Tom laying down Law
NEVER mind the chant of “Wayne Rooney’s Derby”, this was the Tom Lawrence Show.
The Rams’ 26-year-old Wales international was on fire from the start against Sheffield Wednesday and put his side 2-0 up in 24 minutes, with Jason Knight adding to the Hillsborough agony with a third after half an hour.
The pre-match hype was all on Rooney, with the Rams’ upcoming midweek FA Cup fifth round match against his old side Manchester United, but it was Lawrence who grabbed the limelight as he took his season’s tally to nine.
It was bewildering for the neutral, with Derby coming into the game with only two away league wins so far.
The Owls, meanwhile, had taken four points out of their last six and looked to be gearing up for their own big FA Cup showdown at home to Manchester City on Wednesday.
Boss Garry Monk said: “Forget the Manchester
City game, it’s all about today’s performance and it wasn’t good enough. It’s
SHEFF WEDS the most difficult period in my career.
“The momentum of the last couple of games has gone.”
Rams manager Phillip Cocu said: “It was almost a perfect first half. We dominated the game, we were effective and a threegoal lead at half-time gives you confidence.”
Of Lawrence, Coco said: “He had luck with the deflected first goal, but I always encourage guys to take a shot.”
Lawrence’s long-range effort in the seventh minute looked to be well covered by Cameron Dawson, only for it to hit the leg of Owls’ skipper
Tom Lees, the ball spinning wide of the keeper. Lawrence made it 2-0 in the 24th minute. Set up by Chris Martin from a Lees mistake, he burst through with the Owls defence in disarray. Dawson got a hand to Lawrence’s blast, but couldn’t stop it.
Still the agony continued for the hosts. Midfielder Knight broke through with supreme confidence, going to the right side before turning to hammer the ball home off the far post.
It was all too much for the crowd, with chants of “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” ringing out.
Sub Josh Windass brought back some Owls pride from close range after a lovely cross by Jacob Murphy in the 74th minute – but it was too little, too late.
DERBY