Rams Fall To Forest In East Midlands Derby

Derby County suffered a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Monday Evening in the East Midlands Derby.

The only goal of the game came inside two minutes when Yohan Benalouane slotted in from close-range.

Despite the defeat, the Rams remain just outside the play-off places in seventh, however their local rivals inch closer to just one point behind in a tight Sky Bet Championship.

It took just two minutes for the home side to take the lead after a free-kick into the area saw Daryl Murphy power a header across goal to the far post for Benalouane to slot in.

The Rams looked to pull back level through Martyn Waghorn in the opening 15 minutes. Duane Holmes played him through for the forward to go one-on-one with Costel Pantilimon.

Juts two minutes later, Kelle Roos made an important stop. A mistake in the back saw Joe Lolley run through before squaring to Daryl Murphy, however, the Rams stopper read the switch well and dived down quickly on the forward’s shot.

The Reds striker had one more shot ten minutes before the break which he sent just wide.

Having come on at half-time, Florian Jozefzoon drew the first save from Pantilimon of the game to start the half. Jayden Bogle flung a cross to the wideman just inside the left of the area and after controlling the ball down he fired high for Forests’ ‘keeper to tip over.

Moments later, Lolley dragged a shot inches wide. From there, neither side able to find an opportunity for much of the second-half, although, with ten minutes to play Waghorn came close again for the Rams from a set piece.

Jack Colback was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Jayden Bogle just outside the area and Waghorn sent curled the resulting free-kick towards the goal but it was a comfortable save for Pantilimon.

Derby were unable to find the equaliser in the final minutes and the early goal sealed the points for Forest.

Nottingham Forest: Pantilimon; Darikwa, Milosevic, Benalouane, Robinson; Watson (C) (Guedioura, 71); Lolley, Colback, Yates, Osborn (Wague, 90+3); Murphy (Bonatini, 85)

Unused Subs: Steele, Carvalho, Goncalves, Pele,

Derby County: Roos; Bogle, Keogh (C), Tomori; Holmes, King (Johnson, 53), Huddlestone (Jozefzoon 45), Wilson (Bennett, 71), Cole; Waghorn, Marriott

Unused Subs: Carson, Malone, Wisdom, Nugent