St. Mary's Stadium
International
Derby County fell to a comeback defeat against Southampton in a tight-run 2-1 contest in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon.
Carlton Morris gave the Rams the lead at St. Mary’s Stadium in the 38th minute to bag his 12th goal of the campaign and net for the second game in a row.
Léo Scienza levelled the match in the 62nd minute after the in-form hosts pushed hard to equalise in the second period. Southampton then gained the lead five minutes later as Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed in a free-kick from deep.
Derby’s first effort of the match came in the fourth minute, as Sam Szmodics hit a first-time shot from Jaydon Banel’s squared pass, but he couldn’t make a connection to trouble Saints goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
The Rams were forced into an early change as Bobby Clark pulled up and had to be replaced by Oscar Fraulo after 10 minutes.
Max Johnston surged upfield soon after the play resumed, in his role at left-back, as he received the ball on the flank and shot just beyond the side netting from a tight angle.
After the hosts held control of possession for a sustained spell, a low ball into the box from Ryan Manning found Finn Azaz in the 19th minute. He was in space inside the penalty box.
A neat turn saw him face on with the goal, but his resulting shot went low and wide.
Richard O’Donnell was called into action in the 27th minute, when Azaz was on the end of a turnover for Saints that saw him on the edge of the box again. His effort hit the target but was claimed down low by the Rams’ shot-stopper.
Jaydon Banel saw Derby have two chances in quick succession after the half-hour mark, with the winger hitting a left-footed cross for Morris, which bounced at the striker's feet for him to hit at close range. But Jack Stephens blocked his path to goal.
A tame shot five minutes later saw O’Donnell deny Southampton as Léo Scienza’s curled effort from inside the box was easily caught.
The deadlock was broken in the 38th minute as Morris lurked at the back post to steer home a Ward corner that was deflected into his path.
Matt Clarke made a vital intervention with the host’s next attack as Ross Stewart’s chasing of a ball over the top looked to find him in space to score, but deft positioning by the Derby centre-back allowed him to make the tackle and kill the danger.
James Bree was first to threaten in the second half, with 53 minutes played. The ball landed at his feet 25 yards out, but the resulting strike swerved wide of the mark.
Tom Fellows was next to go near for the hosts, who were pushing for an equaliser. A Manning cross from deep flew toward him in the box, but defender Max Johnston did enough to unsettle the attacker and see the header go over the crossbar.
Szmodics’ pressing nearly earned Derby two chances to increase their lead on the hour. First, he found space with Jaydon Banel running in behind – but the attacker slipped to kill the chance – and then Szmodics tried himself and forced a save from Peretz.
Derby were made to pay for not taking those chances, as a chance from Southampton’s next attack made it 1-1 when Scienza tucked the ball past O’Donnell with a curling shot from the left.
A free-kick five minutes later put the Saints in front as Harwood-Bellis met the ball and headed into the ground and past the goalkeeper in the box.
Morris came near to restoring parity in the 71st minute when substitute Owen Eames’ cushioned header into the striker’s feet saw him shoot on the turn and force a block just wide of the mark.
A tidy move with 10 minutes remaining saw Ward float a dangerous
cross into the penalty area towards Morris, but Peretz read the flight of the
ball well to claim it and quell the danger.
Southampton: Peretz (GK), Manning, Downes, Stephens (C), Harwood-Bellis, Azaz (Charles 75), Stewart (Larin 67), Scienza (Edozie 75), Bree (Wood 87), Fellows (Matsuki 67), Jander.
Unused Substitutes: Long (GK), Archer, Welington, Bragg.
Derby County: O'Donnell (GK), Clarke, Morris, Ozoh (Langås 67), Szmodics, Johnston (Forsyth 67), Ward, Travis (C) (Salvesen 84), Sanderson, Banel (Eames 67), Clark (Fraulo 10).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Batth, I Gordon, Allen.
The Rams will head back to Pride Park Stadium as they welcome Oxford United in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday 18th April (12.30pm kick-off).
The match will also see the club recognising the 30-year anniversary of Jim Smith’s 1995/96 promotion-winning side. Find out more by clicking here.
