Headers power Derby to win on Eustace’s Blackburn return

Forget jelly and ice cream, forget the cake, Blackburn Rovers had more corners than a Müller factory at their 150^th birthday party. Among the esteemed guests, Colin Hendrie, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Tony Mowbray and David Dunn. An array of cultured footballing folk, invited back to Ewood Park.

But less welcome returns were made by John Eustace, and the band of former Blackburn players within his Derby side, whose job it was to sour the occasion.

And that they did, surely shaking off any lingering questions over Eustace’s move back in February; becoming the most in-form team in the Football League as they beat his old side.

While their might not have been the hissing that came from the inflatable snake adorned Pride Park away end back in March, the atmosphere was febrile. Once the first whistle went, any celebrations were forgotten by the home crowd, who certainly made their feelings towards the alumni-turned-opposition clear in the opening stages.

But, as he has done for so often recently, Carlton Morris would soon silence the opposition fans: heading in the opener from a corner for the third game in a row. Under poor marshalling from Andri Gudjohnsen, the number nine broke free of the Icelandic striker at the back post, to meet Callum Elder’s ball in just beyond the front stick.

Now unmarked, the skipper glanced the ball off the side of his head and into the bottom corner for his tenth goal of the season, after flicking an earlier chance wide.

As well as being Derby’s greatest weapon in attack, Morris turned air defence system when he thunderously headed clear Dion De Neve’s corner, delivered squarely into the danger zone. Indeed, the hosts seemed vitalised after going behind, forcing those in grey shirts to defend the wide areas resiliently.

But crosses continued to be more dangerous from The Rams: Elder swung the ball onto Patrick Agyemang’s head, only for his effort to fly straight at Pears. But the American International was not going to make the same mistake twice.

Instead, Agyemang would give his side breathing space in the 45^th minute, crashing in at the back post to meet Joe Ward’s deep cross with a bullet header.

The one big mark on Derby’s first half card, an early injury to David Ozoh, who went down holding his thigh after seemingly innocuously chasing a loose ball.

In the second half, Eustace put eleven men behind the ball, allowing his former club 74 per cent possession. Though his side held strong for 20 minutes, the breathing space provided by Agyemang would be vital after a birthday gift for the hosts.

After Dion Sanderson needlessly slid in on Yuki Ohashi in the box, Thomas Kirk awarded Valérien Ismaël’s side a penalty. It was a case of winner takes as the Japanese striker sent the ball straight down the middle with an understated audacity.

Derby finally looked set to have their first shot of the second half when Elder crossed the ball to Ebou Adams on the counter, only for the substitute to be caught offside.

Desperate for a leveller, Blackburn threw the kitchen sink at Derby in the final ten minutes: the visitors conceding six corner kicks. But even De Neve’s near-perfect, back-post ball flew over a queue of Rovers.

If that was not nail-biting enough, the final thirty seconds brought a chance apiece. First Sanderson had to make a last-ditch tackle on Gueye, after Zetterström’s free kick landed at his feet. Then Lars-Jørgen Salvesen saw an effort cleared off the line with the last kick of the game.

Analysis: A final bit of vindication?

Three weeks ago, John Eustace faced the heaviest criticism he’s had as Derby boss. Some questioned his future, and for the first time, there was a feeling that his then-shocking decision to swap Lancashire for Derbyshire might backfire.

But what has followed has been the most striking run of his Derby career, accompanied by the most effusive praise. As we hit the 15-game mark, the point at which you can really start to judge a season, the early themes of patience being required have proven to be true.

The Rams' recent resurgence has seen them work relentlessly both on and off the ball and get their just rewards. Of the players to embody that best on Saturday, the wing backs are right up there.

Marshalling the wide areas was a key factor in Derby’s victory, as was the standard of deliveries – Joe Ward and Callum Elder’s quality in key phases of play has seen them make the 3-4-2-1 click.

And there are other benefits too, with Elder, who created the most chances in the match, earning a recall to the Australia squad earlier this week.

Many had wondered whether Ebou Adams would fit into this more progressive team with the form of Ozoh and Clark. When called upon, he looked back to his best, making the most defensive contributions in the game (17).

The concerns have never been that, though. In terms of distribution, he completed 20 of his 22 passes, and the joint-most long balls of any Derby player, while having 100 per cent accuracy.

He was clearly determined to leave an impression on every blade of grass, and his manager.

As for Carlton Morris, who is in red-hot form in both boxes, let’s just say that I’m going to spend the next two weeks reading a thesaurus: I’m running out of ways to praise the striker!

Winning five Championship games in a row for the first time in as many years, it was Derby who left celebrating a milestone on Saturday. But as The Rams now sign off for the final international break of the year, I must remind you: other yogurts are available.

Goals: Ohashi 66' (Pen) | Morris 19', Agyemang, 45'

Blackburn (3-4-1-2): Pears (GK); Miller, McLoughlin (C), Hedges; Alebisou, Henriksson (Forshaw 79’), Gardner-Hickman (Montgomery 46’), De Neve; Morishita (Gueye 79’); Ohashi, Gudjohnsen.

Unused Substitutes: Michalski (GK); Pratt, Pickering, Carter, Ribeiro; Tavares.

Derby (3-4-2-1): Zetterström (GK); Langås, Sanderson, Clarke; Ward (Batth 90’), Ozoh (Adams 10’), Clark, Elder; Brereton Díaz (Weimann 72’), Agyemang (Brewster 71’); Morris (C) (Salvesen 90’).

Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK); Forsyth; Jackson, Blackett-Taylor.