LUCKY 13 FOR RAMS AS NAT SINKS UNITED
DERBY County’s club record 13th away win of the season has left them on the brink of a return to the Championship.
Boss Paul Warne said that his side’s attacking mentality was to thank for the win at struggling Cambridge, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s goal shortly before half-time proving enough to secure the points.
The Rams could have secured promotion if both Bolton and Peterborough dropped points, but all three automatic promotion chasers won to take the race for second down to the final day.
Cambridge gave as good as they got after half-time, but were unable to force an equaliser and now need two points from their last two games to secure their spot in the division.
“I’ve tried to be consistent with the lads all the time, keep convincing them not to live in regret, try and play on the edge. We’ve never set up to draw,” said Warne.
“It’s not about setting out to get points, it’s about trying to win every game we can. We’re not always going to be at our best, but we always create enough chances to give ourselves a chance.
“We had an opportunity to take another step, got an opportunity today to be remembered for something for however many years it takes to beat it, and an opportunity to get us a step closer to where we want to be, to make everyone proud.
“We’ve got everyone fit for the last game of the season, which I’m not going to complain about.”
U’s keeper Will Mannion tipped Louie Sibley’s corner onto the bar early on, while at the other end Joe Wildsmith saved well from striker Macauley Bonne after 15 minutes.
Mendez-Laing nearly scored in spectacular style after 38 minutes, seeing his superb curler from nearly 30 yards come back off the bar, but he only had to wait a few seconds before putting the Rams ahead. Sibley played Mendez-Laing in behind the defence, and he rounded keeper Will Mannion outside the box before firing into an empty net.
Cambridge came on strong after the break, with Jordan Cousins firing just wide from distance and Ryan Bennett seeing a shot blocked, but they just couldn’t find the leveller as the Rams held firm.
Garry Monk felt his Cambridge side matched their promotion-seeking opponents, declaring “There was nothing in the game.”
“It’s just a real shame for us, a disappointment that the one moment with their goal was from our set play and a counter attack which we didn’t deal with well enough. We’re really disappointed with that, to concede that way. Really there was nothing else in the game.
“In the second half the territory was all ours and we were really pushing, but if we’re honest we probably just lacked that bit of composure and quality in the final third.
“We’re competing hard. We’ve just taken second in the league really close and had them pinned back for the whole second half. There can’t be many teams that do that to Derby. We just needed that little bit more composure, to move their shape before we delivered certain passes.
“I can’t complain again with the players. You can see there’s a group of players fighting, trying to get the right results for the club.”