In recent memory, I cannot recall Derby being such hot favourites for a game, especially for a league encounter. Every pre-match preview saw fans and pundits alike suggesting a comfortable home win.
Many tipped a win to nil and there was a fair few quid placed on ‘Derby minus’ something on various accumulators. Of course, this is the Sky Bet Championship and, one can imagine, much like a weekend at Justin Bieber’s house, nothing is as it seems. What actually transpired was a game full of incident, guile and fittingly, in Oscar season, a Hollywood finish.
So where to start? Well, at the beginning.
The Rams made just the two changes from the side that snatched a late draw at Ewood Park. Hughes returned for the injured Hendrick and new goal-scoring machine Paddy Bamford made his first start, replacing Ward.
A very reasonable crowd of over 23,000, with at least seven from Somerset, took their seats, betting slips safely tucked away in anticipation of a home banker.
In the teaming rain, which must have delighted those hearty souls from the West Country (rumours that Yeovil arrived in an ark and got out two by two remain unconfirmed) Bamford saw two shots blocked away inside thirty seconds. Immediately, it became apparent that our visitors were not employing the same containing tactics used by some at the iPro this season.
Instead, they bravely employed two-up-top, with Forest reject Miller the focal point. More on him later. With this bold move, there were gaps almost instantaneously and one sensed an early goal could prove the punters right. Bryson was busy, combining with Dawkins readily in the early-going. The wide-man had Yeovil’s right-back on toast from the off, who in turn looked like he’d had treacle on his pre-match.
For all of our early dominance and pretty play, the old adage of working the goalkeeper on the greasy top hadn’t got through. Dawkins produced a centre which evaded everybody, before his second found Martin in space inside the box. The big man, on a barren spell by recent standards, did well to turn and release a left-footed shot which was untidily blocked in the six-yard box.
All of the play was coming through Dawkins and it was no surprise to see the hapless Ayling (sometimes puns write themselves!!!) booked for a trip. Despite this, our delivery from set-pieces was again causing concern, seemingly floated as opposed to being whipped in. But again….more on that later!
Yeovil were content on going direct to their strapping front pair, who did look like they could cause Messer’s Keogh and Buxton problems. A warning sign was fired following a high-ball from the left, which was eventually screwed wide. That said; it was all Derby with Bryson bossing the midfield.
A rare foray down the right saw Wisdom combine well with Hughes before feeding Martin who scooped over on the angle from just inside the box. Next, more slick football involving Hughes and Dawkins saw the ball worked to Bryson who fizzed a shot just over.
With just twenty-minutes gone, Dawkins got past his man for the 78th time, cutting onto his right and smashing a shot which cannoned off the near post via a deflection. The resulting cut-back squirmed into the arms of the goalkeeper but surely a goal was coming?
Sure enough, it did. At the other end.
A loose ball from Buxton was seized upon by Lundstram thirty-five yards out. Feigning to pass the ball forwards, the Everton loan-man cut back, evading Eustace, before drilling a low strike into the corner. A goal against the run of play but testament to hitting the target on a slick top.
The goal, however, did nothing to swing the balance as the Rams continued to press. Bamford, showing class and inexperience in equal measure, darted past two players from the by-line, before scuffing a tame finish to the keeper, with two players waiting for a tap in.
Controversy then reigned as Martin appeared, from my excellent standpoint, to be barged over from behind in the penalty area. The sort of foul given anywhere else on the pitch but not inside the hallowed eighteen-yard box. This said, Martin has been the beneficiary of a few dubious calls already this campaign. And we would have only missed the pen anyway…
To add insult to injury, from more or less the next attack, it was the visitors who somehow doubled their lead. Our previously mentioned pantomime villain and Forest-reject... sorry loanee, Miller, picked up the ball in seemingly non-to-threatening territory.
However, a quick turn on of the turbo blasters and the man, who my friends of a less intelligent nature and awful taste in football teams inform me, has ‘no pace,’ showed Keogh a clean pair of heels. Quite why the skipper didn’t take one for the team and scythe him down I’m not sure but a show of strength and a tidy finish later and it was unbelievably 0-2.
A stunned silence, save for the sound of betting slips being torn in half.
The half ended in the same manner, with the referee losing less friends with a crazy advantage decision after Martin had been literally leaned upon. A Keogh header from a corner was easily saved before Bamford wildly crossed to someone in the East Stand. Half-time and boo’s for the officials and disbelief at the score line.
If only my mobile phone signal allowed me to gain internet access in Pride Park, then I could have been sitting typing this on a pile of twenty notes. Such was my confidence; I was telling anyone who would listen that we wouldn’t lose. If only Ray Winstone was around for a bit of in-play action.
Anyhow, during the break, Eustace was sacrificed with Jamie Ward on to play just behind Martin, in the huge gap that had been available in the first period. From the off, we set about the visitors like a heard of paparazzi outside One Direction’s tour bus.
First, Hughes was agonizingly close with a dipping drive, which had me, along with half of the stadium, up to acclaim a goal. Next, Bamford’s cross was smashed goal-wards by Dawkins, only to be blocked en-route. Finally though, the Chelsea goal-machine was the wolf who blew the house down as we found a way back in to the game.
Following a melee and a sore one in Ward’s face, Dawkins did excellently to keep the ball alive and produce a cross which Bamford met, diving full length to head home.
Game on.
Yeovil though, continued to look dangerous on the long diagonal ball and from set-pieces. The two goal lead was almost restored as Keogh nearly diverted a header over Grant, only for the Derby stopper to brilliantly tip over. The relentless pace (and the rain) showed little sign of abating as brilliant one touch player saw Bryson whistle a shot just wide.
I was out of my seat again falsely acclaiming a goal as Dawkins found Bamford. Quickly shifting the ball onto his left peg and with minimal backlift, he was desperately unlucky to see his curling effort come back off the far post. All of this and there had only been fifteen minutes in the second half.
I must admit, my half-time optimism started to wane slightly when more superb, probing football saw Bryson release Forsyth, clear in the box. As I’ve previously stated, it has surprised me that the left-back hasn’t scored yet this season. This was a golden chance but unfortunately, it seemed that the young Scot had been watching the Six Nations DVD in readiness for the weekend; such was his wild effort, which took someone out in the North Stand Upper.
Time was ticking as the ball become a magnet for the Yeovil goal. Ward dipped a volley over before the magnificent Dawkins collected a cross, put Ayling on his backside but shot tamely at the near-post.
At the back, Buxton was in a real battle with the gangly Moore, who won more than his fair share and looked more potent than more illustrious opponents this season. With the play entering the final ten minutes, Dawkins was sacrificed in favour of Sammon.
Wisdom smashed a ball across the box before honestly staying on his feet when clipped on the follow-up. With so many balls pinging around the box but not falling to a white shirt, one could be forgiven for feeling that it wasn’t to be. One cannot however, be excused for leaving a game five minutes early with the game finely poised. I’d like to dedicate the rest of my report to these people…
With three to play, Hughes found space in the right-hand channel of the box. Most players would have played the ball in and hoped for a ricochet. Not so our jewel in the crown though, as he showed great composure to pick out the onrushing Bryson, who coolly slotted into the corner. No time for celebration, rather a dash to retrieve the ball and a kick on for the winner. Oh, and for the sound of cello tape being hastily applied to betting slips…
The final throngs were nip and tuck. Zorro, or was that Johnny Russell, was introduced for the last knockings, in place of Bamford. Credit to Yeovil, who pushed men forwards for a couple of free kicks and caused more than one jitter as the game entered added time. You just felt though that there was to be one more chance.
As the time clicked to 94 minutes played, Russell was felled in an inviting position wide left. It was hard to muster enthusiasm at the potential successful outcome of the set-piece, given how poor the delivery had been all evening. However, Bryson chose the perfect moment to provide quality, whipping in a superb cross which Martin gleefully flicked home.
Cue pandemonium.
If you could bottle the scenes just after the ball hit the net, then there would be no need for any other mood enhancing drugs. People going potty all around, Lee Grant virtually jumping into the South Stand in front of me and most pleasing of all, every other outfield member celebrating together. Team spirit had once again won the day and had snatched a potentially crucial three points.
There was barely enough time for the game to re-start before it had been curtailed for good. Scenes reminiscent of a cup final victory followed, with Grant and Buxton acting as cheerleaders to a buoyant crowd. Of course, the warmth of the car for those who left early would have been just as good….
Truth told, it would have been an absolute travesty if we had taken anything less than three-points, with sixty-eight percent possession and an incredible thirty-six shots.
Who knows how vital this result could be come May?
And who thought it was possible at half-time?
Hate to say it, but I told you so!
Now for this weeks lottery numbers are…
We said - Derby head coach Steve McClaren:
"With all the successful teams, it's all about the last 10 minutes, you wear teams down and that's basically what we did tonight. We just ground them down and kept going and going.”
"We got shots in and put balls into the box and kept creating chances and eventually we got our reward. It was the 85th minute when we got the winner against Brighton and the 84th minute when we equalised at Blackburn on Saturday.”
"Tonight it was the 89th minute and injury time when we turned the game around so that's the pleasing thing for me that the team keep going and finish strongly."
They said - Yeovil boss Gary Johnson:
"The least I say the better because I am as upset as everybody else. We played to a plan and got a couple of decent goals but you know they are going to come at you.”
"They went 4-2-4 and unfortunately we didn't have enough nous to deal with it at that time. We kept giving the ball away and giving them runs of attacks. We kept giving it away and you can't do that against good teams.”
"We came so close but it was a stupid free-kick to give away and it's a shame because there were a few out there who put a lot into their game.
Lee Grant: Dealt well with difficult conditions. Possibly could have done better with the second goal but gets a rating for his celebrations! — 7
Craig Forsyth: Provided a threat going forwards but I can’t give him a rating for that shot… 6
Andre Wisdom: Another top display, looked dangerous going forwards and could have scored himself — 7
Jake Buxton: Improved as the game went on but was given trouble my Moore - 6
Richard Keogh: Another who improved as the game went on, but was badly at fault for the second goal - 5
Craig Bryson: Terrific yet again, lung-bursting runs and was at the hub of everything good. Cool finish and the elusive dead-ball quality won the day — 8
John Eustace: Snapped into tackles characteristically well. Had to be sacrificed at half time — 6
Will Hughes: Better display from the young man. Looked to create when picking up the ball and played a great pass to set up Bryson — 7
Patrick Bamford: Bright full-debut from the youngster. Showed touches of real class and some of inexperience but another goal to his name - 7
Simon Dawkins: Brilliant from the word go. Gave Ayling twisted-blood, wasn’t afraid to tackle and gain possession and genuinely threatened all game. A little wasteful if I’m being critical but deserves MOTM Weston’s star man — 9
Chris Martin: Got better as the game progressed. Should have had a stick-on pen in the first half. Elevated himself to hero status in 94th min!! - 7
Subs:
Jamie Ward: A little greedy but buzzed around in the free-role and played some nice balls — 6
Johnny Russell: Little time to make impact but got the crucial free-kick for the winner. - 6
Connor Sammon: Didn’t see much of the ball - 6
Possession: 67% / 33%
Corners: 5 / 3
Shots (On Target): 36... Yes Really!! (8) / 9 (3)
Fouls: 10 / 18
Yellow Cards: 1 / 4
Attendance: 23,615
Derby County:
Grant, Wisdom, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Eustace (Ward 45), Bryson, Hughes, Dawkins (Sammon 79), Bamford (Russell 89), Martin.
Unused Subs: Legzdins, Whitbread, Keane, Bailey.
Scorers: Bamford, Bryson, Martin
Yeovil Town:
Stech, Ayling, Duffy, Webster, McAllister; Grant (Dawson 68), Lundstram, Edwards, Ralls; Miller (Upson 80), Moore.
Unused Subs: Dunn, Hayter, Foley, Lanzoni, Morgan.
Scorers: Lundstram, Miller