3/1 To Win
Derby County Under-23s moved four points clear of visitors Everton and cemented their spot in second place in the table, winning 4-1 at Pride Park Stadium.
However, it was not as easy as the scoreline suggested as the Rams had to work hard for their victory.
Elis Simms put the Toffees ahead midway through the first half and they did well to stop the threats of the Rams.
A piece of magic drew the Rams level with 10 minutes of the first half remaining as Louie Sibley struck a sweet effort from 20 yards to get Derby back into the game.
And from the hour mark onwards, they dominated their opponents and put them to bed with consummate ease.
A brace from Jahmal Hector-Ingram, his second from the penalty spot, put Derby in a commanding position, whilst with 10 minutes remaining Josh Shonibare got his name on the scoresheet to cap off a good night for the Rams.
Derby were frustrated for large parts of the first half as Everton nullified their attacking threats, not allowing influential players like Sibley, Jason Knight and Tyree Wilson much time on the ball.
Opportunities were limited but it would be the visitors who took the lead midway through the first half.
Simms had a lot to do when he received the ball midway through the Rams half, however, he opened his body and managed to knock the ball beyond Ethan Wassall before poking the ball beyond Jonathan Mitchell to give Everton the lead.
One was almost two minutes later as Simms forced a good reaction save from Mitchell as the goalkeeper tipped his close-range header over the ball.
The Rams needed to regroup, and a piece of magic managed to draw them level on 36 minutes.
Max Bird managed to break the lines with a fizzing pass to Sibley. The forward controlled the ball expertly before unleashing an unstoppable effort into the far corner to draw Derby County level.
The goal lifted the Rams, giving them an extra spring in their steps but it remained level at the half time interval.
Clear cut chances were at a premium for either side as both seemed to cancel each other out in key areas of the field.
Knight enjoyed some neat touches, whilst Sibley’s presence in the game started to grow.
The pair, as well as Bird, combined just after the hour mark to put the Rams ahead. The trio strung neat passes together as Knight found space on the right.
He fired a cross across the face of goal and Hector-Ingram managed to bundle the ball over the line to put the Rams ahead in the game.
The floodgates then started to open for the Rams who ended the game in complete control.
Sibley’s ability to run with the ball into tight areas was proving to be a threat for the visitors and they could not handle his quality going forward.
However, it was substitute Archie Brown who helped force the third goal from the penalty spot. He intercepted a loose pass from Everton’s Morgan Feeney and chased down the loose ball in the penalty box.
He was fouled by goalkeeper Harry Tyrer and that allowed Hector-Ingram to double his tally for the night as he sent him the wrong way to put the Rams 3-1 ahead.
The Rams were rampant and were eyeing blood as they went for a fourth goal. That eventually came on 81 minutes as Shonibare’s strike from the edge of the area capped off a wonderful evening for the Rams as they cemented their place in second position in the Premier League 2 Division 1 table.
Derby County: Mitchell, Bateman (J. Brown 45’), Buchanan, Bird, Wassall, Forsyth, Shonibare (Ebosele 81’), Knight, Hector-Ingram, Sibley, Wilson (A. Brown 56’).
Substitutes: Barnes, Minkley.
Everton: Tyrer, John (Denny 72’), Foulds, Baningime, Feeney, Gibson, Charsley (Mampala 68’), Adeniran, Simms, Markelo, Gordon (Hunt 42’).
Substitutes: Hansen, Astley.
