A late goal from Shrewsbury defender Aaron Pierre saw Derby drop two points at Pride Park.
Derby made two changes from the side that beat Charlton last weekend. With Josh Vickers and Eiran Cashin missing out through injury, though Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was fit to start despite going off with a foot injury last weekend. Goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith made his first appearance since New Year’s Day and Ryan Nyambe made his first start since returning from AFCON. With the Rams lining up in a 3-5-2, Curtis Nelson played on the left of the back three, a position usually occupied by Eiran Cashin, and Nyambe taking up Nelson’s usual position on the right. Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst set his side up in a 4-2-3-1, as opposed to his side’s usual 4-3-3, in a move which helped nullify the Rams’ attacking threat.
There were relatively few chances to report from the first half, with the first shot on goal not coming until the 15th minute. Shrewsbury winger Tummise Sobowale shooting wide of the post from the edge of the box after some good work from Winchester on the left.
Derby’s first shot came when James Collins lunged to get a toe on Joe Ward’s free kick, whipped brilliantly from the right flank into the central area of the box about seven yards out. Collins couldn’t direct it goalwards, but it was progress from Ward’s early corner which evaded everyone before going out for a throw.
Just after the half hour mark, a chance for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. The winger cutting in from the left to hit a curling strike from about 20 yards out in the inside left channel and forcing Salop stopper Marko Marosi into his first save of the afternoon.
Paul Warne’s side were looking lacklustre, in a first half that could be summed up well by Conor Hourihane’s 38th minute free kick. Looking to put an out-swinging ball across the face of goal, the skipper hit the first defender. Derby lacked tempo and had failed to control the game. They had needed to get Joe Ward and Louie Sibley into more advanced positions, Sibley having been penned in by Sobowale. After around 35 minutes, Warne made the change to a back four, Sibley playing at left back, with Ward on the right wing, hoping a change of shape would unlock the visitors’ defence. And in the second half, it did just that.
Tom Barkhuizen replaced Joe Ward at half time, and with a more attacking approach, Derby looked much more dangerous. The goal came after 55 minutes, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s low corner met by Max Bird unmarked at the front post, just outside the six-yard box, where the majority of the Shrewsbury defenders were. Bird swung his left foot at it, drilling the ball into the bottom left corner on the half volley, with too much power for Marosi who did get a touch.
In the final 20 minutes of the game, Derby generally looked to just see the game out. Louie Sibley was replaced by Callum Elder with just over 15 minutes to play, whist Paul Hurst refreshed his side’s midfield and attack.
Conor Hourihane went close to doubling Derby’s lead from a free kick, about 15 yards from the byline, just to the right of the box. The Irishman whipped the ball around the three-man wall and to the far post, Marko Marosi making the save to stop it nestling in the top corner. With seven minutes of normal time to play, Marosi had likely kept his side in the game.
With four minutes to play, Ebou Adams and Ryan Nyambe were substituted with cramp and a knee issue respectively, Liam Thompson and Kane Wilson coming on. Moments later, left back Malvind Benning got the better of Wilson at the byline and cut the ball back to Aaron Pierre in the centre of the box. The centre back found the bottom right corner with a first time, left footed finish.
Having been pegged back, Derby played the final moments and six minutes of stoppage time with a renewed intensity, whilst Shrewsbury had their eyes on a winner to complete the late turnaround. The hectic closing stages saw Wildsmith push away Carl Winchester’s effort from 25 yards, before Derby had a chance from a free kick. 30 yards out, Hourihane laid the ball off to Barkhuizen on the left flank before the winger sent a cross towards the far post. It was met by Curtis Nelson, who angled his header downwards, but it bounced off the ground and onto the crossbar.
And there was time for one more chance, Wilson working his way forward to cross from the right. Collins got something on it at the front post before Barkhuizen’s header and rebound were saved by Marosi. A free kick was rightly given, though, Collins challenging Pierre unfairly, so any goal wouldn’t have counted anyway.
In the end it was a disappointing afternoon, especially considering that when Max Bird scored, Derby were the only side in the top seven that were winning. Speaking to BBC Radio Derby after the match, Paul Warne took the blame for the first half, saying that he “picked the wrong shape,” having thought that it would give his side “solidity” with Eiran Cashin missing, and allow Louie Sibley and Joe Ward “to be higher up the pitch.” He described derby as looking “edgy”, regretting that they “didn’t play with enough personality and freedom”.
A fair assessment. The good news is that Eiran Cashin is expected to be fit to start at Exeter, meaning Curtis Nelson can move back to his more natural role as the right-sided central defender. Derby will hope to right the wrongs of this game in just a couple of days, as they travel to Devon on Tuesday night.
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