‘Must-win’ game but no points for Roo’s Rams
MISERABLE NIGHT AT DEEPDALE AS RELEGATION FEARS INCREASE
DERBY County lost what manager Wayne Rooney described as a mustwin game to leave themselves deep in relegation trouble.
The 3-0 defeat at the hands of Preston North End at Deepdale last night means the Rams are one place and four points above the Championship drop zone but Rotherham United, who are third bottom, have three games in hand.
Rotherham play Middlesbrough at home tonight and Derby need others to do them a big favour if they are to survive the drop.
Rooney made two changes to the Rams team for last night’s game.
In came midfielder Jason Knight and striker, and top scorer, Colin Kazim-Richards.
Out went Louie Sibley and Polish winger Kamil Jozwiak, who picked up a knock in training.
Martyn Waghorn and George Edmundson returned to the matchday squad after injury and they were among the substitutes.
North End’s interim head coach Frankie McAvoy made one change, Liam Lindsay was recalled and Emil Riis, the former Rams Academy striker, dropped to the bench.
The home side went into the game in 17th on 49 points. They had won one, drawn two and lost one of their previous four games. The defeat was 5-0 at home to Brentford and they had won only one of their last nine games.
Derby enjoyed good possession in the opening minutes but North End had the first sight of goal when skipper Alan Browne hooked the ball over his shoulder from a Tom Barkhuizen long throw and dragged his shot wide.
But North End took the lead after 18 minutes. Barkhuizen fed Browne down the right and he lifted a cross into the box where Ben Whiteman ran in and headed high past David Marshall from 10 yards.
Derby conceded two goals in their defeat at Blackburn Rovers on Friday and this was another soft goal conceded, which is not helping their cause.
Tom Lawrence thought he had equalised a few minutes later only to see the assistant’s flag raised for offside against the Welsh international and Derby were forced to make a change when Andre Wisdom went down injured and was replaced by Edmundson, who is just back from a hernia operation. Edmundson went to centre-back alongside Matt Clarke but it was North End who threatened again when Browne surged into the area and headed over.
North End had far less possession in the first half but their play contained greater purpose and determination.
Too many Derby players wanted too many touches, slowing play down and allowing the home side to fall into defensive shape. It was a worringly tepid 45 minutes from the Rams.
Derby made two changes for the second half, it could have been more after such a display. Waghorn and Lee Buchanan came on for Knight and Craig Forsyth, and it needed an important block from Clarke to deny Ched Evans as the striker’s shot was on target.
There was more urgency about Derby after the break. Waghorn saw an effort charged down before Edmundson’s rising drive brought a fantastic save from Daniel Iversen, who turned the ball over.
Edmundson offered the Rams greater presence and threat at corners, while Clarke whipped an effort narrowly wide.
Derby had finally started to ask questions of North End but there was a warning when Barkhuizen found himself in space in the Rams penalty area and Marshall made a smart save.
The warning was not heeded and the home side doubled their lead after 73 minutes. Barkhuizen’s ball in from the left found substituite Brad Potts in the box, his cross was pushed out by Marshall but only to Ched Evans, who slammed the ball into the net.
Lawrence’s curling shot was punched away by Iversen but Derby have not come from behind to win a game all season and so the odds were always stacked against that happening.
Indeed, it got worse as Ryan Ledson scored North End’s third goal two minutes from time to put the lid on a miserable night for the Rams.