A striker-less Derby required a 90th minute winner to get past a frustrating Stevenage side.
On top of the injuries to Conor Washington, Martyn Waghorn and Tyreece John-Jules, the Rams were without top-scorer James Collins. The number nine been ruled out until “at least mid-April” with “damaged knee ligaments” as Paul Warne told BBC Radio Derby after today’s victory.
Despite a good performance in midweek, in which the Rams played 4-3-3, Warne reverted to a 3-4-3. With his side lacking a fit recognised centre forward, he had to shuffle the pack, and deployed front three of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Kane Wilson, and Tom Barkhuizen, who came in for the injured Corey-Blackett Taylor. Also back in the starting XI were Sonny Bradley, who captained the side with Conor Hourihane not fit enough to start, and Ryan Nyambe.
The Rams were looking to stay in the top two, and for revenge after their defeat in the reverse fixture back in October. Stevenage, visiting Pride Park for the first time, set up in a compact shape, as was widely expected, making them hard to break down.
For the first couple of minutes, Derby played with a high tempo, but that soon changed as the game became a cliché scrappy third tier encounter.
The Rams failed to register a shot in the first half. The front three were clearly still adapting to their roles and need to push higher and wider, Tom Barkhuizen at times looking as though he was plying as a number ten with two wingers.
In contrast, Stevenage had a few chances. The first was Jamie Reid’s 15th minute header. After a long throw was flicked on by Carl Piergianni, Reid, who is the joint-top goal-scorer in League One, heading the ball into the ground before it bounced wide of goal.
Another opportunity fell the way of the visitors after half an hour. From a Stevenage corner, the ball bounced goalward off the shoulder of Curtis Nelson. Fortunately for Derby, Sonny Bradley made a right footed sliding clearance off the line. Bradley, incidentally, was excellent once more. After a shaky start to his Derby career, it feels as though I’m raving about him every week.
Five minutes later, another throw in, and another chance for the visitors. Jordan Roberts got on the end of a flick on at the back post, but Joe Wildsmith pushed it away in an excellent reaction save to keep it goalless.
In the second half, the Rams fans were in good spirits despite the increasing rain, looking to do whatever they could to help their team find a goal. Paul Warne made a change just after the hour mark, Korey Smith replacing Ryan Nyambe, and playing in a midfield three with Adams next to him and Bird in front. This saw Derby get on the front foot, as they racked up five shots in the final 25 minutes.
After 68 minutes, Kane Wilson made a great run forward down the right and played the ball in, but Mendez-Laing fired wide of the post.
With 13 minutes to play, a chance for Max Bird to score his third goal in as many games. Barkhuizen drilled in a low cross which was cleared to Bird. He curled a shot towards goal, which Ashby-Hammond got a hand to.
Paul Warne made his second change in the 81st minute Louie Sibley came on for Tom Barkhuizen, who had been on the end of a meaty, but fair challenge a few minutes earlier. Sibley was lively, volleying over the bar in the 87th minute, before having another chance in the 90th minute, which he would take.
Korey Smith switched the ball out to the right, Mendez-Laing then drove inside and flashed it across the face of goal where Sibley fired in first time with his left foot. The deadlock was broken at last.
As Paul Warne commented after the match, playing without a striker is difficult, hence why he is now trying to bring Dwight Gale in on a free transfer. It is with this in mind that he said he would have been proud “even if we hadn’t won.”
James Collins will be a huge miss for Derby, in his work rate, pressing from the front and link up play, as well as his goals. But as well as the potential arrival of Dwight Gayle, there are positives from what was, for much of the match, a disappointing display. Sonny Bradley was superb at the back and Korey Smith was excellent as he returned to the Pride Park pitch after three months out injured. And then there’s the atmosphere, which has the potential to help Derby over the line as it did today. To quote Paul Warne: “It’s the best I’ve ever known Pride Park since I’ve been here, which is surreal considering we weren’t very good. It’s amazing what [a difference] a positive attitude has.”
Next up, a big test. A trip to Oakwell to face Barnsley, who could be dark horses for automatic promotion, on Saturday (24th February).
Derby: Wildsmith (GK), Nelson, Bradley (C), Cashin, Nyambe (Smith 63'), Bird, Adams, Elder, Wilson, Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen (Sibley 81').
Substitutes not used: Loach (GK), Hourihane, Fornah, Thompson, Ward.
Stevenage: Ashby-Hammond (GK), Wildin, Vancooten, Piergianni (C), Butler, Thompson (Oliver 90+3'), Freeman, Forster-Caskey (Burns 72'), Roberts (White 79'), Hemmings (Pressley 73'), Reid.
Substitutes not used: MacGillivray (GK), Sweeney, MacDonald.
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