3/1 To Win
Derby County were left frustrating as they suffered their first home defeat since November as they were beaten 1-2 by Millwall.
A direct free kick in the opening 90 seconds of the game got Millwall on their way, whilst on the half hour mark, Tyler Burey smashed the visitors into a two-goal advantage.
And, on this occasion, it just proved to be a little bit too much, despite the Rams pulling one back late in the game through an own goal from Millwall’s Jake Cooper.
Derby applied some late pressure but just could not find that equaliser as they fell to their first home defeat in six games.
Manager Wayne Rooney made two changes as Saturday’s goalscorer Louie Sibley started, as did Lee Buchanan who returned to the starting line-up.
But the Rams got off to the worst possible start as they fell behind in the opening two minutes of the game.
Curtis Davies was adjudged to have fouled former Ram Mason Bennett on the left-hand side and from the resulting free kick, Wallace’s effort went straight into the corner to put the visitors ahead.
Derby responded well and settled into the encounter, as Max Bird saw an effort fly over the crossbar from the edge of the box, whilst Lee Buchanan’s drilled effort was deflected wide by a stray Millwall leg.
However, Millwall were probing and almost made it two midway through the half as they capitalised on a loose pass in midfield and set off on the counter attack.
Wallace received the ball on the left and picked out Burey who was unmarked in the area but the forward struck over from close range.
But, the Millwall man would make up for his miss as he grabbed the Lions’ second goal of the game on the half hour mark.
After a strong run from Bennett on the left, he found Wallace in the centre. His shot was well charged down by the retreating Rams, but Burey was on hand to slam Millwall into a two-goal advantage.
Again, Derby responded well to that set back and almost got back into the game immediately. Bird wriggled into the penalty area where he found Sibley, the midfielder laid the ball into the path of Ebosele but he was denied by the feet of Millwall goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
The Rams continued to come forward as Jason Knight saw an effort fly wide of the post, whilst at the other end, Rams goalkeeper Ryan Allsop had to be alert to save from Bennett.
Rooney made two changes at the break as Sibley and Ebosele, who had picked up a knock towards the end of the first half, were replaced by Colin Kazim-Richards and Ravel Morrison.
And the pair made an impact following their arrival into the game as they added much-needed energy into the Rams’ attack, as they won a free kick on the edge of the box.
Luke Plange was fouled and picked himself up to take the set piece but fired over the crossbar.
Millwall, content to sit back on their two-goal lead, allowed Derby a lot of the ball, but the Rams struggled to break down their stubborn back-line.
Academy scholar Malcolm Ebiowei was introduced with just under 20 minutes remaining and showed good intent as he battled to get Derby back into the game.
But chances were few and far between. Plange swivelled on the edge of the box and saw a tame effort saved, but, with minutes remaining, the Rams did manage to pull a goal back.
Kazim-Richards received the ball on the right-hand side and delivered a teasing cross into the centre which was diverted into his own goal by Cooper.
However, the goal would turn out to be just a consolation, despite some late pressure, as the Rams fell to defeat.
Derby County: Allsop, Byrne, Bielik (Ebiowei 72’), Bird, Sibley (Kazim-Richards 46’), Buchanan, Davies (C), Ebosele (Morrison 46’), Knight, Cashin, Plange.
Substitutes: Roos, Forsyth, Stearman, Thompson.
Millwall: Bialkowski, McNamara, Wallace, Hutchinson (C), Cooper, Wallace, Malone, Saville, Bennett (Evans 85’), Mitchell, Burey (Lovelace 85’).
Substitutes: Long, Pearce, Ballard, Mahoney, Briscoe.
Attendance: 23,943 (513 visiting supporters)
