CONOR KICKS RAMS BUTTS
Derby hit rock bottom
CONOR CHAPLIN made keeper David Marshall look a right Charlie as goal-shy Derby slumped to the foot of the table.
The 35-year-old’s poor clearance on half an hour was intercepted by Chaplin who took a touch before sweeping a shot past the backpedalling Scot who dived past the ball. Sub Victor Adeboyejo then sealed Barnsley’s victory, scoring his first-ever Championship goal on 83rd minutes with a stunning curler.
It’s all happening off the pitch for the Rams with Derventio Holdings’ takeover imminent and the club’s leading figures self- isolating at home after chief executive Stephen Pearce tested positive for Covid.
But on it, this was another horror story for a team who have forgotten how to win at Pride Park. That’s now eight without a victory at home and this term, they’ve found the net just once in nine hours.
Under-fire Phillip Cocu was one of those forced to stay away. Whether the Dutchman will be back in the dug-out after this latest shocker must be in grave doubt.
“That performance summed up our season,” said coach Liam Rosenior
“In terms of spirit and energy, we matched them early on but when you’re low on confidence, sometimes the quality isn’t there.
“Everyone has to look at his own input because we are not doing this great football club justice.
“This is hurting the manager just as it’s hurting all of us.”
Derby certainly had opportunities early on. Wayne Rooney was denied a tap-in by Michal Helik, while Tom Lawrence had two chances in a minute. Played in by Nathan Byrne, Lawrence cut inside only for Jack Walton to push away his effort.
And the Barnsley keeper was his nemesis moments later, when Lawrence’s shot crashed into his midriff. The visitors could have taken the lead in the fourth minute but Dominik Frieser couldn’t find a way past Marshall.
If the Scot was Derby’s saviour on that occasion, his luck was out when Chaplin Ch li punished i h d his hi clanger l with his second goal in four games.
And Chaplin could have stretched the visitors’ lead on the stroke of half-time with a 30-yard free-kick which had Marshall scampering across his line.
In the second half, Martyn Waghorn was off target with a setpiece, Lee Buchanan hit the sidenetting i and dL Lawrence shot inches wide. But with Rooney exerting little influence it was another rank, blank afternoon for rock-bottom Derby.
“That was a big win,” said Tykes boss Valerien Ismael, who has won three of four games in charge.
“We played out a perfect gameplan. It’s been a dream start for me.”
DERBY: Marshall 5; Davies 5, Bielik 6, Clarke 5 (Jozwiak 45, 6); Byrne 7, Shinnie 6 (Sibley 58, 6), Knight 5, Buchanan 6; Waghorn 5, Rooney 5, Lawrence 6 (Kazim-Richards 79, 6). Unused subs: Roos, Wisdom, Bird, Holmes.
Walton 8; Sollbauer 6, Helik 7, Andersen 6, Brittain 7; Mowatt 7, James 6 (Kane 60, 5), Styles 6; Chaplin 7, Woodrow 7 (Halme 90), Frieser 6 (Adeboyejo 77).
Unused subs: Collins, Thomas, Schmidt, Oduor
MAN OF THE MATCH: Jack Walton. A tale of two keeper with Barnsley’s No. 1 coming out well on top. REFEREE: Leigh Doughty. 7