Jack Bryan is a football writer and life long Derby County supporter.
On a huge day at both ends of the League One table, Derby missed many chances as they fell to a draw against MK Dons.
Derby made two changes from the side that beat Forest Green on Friday, Jake Rooney and Tom Barkhuizen coming in for James Chester, out having tightened up, and Louie Sibley. In that match, they were ahead after 90 seconds, and looked to do the same again, but James Collins’ curling shot hit the post.
In the 15th minute, a block on the edge of the box from Korey Smith made Nathan Holland’s shot easy for Joe Wildsmith to save. Derby then went straight up the other end, Knight slipping through Mendez-Laing perfectly. But the winger was thwarted one-on-one by Cumming.
Two minutes later the breakthrough came. Hourihane’s corner fired in low, towards the front post, Collins flicked it goalward and McGoldrick tapped in from a couple of yards out. A long overdue set piece goal for the Rams.
Barkhuizen showed great vision in the 25th minute to delay his cross to the back post for Collins. But the striker’s shot was saved by Cumming. MK Dons struggled to deal with the two following corners, but they came to nothing.
In the 29th minute, Conor Hourihane shot wide from the edge of the box, the ball having fallen to him after some great work from Jake Rooney to charge down a clearance. A few minutes later, he won a free kick in a central position 25 yards from goal, which he fired straight at the wall.
McGoldrick flicked the ball on for Knight to chase down the right in the 34th minute, and he found Mendez-Laing on the edge of the box. The number 11 looked to return the favour, Knight still out on the right but knowing he was in an offside position, the Ireland international left the ball to go out for a goal kick.
And Derby didn’t have to wait long for yet another chance. In the 36th minute Hourihane found Collins after winning possession 30 yards from goal. The striker played in Mendez-Laing who fired wide of the near post.
In the early stages of the game, Derby were countered a few times by MK Dons. But their sloppy mistakes were pretty much eradicated after taking the lead, whilst remaining threatening against an MK defence which were all at sea. By half time, they had take 17 shots amassed 1.92 expected goals, and should really have been at least two goals to the good.
The second half started slowly. MK Dons better, presumably after a harsh half time team talk from Mark Jackson. But the game sprung back to life after the hour mark, a serious of decisions from referee Benjamin Speedie, including a couple of penalty shouts, leaving the Pride Park faithful incensed.
And with 23 minutes to play, MK Dons drew level. Nathan Holland was allowed to cut in from the left flank by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Korey Smith, before finding Henry Lawrence who fired in from a central position, eight yards out, for his first of the season.
From this point on, the visitors simply looked to see the game out, happy with a point, whilst Derby pushed to re-establish their lead. Jason Cumming denied substitute Lewis Dobbin with an excellent save, before David McGoldrick headed into the side netting from Max Bird’s deep cross in stoppage time.
"It's sort of the microcosm of our season. We were unplayable in parts and outstanding in parts, but we just don't take our chances. We aren't clinical enough in the final third," said Derby County head coach Paul Warne speaking to Rams TV post match. "I feel for the lads, I'm devastated for them. They got in our box a couple of times but it's disappointing that every time something goes wrong it goes catastrophically wrong. The lads are heartbroken. We've just got to see what character we've got in the dressing room. We've got five games left and we've got to try and pick up as many points as possible from those."
Derby remain seventh in the table, level with Bolton on 68 points, but the trotters do have a game in hand as well as superior goal difference. The Rams travel to the Memorial Ground to face Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
"The top eight teams are all good teams. There was a few surprise results at the top but it's going to be like that until the end of the season," said David McGoldrick to Rams TV post match. "We need to concentrate on ourselves and if we win every game from now I'm sure we'll be fine."
Derby County
(3-5-2)
Wildsmith (GK), Rooney, Cashin, Roberts, Mendez-Laing, Smith (71’ Bird), Knight, Hourihane (71' White), Barkhuizen (84' Sibley), Collins (71' Dobbin), McGoldrick, Smith
Substitutes not used: McGee (GK), Davies, Forsyth
MK Dons
(3-4-3)
Cumming (GK), Watson, Stewart, Lewington (C), Jules (90' Robson) McEachran (84' Johnson), Maghoma, Lawrence, Leko (45' Grant), Eisa (78' Dean), Holland (78' Grigg),
Substitutes not used: Ravizzoli (GK), Devoy
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