Here are some of the big talking points from the weekend:
A PERFECT DAY
There was a moment before kickoff when, accompanied by some powerful music, you could feel the emotion engulf Pride Park.
“We are back, we are Derby,” cried stadium announcer Matt McGibbon to the fans who, a little over a month ago, had seen their club taken to the precipice of financial ruin.
Everywhere you looked there was no shortage of passion or love gushing from the terraces as Derby fans bellowed from their hymn sheets to create a crackling atmosphere.
They serenaded David Clowes, the new owner, who would have enjoyed seeing the club he loves now free of the anxiety caused by spending nine months in administration.
He may have had to sacrifice a season ticket in the north stand for a seat in the boardroom but by rescuing Derby he has left them reinvigorated, refreshed and relishing a new era under his leadership. The fans will be eternally grateful to him for ending one of the most traumatic periods in the club’s history – let’s not forget there have been a few contenders – and Saturday was as much about celebration as it was the game itself.
Indeed, you got the feeling that no matter what the result, Derby already felt like winners before a ball was even kicked.
The fact that Liam Rosenior’s team secured a 1-0 victory capped off a perfect day that will live long in the memory and proved Derby are very much alive and kicking.
You got the feeling that no matter what the result, Derby already felt like winners before a ball was kicked. Leigh Curtis
BIRD FINALLY FREED
Oxford’s Marcus Browne manmarked Max Bird so closely in this contest you wondered whether he would end up following him home.
There was clearly a game plan designed to stifle his influence in midfield by tracking Bird’s every
movement which left him little space in which to operate, particularly in the first half.
Oxford manager Karl Robinson had certainly done his homework on the gifted 21-year-old, having recognised him as the man who so often makes Derby tick.
But good players find a way and even though Browne ended up walloping him into the air in the second half, Bird began to find more freedom the longer the game wore on.
He has forged a reputation as a classy operator, which is understandable, given a series of excellent performances.
The price he will pay as a result is that he will be singled out for special attention.
This will not be the first or last game he will be subjected to manmarking treatment, which might be a considerable source of frustration to a player who loves to dictate the tempo.
But the reality is that he should regard it as a compliment to his ability.
HOURIHANE’S WAND
You may not be aware of this, but Conor Hourihane has scored 33 goals from outside the box since he first graced the Football League in the 2011-12 season.
Since then, there has not been any other player across all four divisions who can boast such a record, which underlines the quality he possesses in that wand of a left foot.
Like Bird, he too found it hard to find space against an Oxford midfield that went man for man.
But as their legs grew tired, so did their minds.
And for players who are as clever as Hourihane, he only needs that one moment to punish you, which is exactly how it panned out.
Louie Sibley deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the work in the build-up after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing capitalised on a poor pass from Oxford defender Stuart Findlay.
And once Hourihane was given the time to lift his head on the edge of the box, you invariably knew where the ball would end up .
It was a lovely finish too. He didn’t thrash at it, as he opted for precision over pace.
It was a terrific goal and the celebration which followed was not too shabby either.
SIBLEY’S IMPACT
There were a lot of good performances at the weekend in what was a solid victory.
Curtis Davies and Eiran Cashin were magnificent at the back and Jason Knight was superb at fullback, even though it is not his natural position.
Mendez-Laing was a real handful, while James Collins, who could have scored had it not been for a dramatic goal-line clearance, occupied two commanding centre-backs.
But we should also note the impact of Sibley, who did a wonderful job having leapt off the bench to replace Korey Smith on the hourmark.
Sibley is fighting hard to claim a regular place in a Derby team that has significantly boosted its attacking options in the summer but he did his cause no harm at all.
He was bright, he was lively and grabbed an assist.
All you want when you make a substitution is for them to affect the game and Sibley did just that.
It was an excellent half-hour cameo and will certainly give interim boss Liam Rosenior plenty of food for thought.