RAMS’ CRUCIAL 24 HOURS – ROONEY
DERBY County are facing a “big 24 hours” for the future of the club according to manager Wayne Rooney after his side ended the season with defeat at home to Cardiff.
American businessman Chris Kirchner is moving close to a takeover but the ownership of Derby’s Pride Park stadium, which belongs to former club owner Mel Morris, remains a stumbling block.
Rooney said: “I know Chris has done everything – I was with him until 2.30 this morning in meetings exploring every possibility. He’s put a lot of time and effort into trying to acquire the club and the stadium is the last piece, everything else is done.
“I know there are meetings going on, so hopefully that will be positive and we can all look forward to an exciting summer with players coming in, players re-signing contracts and the start of this club trying to move forward.
“On the other hand, if it doesn’t happen I’m really concerned for the club so I think it’s a big 24 hours. This club has to move forward, it has to. It would be such a shame and a loss to football if it doesn’t.”
On the field, Derby dominated but could not find a way past Dillon Phillips who kept Cardiff in the game with a string of excellent saves, and the visitors snatched victory thanks to Jordan Hugill’s goal.
Promising young winger Malcolm Ebiowei curled a shot over after Tom Lawrence fired a freekick into the wall of blue shirts.
Phillips had to dive at his near post to hold a deflected header from Craig Forsyth in the 28th minute and the Cardiff keeper had to make a far better save eight minutes later when he dived to his left to turn away a Liam Thompson shot.
Phillips kept his side on level terms with two saves in the space of a minute as Derby pressed for the goal their control merited. A Lawrence shot from 20 yards was heading for the top left-hand corner until Phillips clawed it away and he denied Louie Sibley at the back post.
Cardiff finished the half with a rare attack which ended with Hugill appealing for a penalty when he tangled with Jason Knight.
It had been a distinctly endof-season display from Cardiff but they emerged with more purpose for the second half and went ahead in the 55th minute. Eli King showed good close control in the area before cutting the ball back for Hugill to turn past Ryan Allsop from six yards.
Cardiff were looking to hit Derby on the break but they came close to conceding in the 83rd minute when a poor clearance fell to Ravel Morrison on the edge of the box and his shot beat Phillips but went just over.
In a frantic finish, Derby had claims for a penalty turned down before Curtis Davies was denied by Phillips in the final minute of stoppage time.
Cardiff manager Steve Morison said: “It was excellent. We knew we wouldn’t have a lot of the ball, they are a really good team.
“The lads have shown how much it meant to them when people have questioned about whether they care or not.”