For Those Who Could not Attend

For Those who Did Not Attend. Saturday 2nd Dec 2017

Visitors - Burton Albion
Referee - David Coote
Crowd. 26,672
Weather/Conditions. Calm, bitterly cold and wintry
Team. Carson, Baird, Keogh, Davis, Olsson
Ledley, Thorne, Weimann, Lawrence
Martin, Vydra, Russell.

Subs. Mitchell, Forsyth, Johnson, Nugent, Huddlestone, Russell, Pearce, etc.

For me at least this was an exciting game, or at least a very interesting one. Nigel had somehow managed to fire them up and they were well up for the fight against his old club. Burton were, to start with, very lively. But Derby defended resolutely and also launched some good attacks and had a good few chances, which Bywater managed to save well enough. Derby looked likely to score but there was no such threat from the Brewers. It seemed that gradually, as the game progressed Burton were beginning to see they were not getting very far in terms of attempts on Derby’s goal. Half time came with the score at 0-0 though there had been a few close calls and good saves by Bywater. One, tipped over from a great long-distance effort by Chris Martin which was dipping just underneath the bar. Another from a forced back-pass which was heading just inside the post. Carson at the other end had not very much to do except distribute the ball mostly from the back.

After the interval Burton came out with more fight again - and whilst there were no serious alarms for Derby, they looked like a much tougher opposition. Weimann made s super save from a corner. Vydra, Weimann and Martin produced many more alarms for Burton. Thorne controlled midfield and distributed well. Lawrence penetrated but always managed to overhit crucial passes or put the ball wide whenever he was required to shoot. Martin was frustrated by never getting the ball to his feet though he was proving to be a better link man than Nugent. The goal refused to come and just after the hour GR brought on Johnny Russell for Vydra who had run himself into the ground. Then ten minutes later Winnall came on for Lawrence. And then Johnson for Thorne.

The change eventually succeeded. Russell buzzed around and troubled Burton a lot. The same could not be said for Winnall but Johnson was effective whilst Weimann continued to cause problems. Finally, with 8 minutes to go and a fatal hesitation by Palmer, he fired in a shot too hot for Bywater to handle. The rebound found Russell about 10 yards out and he fired in his third goal of the season. The relief in the Derby crowd could be tasted. Huge satisfaction that Nigel would not achieve his draw and 3 points on the board. Martin had a good game as did Vydra until he was subbed. (don’t know if he was injured).

Keogh had a very good game. Olsson looked a bit rusty. Baird was solid and reliable. Davis was fine. But head and shoulders above them all was Weimann and he was my MOTM. Lawrence was poor I thought. Winnall was not so good either but Russell and Johnson were a welcome new force in break-ing the deadlock.