Bramall Lane
Derby County won their third Sky Bet Championship game on the bounce with a 3-1 success at Sheffield United on Saturday.
Carlton Morris put a dominant Derby ahead after 24 minutes of play at Bramall Lane when he headed home Joe Ward’s corner.
The striker then bagged his second straight after the half-time break with a cool finish before netting from the penalty spot to secure his hat-trick just after the hour mark.
Callum O’Hare’s strike in the 72nd minute proved to be a consolation for the hosts, with Derby claiming all three points.
The victory on the road for John Eustace’s side comes after consecutive home wins against Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers at the end of October.
Patrick Agyemang was lively down the left flank in the first nockings of the game for Derby as the attacker drove to the byline and was muscled out by his opposite number to force a goal kick.
Moments later, Craig Forsyth played the USA international in behind once more down the left, where he won a corner after more tenacious running down the flank, but the set piece was well dealt with by the hosts.
Djibril Soumaré had United’s first effort of the game after nine minutes, when a move down the right flank saw the ball directed towards the midfielder on the edge of the penalty box. He struck for goal, but saw his effort fly wide.
Derby had a prolonged spell of possession from the 15th minute, moving the play across the field multiple times, looking to unlock the Blades’ defence, but Chris Wilder’s side held firm.
Tyrese Campbell looked to burst in for the hosts when he pounced on a loose ball in Derby defence in the 19th minute, but the Rams regrouped quickly to smother the chance.
Bobby Clark had a go on goal down the other end of the field a minute later, as a high ball was held up by Agyemang and laid off to the midfielder, whose low effort fizzed wide of the mark from 18 yards.
Morris’ hard work saw Derby win a corner after the striker drove towards goal and saw the ball behind from a United defender.
His efforts were rewarded, as he met Joe Ward’s dangerous delivery to nod Derby into the lead in the 24th minute with a firm header into the back of the net.
Ben Brereton Díaz came close as he forced an excellent save moments after the goal. The Chilean international tried his luck from distance and had Michael Cooper at full stretch to send the ball behind for another corner.
The set piece was close, too, as Matt Clarke connected with a front-post header that flew just wide.
A Blades free-kick from the right found captain Japhet Tanganga with a header at the far post in the 29th minute, but Derby goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström was there to save.
The Rams withstood pressure from the hosts towards the end of the half. O’Hare threaded in behind in the 43rd minute, but a superbly timed sliding tackle from Clarke thwarted the attack.
Two minutes later, Campbell headed just over the bar with the hosts’ best chance of the opening 45 minutes before the half-time whistle blew.
Morris pounced to make it 2-0 straight after the break. Sydie
Peck played a wayward back pass straight from the kick-off, and the striker
took the ball and charged into a one-on-one with the goalkeeper before finishing
with aplomb.
Peck tried to redeem himself moments later when he attempted a long-range strike, which nestled by the wrong side of the post.
Ward looked to be in with a chance to get Derby’s third when a shot from Agyemang bounced into his direction at the far post. The ball bounced awkwardly as he tried to strike it on the volley, though, and his attempt went over the bar.
The Rams won a penalty just after the hour when Agyemang burst into the box from the left, and a defender’s attempt to block the striker saw him handle the ball on the ground. Morris stepped up and struck confidently into the bottom left corner for his first career hat-trick and eighth goal of the season.
United pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute when O’Hare mazed into a packed penalty area to score from close range following a long throw into the box.
Derby made changes with ten minutes remaining as Ebou Adams and Kayden Jackson entered the field in place of Clark and Agyemang - joining Rhian Brewster, who had come on in place of Brereton Díaz in the 73rd minute.
The Rams had to withstand an onslaught of attacks late in
the game, with the hosts having a flurry of corners and long throws, but Derby
met the challenge and kept their lead to take maximum points away from Bramall
Lane.
Sheffield United: Cooper (GK), Tanganga (C), McCallum (Burrows 79), O’Hare, Brooks (Oné 60), Mee, Soumaré (Davies 68), Ogbene (Ings 79), Campbell, McGuiness (Matos 60), Peck.
Unused Substitutes: Davies (GK), Bindon, Nwachukwu, Riedwald.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Forsyth, Clarke, Langås, Agyemang (Jackson 79), Morris (C) (Salvesen 85), Ozoh, Ward, Brereton Díaz (Brewster 73), Sanderson, Clark (Adams 79).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Batth, Blackett-Taylor, Weimann, Nyambe.
Derby will return to Pride Park Stadium in the Sky Bet Championship to go head-to-head with Hull City under the floodlights on Tuesday night (7:45pm kick-off).
Click here for ticket information.
