Match Report Derby County v Wolves

After conceding two Derby goals in the opening 30 minutes, Wolves then had to play for virtually an hour with ten men at Pride Park following the dismissal of Ivan Cavaleiro.

Although Ben Marshall pulled one back just before the break, Craig Bryson soon restored the Rams’ two goal advantage and the game finished in a 3-1 home triumph.

Paul Lambert made eight changes for the final away fixture of the campaign with just Harry Burgoyne, Dave Edwards and Marshall remaining from the team that had started against Huddersfield Town in midweek.

Derby kicked-off attacking the end of the ground that housed close on to 3,000 travelling supporters.

Burgoyne’s goal was fortunate to survive in the eighth minute when Tom Ince cut inside from the right and hit a low, curling shot that was pushed out by the keeper.

The ball ran to Bradley Johnson who smashed it against the underside of the bar. Bryson grabbed possession and he laid a pass into the path of Ince and Burgoyne saved the drive that followed at the second attempt.

Just a minute later Ince threatened again as he ran through on goal but he was thwarted by George Saville’s challenge as he shot and the ball bobbled through to Burgoyne.

The home pressure paid off in the 12th minute when David Nugent connected with Ince’s cross from the left to send a bouncing header into the net.

Mike Williamson went into the book for tripping Nugent before home keeper Scott Carson was called into his first serious action of the afternoon as he dived low to hold onto a shot from Nouha Dicko.

Johnny Russell drilled a shot narrowly wide after Ince had delivered a low cross but the respite for Wanderers proved to be brief with Johnson netting from 12-yards following a cross from Russell in the 29th minute.

Edwards cleared off the line from Russell following an Ince corner before Dicko fired wide of the far post as Wolves looked for a way back into the game.

Their task was made all the more difficult in the 33rd minute when they were reduced to ten men. After conceding a foul Cavaleiro reacted angrily and he put his head into Johnson’s face before being shown a straight red card.

Richard Keogh’s effort from the edge of the box was deflected wide and then the hard working Dicko flashed a cross-shot through the heart of Carson’s goalmouth with no-one able to get a touch.

Russell almost grabbed a third when he volleyed onto the bar following a deep cross from Marcus Olsson but, in first half stoppage time, it was Wolves that pulled one back. 

Dicko teed the ball up nicely for Marshall who drove a fierce effort into the top corner of the net.

Half-Time: Rams 2 Wolves 1

It took County just 12 second half minutes to give themselves a cushion again as Russell set up the chance for Bryson to covert a low drive from the 18-yard line.

Burgoyne had to sprint from his line to save at the feet of Russell before Alex Pearce went into the book for an untidy challenge on Dicko.

Midway through the half, Derby made a change replacing Pearce with Cyrus Christie.

In the 71st minute, Lee Evans saw his long-range drive deflected for a corner. Marshall took the kick and Kortney Hause climbed to power a header that landed on the roof of the net.

Two Wolves changes came in the minutes that followed with Bright Enobakhare and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson taking over from Marshall and Dicko respectively.

Christie, after some neat ball work on the edge of the area, wasn’t far away with the shot that followed, and after Saville had been fouled to the left of the home area, Evans’s driven free-kick went over everyone’s heads but only just wide of the far post.

Just before the end, Enobakhare was close to a consolation goal when he sprinted down the centre of the pitch and forced a full length save from Marshall who palmed the ball away. 

Wolves Under 18s 2 (Allan, Samuels) Southampton 0