Derby County’s Under-18s emphatically beat Nottingham Forest Under-18s 6-0 at the Nigel Doughty Academy in an enthralling East Midlands derby on Saturday.

An excellent team performance from Danny Maye’s side saw Niall McAndrew and Dajaune Brown score two goals apiece, while substitutes Cruz Allen and Adisa Osayande also got in on the action as the Rams ended 2023 with three points in Premier League - North.

After a reasonably quiet start to the contest, the Rams took a deserved lead in the 23rd minute across Brian Clough Way through Republic of Ireland youth international winger McAndrew. Brown did excellently on the left wing and the ball found its way to McAndrew, who emphatically volleyed home.

The home side almost equalised immediately, after good work from Danny Anisjko out wide, but goalkeeper Jack Thompson made an excellent point blank save to keep the Rams ahead.

An excellent team goal saw McAndrew grab his second of the game on the half hour mark. The move started from a goal kick, as Maye’s side played it out brilliantly from the back to find Brown, who cut it back for McAndrew to slot home and double Derby’s lead.

After a lengthy stoppage in play immediately after the second goal, which saw Jack Perry forced off injured, Osayande was introduced into the action at right-back.

Derby grabbed a third deep into added time at the end of the first half with Owen Eames delivering an inch perfect corner to the back post for Osayande to head home.

The Rams started the second half as they finished the first, on top. Eames fired just over from the kick off and a Derby corner in the 47th minute caused chaos in the Forest box, but the ball bounced back off the crossbar and away to safety.

Derby almost got a fourth on the hour mark, as McAndrew and substitute Allen linked up well, but from Allen’s cutback Brown was denied.

Brown deservedly got on the scoresheet after 66 minutes. After brilliant work from Johnson Osong on the right wing, Brown was on hand to tap home his cutback to make it 4-0.

Allen got amongst the goals in the 77th minute as his free kick nestled in the far corner before it got even better seven minutes later with Wales youth international midfielder Allen turning provider as he won the ball back high up and played in Brown to power home and round off the scoring.

Derby head into Christmas sat in fifth spot in Under-18 Premier League - North, picking up five wins, two draws and five losses from 12 matches, with their next game against Middlesbrough at Moor Farm Training Ground on Saturday 13th December (12:30pm kick-off).

Derby County Under-18s: Thompson (GK), Perry (Osayande 36), Gough, Hawkins, Banks, Robinson (C), Osong, Eames (Agustien 69), Brown, Wheeldon (Allen 53), McAndrew (Oguntolu 70).

Substitutes Not Used: Price (GK).

Words: Will Stanier