“We could have scored five” - Lack of composure plagues Derby as play-off hopes take another hit

It may have been Craig Forsyth’s 37^th birthday, but it wasn’t just Mr. Derby County who received gifts on Tuesday.

The Scottish stalwart marked his big day in style when he finished from six-yards-out to cancel out the Amir Hadžiahmetović corner which Callum Elder turned into his own net. And while referee Adam Herczeg neglected to give Forsyth a birthday card, he was the beneficiary of some lacklustre officiating – his strike should really have been flagged as offside.

Decision-making as poor as the rugby-ravaged pitch was really the theme of the night on Humberside. From Elder’s woes to Ivor Pandur’s passive parries and Derby’s seven big chances missed. Then there was what John Eustace called Patrick Agyemang’s “ridiculous” booking inside the opening 90 seconds.

His demand for his big American forward to receive more protection may have gone the opposite way.

It was a predictably scrappy encounter between two teams who would rather not have the ball. Perhaps with good reason. Possession was split evenly and both sides’ pass accuracy was a tad under 60 per cent. Nobody, apart from perhaps Ollie McBurnie and super sub Lewis Koumas, particularly covered themselves in glory.

Many will argue that includes Eustace, who opted to force square pegs into round holes rather than give young Issac Gordon a chance at right back with Joe Ward not fit enough to start. From right to left, he opted for Elder, Matt Clarke, Forsyth and Derry Murkin, who were all “playing out of position a little bit” as he later told RamsTV.

From Eustace, though, praise for his side, despite four goals he admitted should have been prevented by his entirely left-footed backline.

He told BBC Radio Derby: “We created some unbelievable chances; on another night we could have scored five or six.

“To come to a team who are third or fourth in the league and play like we did today I was very pleased.

“Especially after Saturday’s game at Watford where we lacked that effort and desire a little bit, today, you know, we had it all over the pitch.

“We didn’t defend the box well enough; the four goals could have all been stopped for sure.”

Once Forsyth had brought them level, Derby were firmly in the ascendancy. Agyemang drove inside from the left and shot over the bar, before going round the outside of Charlie Hughes to tee up Ben Brereton Díaz, who couldn’t steer the ball goalwards either.

Lewis Travis’ 20-yard strike was next just tipped over by Pandur before Clarke’s close-range header flew just too high.

But when a poor pass from Elder fell straight to Joe Gelhardt, a second felt inevitable. Against the run of play, the Leeds loanee took advantage of his gift by finding McBurnie, who took a touch to turn round Forsyth and hammer the ball past Josh Vickers.

Behind again, Derby were straight back on the attack, Agyemang forcing Pandur into a fine save with his leg. Undeterred as ever, the American, who was a thorn in the side of host’s skipper Lewie Coyle all half, pulled the ball back across the box moments later.

And just as Hull’s number one had pushed Lewis Travis’ effort straight to Forsyth after Sam Szmodics rescued Elder’s overhit corner, this time Pandur parried it towards the Ipswich loanee. Cue a simple side-foot and wild celebrations as Szmodics opened his Derby account.

At the break came what had become an increasingly inevitable change. Elder was replaced by Ward, who Eustace “didn’t want to put on at all” due to injury concerns.

Going forward, though, no changes were required. Rams chances continued to flow.

First there was Patrick Agyemang’s bicycle kick; just too high. Next Szmodics saw a good chance blocked after Brereton Díaz’s run caused Ryan Giles to pull up. And the Southampton loanee then scored a conversion as he scooped Ward’s long throw over on the volley.

Perhaps the biggest chance of the night came in the 69^th minute, Szmodics threading a lovely ball through to Bobby Clark in behind The Tigers’ defence. But Pandur atoned for his earlier mishaps, brilliantly denying the 21-year-old one-on-one.

That felt like a decisive moment, and it proved to be when John Egan finished a slick team move by drilling the ball under Vickers on the turn a la McBurnie.

Only now would Eustace opt to blink first, bringing on Rhian Brewster and Carlton Morris, who could only put a drilled ball to the front post from the overlapping Murkin wide with six minutes to play. From here, Hull went straight up the other end. Hadžiahmetović looped the ball over Clarke to play in Koumas, who found the bottom-right-corner.

That is what you call an impact sub. And Derby’s night in a nutshell.

As The Rams have previously done so many times themselves, Hull rode out a barrage of chances on their goal and kept their composure when it mattered. Eustace’s side may have had the better of the game in the middle of the park, but it’s what happens in both boxes that really counts. That is something he knows all too well.

A big dent in play-off hopes

For the neutral, a great spectacle. For Derby, a second bruising defeat to a play-off hopeful in four days.

The play-off dream is not over yet but certainly feels more speculative right now.

Indeed, the trips to Vicarage Road and The MKM Stadium represented the opportunity to move just three points off third-place Ipswich with consecutive wins, albeit having played two games more.

But these two huge away trips have shown The Rams’ flaws, leaving them just three points above 15^th-place Sheffield United. While strong progress has been made this season, the events of the past few days suggest that the top six may be a bridge too far.

There is undoubtedly quality at John Eustace’s disposal, but strength in depth remains a work in progress with his side blighted by injuries. As well as eight absentees in all, Carlton Morris is still returning to full match fitness.

Meanwhile, Joe Ward and Dion Sanderson didn’t train at all last week and had scans on a thigh injury and calf injury respectively on Monday. And now there are fears that Callum Elder may have broken his toe.

Maybe this is a result of the market The Rams have been shopping in? Signing a number of players lacking regular minutes who they hope to get back to their best. Or perhaps it’s just the wear and tear of the relentless second tier?

Derby’s next opponents Blackburn are also suffering an injury crisis. But under Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neil’s part-time management they are resurgent.

The question for Eustace is, as he has done so many times before, how does he get the best out of what he has? But if there is a game he and his team will want to do that in, Saturday will be right up there.

Goals: Elder 9’ (OG), McBurnie 39’, Egan 75’, Koumas 84’ | Forsyth 17’, Szmodics 42’

Derby (4-2-3-1): Vickers (GK); Elder (46’), Clarke, Forsyth, Murkin; Ozoh (Brewster 79’), Travis (C); Brereton Díaz (Morris 79’), Szmodics, Clark; Agyemang.

Unused Substitutes: O’Donnell; Sanderson, Gordon; Fraulo, Eames, Allen.

Hull (4-2-3-1): Pandur (GK); Coyle (C), Egan, Hughes, Giles (Drameh 53’); Hadžiahmetović, Slater; Joseph, Gelhardt (Koumas 82’), Millar (McNair 82’); McBurnie (Dowell 90’).

Unused Substitutes: Phillips (GK); Famewo, McCarthy; Lundstram, Crooks.