Ewood Park
Derby County made it five wins in a row in the Sky Bet Championship going into the November international break with a 2-1 success at Blackburn Rovers.
Derby took the lead after 19 minutes at Ewood Park as striker Carlton Morris headed home his tenth goal of the season with a deft finish from Callum Elder’s inswinging corner from the right-hand side.
The Rams’ lead was doubled moments before half-time as USA international forward Patrick Agyemang, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Friday, powerfully headed home Joe Ward’s cross from the right.
Blackburn got a goal back just after the hour mark through Yūki Ōhashi’s penalty to reduce the deficit to a single goal and despite strong pressure from the home side, Derby held on to claim all three points.
There was injury concern for the Rams early on when midfielder David Ozoh went down with a thigh problem. After receiving treatment, the 20-year-old was forced off and replaced by Ebou Adams inside the opening 10 minutes.
Soon after, Derby carved out their first chance of the game. A neat move saw the ball fall to Elder in space on the left flank and the Australian delivered a teasing cross to the back post, but Morris powered his header over the crossbar.
Morris was involved again when he slipped in Ben Brereton Díaz with a perfectly weighted through ball. The Chile international found himself one-on-one with Rovers goalkeeper Aynsley Pears but fired wide.
The Rams took the lead in the 19th minute as Morris notched his tenth Championship goal of the season with a well-taken header. Elder delivered a dangerous corner into the box and Morris rose highest, heading across goal into the bottom corner to put Derby ahead and continue his outstanding goalscoring form, scoring in four successive games for the Rams.
Derby continued to look lively as the first half wore on. Elder found himself in acres of space down the left again and delivered another looping cross towards the box, with Morris the target, but the striker was unable to reach it.
There was then a chance for the hosts as the ball fell nicely to Ryoya Morishita outside the box following a Rovers corner. He struck it first time on the half volley, but it sailed high and wide, causing no issues for Jacob Widell Zetterström in the Derby goal.
As the clock ticked down in the first half, a crucial intervention from Adams kept the Rams ahead. Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s back post-delivery looked destined for Axel Henriksson, who had found himself in space in the penalty area, but Adams was able to poke it away. Moments later, Gardner-Hickman let fly with an audacious effort from distance that dipped over the crossbar.
Agyemang then came close to doubling Derby’s lead. Elder’s curling delivery into the box found the USA international in the centre of the box, but his header was straight down the throat of Pears.
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Agyemang made no mistake with his next chance, however, netting the Rams’ second goal just before the stroke of half-time. The forward connected sweetly with Ward’s whipped cross into the penalty area, powering a header beyond Pears to give the Rams a well-deserved 2-0 lead at the break.
There was a opening for Valérien Ismaël’s side early in the second period when Sean Mcloughlin’s cushioned header found Ohashi in the centre of the box. The Japanese international snatched at the chance, blasting it over the crossbar.
A penalty was awarded to the hosts in the 64th minute after Dion Sanderson was adjudged to have brought down Ohashi with a last-ditch sliding challenge in the box. Ohashi stepped up to take it and smashed it in emphatically to pull one back for the hosts.
The Rams looked to respond as Elder surged down the left and delivered a pinpoint ball towards the onrushing Adams in the box, but the midfielder was unable to reach it at full stretch. The offside flag was later raised as Adams was caught marginally offside.
Blackburn then threatened in search of an equaliser. Ryan Hedges swinged in a dangerous ball from the left, which was met by the head of Ohashi, but Zetterström showcased superb reflexes to dive and claw it away.
Carrying the momentum in the closing stages, Rovers pressed for an equaliser late on, but the Rams backline held strong. Substitute Adam Forshaw’s corner was headed towards goal by Andri Gudjohnsen in stoppage time, but Zetterström collected comfortably.
In the final action of the game, Makhtar Gueye pounced on a loose pass and darted through on goal, but Sanderson’s vital recovery challenge ensured Derby left Ewood Park with three points and a fifth Championship victory on the bounce.
Blackburn Rovers: Pears (GK), Alebiosu, Gardner-Hickman (Montgomery 45), Gudjohnsen, Miller, De Neve, Mcloughlin (C), Henriksson (Forshaw 78), Hedges, Ohashi, Morishita (Gueye 78).
Unused Substitutes: Michalski (GK), Pickering, Ribeiro, Tavares, Carter, Pratt.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Clarke, Langås, Agyemang (Weimann 70), Morris (C) (Salvesen 90), Ozoh (Adams 9), Elder, Ward (Batth 90), Brereton Díaz (Brewster 70), Sanderson, Clark.
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Forsyth, Blackett-Taylor, Jackson.
20,147 (2,736 Derby County supporters).
Following the upcoming international break, the Rams will return to action at Pride Park Stadium as they host Watford in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday 22nd November (3pm kick-off).
Words: Ella Barber.
