SkyBet Championship: Derby County

Pride Park, Derby County.

Ground: Pride Park, Derby
Attendance: 26,421

Sheffield Wednesday come to Derby on the back of a 5-2 thumping of Reading in their last outing whilst the hosts look to bounce back from a 2-1 loss to QPR. The Owls maintain the line-up that performed so well last time out with the loanee strike force of Connor Wickham and Matty Fryatt leading the line.





The traditional two minutes silence was impeccably observed by those inside the stadium but reports suggest that some Wednesday fans yet to enter the away end were heard singing club songs (as they were unaware of the gesture inside the stadium). When Derby earn an early corner-kick the expectant murmurings from the home stands quickly turn to groans as the chance goes begging. As County keep possession well they fashion another chance minutes later - Simon Dawkins receives a Jamie Ward pas but fires his shot off target. On the back foot from the off, Wednesday see Ward then fire a shot at goal, only to have the ball rattle a defenders legs and be cleared.

Over 4000 travelling Sheffield Wednesday fans.

It takes six minutes until the next effort is taken, again by Derby as Craig Bryson has a 35 yard effort blocked for a corner. That is also cleared but the home side are relentless - Dawkins and Ward teaming up well to fire a quick succession of shots at goal that both get blocked. On the eighteenth minute Craig Forsyth sends in a brilliant cross that is met by Bryson, only for the Scottish midfielder to miss the target from close range.

Two shots by Dawkins goe begging before Wednesday fashion their own half-chance on the twenty-fourth minute, when Seyi Olofinjana heads a Michail Antonio cross wide. Unable to get a foot on the ball and string two passes together, it comes as no surprise when Will Hughes evades his marker to fire a shot that Chris Kirkland saves. The visitors see two players yellow carded within two minutes when Stephen McPhail and Roger Johnson enter the referees notebook.

A man under pressure - Dave Jones.

Kalifa Cisse sees a shot blocked on the half hour as the Wednesday back line look under constant pressure before Fryatt and Wickham combine for the latter to blast a shot against the legs of a Cisse and earn a corner. When that is wasted the game turns scrappy momentarily as both sides commit needless fouls, ending with a yellow card for the out of form Reda Johnson. As half time approaches Wednesday see another chance go begging when Antonio has a shot from outside the box blocked and cleared before Forsyth heads a Ward cross narrowly over the crossbar.

The deadlock is broken in the next attack and unsurprisingly its the Rams that open the scoring, when Lewis Buxton concedes a corner - the resulting set-piece ends with Jake Buxton heading the ball past Kirkland and into the top left corner. When Antonio sees another shot blocked minutes later, the referee calls time on a Derby County controlled first half.

HT REVIEW:  As good as the Owls performed against Reading, they are as bad so far. Non-commital, losing out in every 50-50 tackle, unable to string passes together and the Fryatt/Wickham combination lacks interest. Reda Johnson looks like he is running with Jeremy Helan and Joe Mattock on his shoulders and McPhail looks off the boil too. Credit where its due, Derby are having a field day and could have been more goals ahead at the break. The only thing lacking from Derby is their home support - all the noise coming from the travelling 4000 Wednesdayites.

Hot prospect Will Hughes makes it 2-0.

Derby are quick out of the blocks in the second half and earn two corners in quick succession - ending with a Ward cross that J.Buxton heads narrowly over. In the next attack though the home fans have reason to up their volume - Forsyth delivers a precise cross that evaded the Owls defenders and allowed Hughes to creep in at the back pot and tap home. Not content with a 2-0 lead Derby continue with their quick, attacking football and it almost pays off but for Bryson just shooting wide.

On the fifty-second minute Dave Jones replaces Jeremy Helan with Jermaine Johnson and McPhail is replaced by Giles Coke. Five minutes later and fans are celebrating in the stadium again - the home fans that is, Ward's cross finds Chris Martin who has a simple tap in at the back post again as three Owls defenders let the ball pass them. Olofinajana is fouled by Cisse on the hour mark and the Mali midfielder earns a yellow card. When the Owls earn two corners the latter of the two almost allows a route back into the game - J.Johnson being found in space but unable to deliver the finish.

Steve McClaren happy with the Rams.

Derby are in cruise control by this point and three quick successive shots by Hughes, Martin and Dawkins almost increase the scoreline. The seventy-second minute sees an Olofinjana pass find Antonio who rattles a shot against the defender before Fryatt heads a Reda Johnson cross wide. Three minutes later and Ward is found by a tidy pass from Bryson but Kirkland denies the former Sheffield United man that has run the Owls back four ragged.

Liam Palmer replaces Olofinjana in the 76th minute before the impressive Dawkins is replaced by Mason Bennett - a 17yr old striker. Roger Johnson heads a pass to Wickham on the 81st minute and the Sunderland loanee can only find the goalkeeper from close range, capping a frustrating afternoon for the young striker. Conor Sammon replaces Chris Martin before Ben Davies takes Ward's place and the match ends following a yellow card for Palmer following a foul on Hughes.

Statistics: (home / away)
Shots: 23 /10
On target: 5 / 1
Corners: 10 / 5
Fouls: 17 / 11
Possession: 56% / 44%

FT REVIEW: Appalling away display - if the players had the passion of the 4000 travelling Wednesday fans then we wouldn't be half as bad. Derby dominated from the first to the last whistle and deserved the win - as well as the scoreline. Lacklustre and lethargic throughout, Wednesday got exactly what they deserved... nothing.

Owls Man of the Match: Chris Kirkland,might have been beaten three times but it could have been a lot worse but for him.

Managers reaction:
Dave Jones: "Unfortunately far too many of our players lost their personal battles. Too many seemed to think after putting 5 past Reading a week ago we only had to turn up for it to happen again. I'm as angry as I have been in a long time, Derby didn't have to earn it - we gave it to them. Derby were allowed to walk the ball into our net!" 

Steve McClaren: "This was one of those happy Saturdays when everything you have worked on in the week works out the way you want. There were times when it was simply beautiful to watch. The quality of football for the second and third goals was fabulous and it all stemmed from having the right balance and attitude." 


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