Derby’s hopes of automatic promotion suffered another blow, as Charlton ended their 18-game winless run at Pride Park, subjecting the Rams to back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season.
As the Rams looked to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at fellow promotion-chasers Barnsley, Paul Warne made three changes to his side. With Callum Elder and Conor Hourihane missing out with minor injuries, Ryan Nyambe was back in the starting XI, as was Korey Smith, making his first start since November, having impressed in substitute appearances since recovering from an injury. Dwight Gayle was also fit enough to make his first start for the club, whilst Martyn Waghorn, named amongst the substitutes, was involved for the first time since December.
Despite the lack of a ‘natural’ left back in the starting XI, Derby started in a back four, just as they ended the Barnsley game, with Eiran Cashin playing on the left side of defence. He looked comfortable there throughout the first half, though the back four didn’t suit Sonny Bradley, who was targeted by Charlton, the long ball to Kanu on the right a threat throughout the game as the youngster was always going to outpace the former Luton captain. Korey Smith was solid bringing extra energy to the midfield alongside the relentless Ebou Adams.
With this set up, Derby started well, playing on the front foot from the first whistle, and winning a corner in the first 30 seconds. They put together some nice one and two touch passing, but there was a lack of threat in the final third, Derby’s first shot only came in the 19th minute when Ryan Nyambe blazed the ball over from range after a well-worked move from left to right, that started in Derby’s own box.
Another chance came in the 25th minute, Bird’s ball is unfortunately played behind Mendez-Laing, who wanted it in front of him. Regardless, the Guatemalan International cut inside and found Smith on the edge of the box. Despite having players crowded around him, Smith drilled a low shot just wide of the bottom left corner from just outside the box.
From this point, the game became really scrappy, Charlton used their physicality to stifle any chance of Derby gaining momentum and had some chance themselves. These came mainly from corners and on the counter.
It was Eiran Cashin who opened the scoring in the 39th minute. After Mendez-Laing beat Watson and hit the ball forward, Thomas got a touch on it to put it out for a corner. From the set piece, Mendez-Laing whipped the ball into the front post where Cashin lost his marker to ghost in and head home. A goal from a set piece in a second consecutive game will please Paul Warne, but unfortunately for him, that is not where the parallels between this game, and the trip to Barnsley ended.
Charlton kept going, though, pushing in the hope of an equaliser before the break. That didn’t come, but the Addicks maintained their pressure at the start of the second half, in which Derby would be dealt a blow when Ryan Nyambe went down with a quad injury. He went off before a substitution could be made, leaving Derby momentarily down to ten before winger Tom Barkhuizen’s introduction, with Kane Wilson dropping back to right back.
Nathan Jones would make the visitors’ first changes on the hour mark, Freddie Ladapo and Panutche Camara replaced by Alfie May and Chuks Aneke. Coming on as his side had a corner meeting it with a header that hit the woodwork, Aneke almost had an instant impact, and May wouldn’t have to wait long to get in on the action either.
£1 million January signing Conor Coventry played a great ball forward for Kanu on the right, and the Sierra Leonean got the wrong side of Cashin. Joe Wildsmith then made the reckless decision to come out and foul him, picking up a booking, and conceding a penalty which May converted, Wildsmith rooted to the spot.
It had felt as though an equaliser was coming, and unfortunately for Derby, it came just after Paul Warne had also made a double substitution, and changed the formation to a back three, in the hope of limiting Charlton.
The Addicks would go on to score a winner with ten minutes to play. Ebou Adams lost the ball in a dangerous area, after a poor pass from Kane Wilson giving Aneke time on the edge of the box. Sonny Bradley came across to mark him, leaving Kanu free on the right. Aneke’s pass found Kanu and Wildsmith made a good save to deny him, but he couldn’t stop Jamaican International Karoy Anderson from firing in the rebound.
Derby had a few chances in the final minutes, plus eight of stoppage time. Martyn Waghorn had a go with an early shot from distance and Louie Sibley volleyed the ball over from a similar range before Sonny Bradley’s header straight at Charlton stopper Harry Isted after a great ball from Mendez-Laing, who had a quiet game, only really coming into it after Charlton’s winner.
Two games, two leads which Derby have let slip. They’ve failed to close the gap on leaders Portsmouth after playing their game in hand. With Bolton having lost again tonight too, this was a real opportunity which has been squandered.
Up next for Derby is the visit of Port Vale on Saturday, and whilst there were some welcome returns tonight, in that of Waghorn, Blackett-Taylor, who came off the bench against his former club, and Smith’s first start. Whilst we don’t have details of his injury, Ryan Nyambe would be a big miss at the back, as was demonstrated when he went away for AFCON.
In attack, there are further worries. With James Collins’ absence is clearly being felt, and though the fitness of Martyn Waghorn and Dwight Gayle is improving, it seems as though they will have to carry the load in the striker department, with Warne unsure if ‘we’ll see [Conor Washington] before the end of the season’ due to his reoccurring knee injury.
Derby (4-2-3-1): Wildsmith (GK), Nyambe (Barkhuizen 52'), Nelson, Bradley (C), Cashin, Smith (Sibley 62'), Adams (Blackett-Taylor 84'), Wilson, Bird, Mendez-Laing, Gayle (Waghorn 62').
Substitutes not used: Loach (GK), Thompson, Fornah.
Charlton (3-5-2): Isted (GK), Edmonds-Green, Thomas (C), Gillesphey, Watson (Ness 74'), Camara (May 60'), Coventry, Anderson, Small, Kanu, Ladapo (Aneke 60').
Substitutes not used: Maynard-Brewer (GK), Dobson, Edun, Campbell.
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