3/1 To Win
Derby County bowed out of the Carabao Cup in the second round after a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Albert Adomah and Joe Lolley each had a goal and an assist in the first-half, before substitute Joao Carvalho’s strike sealed the victory for the Reds at the City Ground.
Phillip Cocu handed full debuts to academy products Louie Sibley and Morgan Whittaker who made their second senior appearances after coming off the bench in the first round against Scunthorpe United.
The cup tie also saw a return from injury for Duane Holmes for his first first-team game since the play-off semi-final against Leeds United at Elland Road last season.
Clear chances were sparse for both sides in the opening stages of a feisty battle between the local rivals.
The Reds began to grow into the game but back-to-back chances by Rafa Mir were unable to break the deadlock around the 20-minute mark. First, a free-kick from the middle of Derby’s half was sent into area and bobble across the goalmouth before Mir’s half volley was sent over.
Just a minute later a mistake at the back gave Forest the ball back high up the pitch and Brennan Johnson slotted the ball into Mir’s path who stuck on target to draw a great save by Ben Hamer.
The home sides opening goal came on 25 minutes. Lolley’s corner from the right was met by the feet of Adomah in the box who tucked his low effort into the bottom left corner.
The Reds duo’s roles were reversed ten minutes later when Adomah’s left wing cross found Lolley who rose highest to head into the left corner.
The closest the Rams came to pulling a goal back in the half came two minutes later when Jamie Paterson made a run down the left flank and picked out Whittaker in the middle of the area but he struck his effort over.
Minutes after the restart, Hamer was called into action again and did well to deny Mir’s header at the near post before Mason Bennett made the clearance.
Forest added a third with less than ten minutes to play when a clearance by the Rams was met by the book of Carvalho who struck past Hamer.
The Rams return to Sky Bet Championship action on Saturday when they travel to face Brentford in the final game before the first international break.
Nottingham Forest: Samba; Cash, Figueiredo, Worrall (Rodriguez, 87), Ribeiro; Lolley (Silva, 68), Bostock, Semedo, Adomah; Mir, Johnson (Carvalho, 57)
Unused Subs: Muric, Grabban, Jenkinson, Ameobi
Derby County: Hamer; Holmes, Davies, Clarke, Buchanan; Shinnie (Bird, 87), Evans; Whittaker (Mitchell-Lawson, 70), Sibley (Marriott, 58), Paterson; Bennett
Unused Subs: Roos, Keogh, Lawrence, Knight
