A goal in either half condemned Derby County’s Under-23s to a 2-0 home defeat against Everton on Monday evening.

Tom Cannon gave Everton the lead moments before the midway point of the first period with a fine long-range effort, which came following a bright start from Pat Lyons’ side at Loughborough University Stadium.

Cannon netted his and the Toffees’ second of the night with just over 20 minutes remaining to secure all three points for the visitors.

The defeat leaves Derby still at the foot of the Premier League 2 - Division 1 table and five points adrift of safety, although with a game in hand to play the Rams remain in contention to claw themselves away from danger in the weeks ahead.

Attacking midfielder Malcolm Ebiowei and striker Jack Stretton, who were unused substitutes for the first team in the 1-0 home victory over Peterborough United on Saturday, were handed starts to maintain their match sharpness.

Louie Watson, Max Bardell, Darren Robinson and Ozazee Aghatise, who have been in-and-around Wayne Rooney’s side to provide options from the bench at various stages this term, were also named in the starting line-up by Lyons.

Despite their inclusions the Rams’ side remained youthful and relatively inexperienced at Under-23 level, while there were also two trialists on the bench in the form of defender Kamari Grant and forward Josh Shonibare, who left Derby at the end of last season and has just recovered from a long-term injury.

Derby started the contest positively and Ebiowei let fly with a fine strike from 20 yards early on, after linking up well with Tyree Wilson, but Harry Tyrer in the Everton goal parried his effort and quickly gathered the loose ball as Stretton prepared to pounce on the rebound.

Aghatise hit the crossbar soon afterwards for the Rams with a fine effort from the edge of the penalty area, with Wilson once again the provider. Tyrer was left grasping at thin air as the ball whistled past his outstretched left hand - but the ball thundered against the woodwork and away to safety.

Somewhat against the run of play, Everton took the lead with 19 minutes played in spectacular fashion. Cannon drifted inside from the right-hand side into a central area and created just enough space to thunder a left-foot strike beyond the reach of Harrison Foulkes to find the top corner.

The Rams responded to the setback of going behind well and carried a threat going forward, but they were unable to break down the stubborn Everton backline as they edged into the attacking third of the pitch.

A similar pattern followed at the start of the second half for Derby too, with their best efforts coming from a long-range Watson free kick that fizzed over the crossbar and a Stretton effort which was straight at Tyrer from the edge of the box.

Everton, managed by former England defender David Unsworth, doubled their lead with just over 20 minutes to play with Cannon once again the goalscorer. Sebastian Quirk’s deep cross from the right was mishit by the striker on the volley, but the ball somehow found its way past Foulkes and over the line before Bardell could clear.

The striker nearly netted his hat-trick late on, but midfielder Courtney Clarke - once again performing in defence - positioned himself well to get back and head his effort off the line.

Derby continued to be brave on the ball and probe for a way back into the game as the clock ticked down, with Aghatise going close to pulling a goal back in added time with an effort that flashed narrowly wide, but the visitors kept them at bay and see out the latter stages to pick up maximum points.

Derby’s Under-23s are back in action on Friday night when they travel north for their away fixture against Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village (7pm kick-off).

Derby County Under-23s: Foulkes (GK), Brailsford (Grant 84), Grewal-Pollard, Watson, Bardell (C), Clarke, Ebiowei (Shonibare 46), Robinson (Matthews 67), Stretton, Wilson, Aghatise.

Substitutes Not Used: Kelly-Caprani, Roberts (GK).

Everton Under-23s: Tyrer (GK), Quirk, John, Welch (Campbell 57), Astley (C), Anderson, Mills (Butterfield 67), Price, Cannon, Onyango (Hughes 57), Dobbin.

Substitutes Not Used: Leban (GK), Kristensen.