Derby County made it two wins out of two in their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 victory over German side Hertha Berlin at Pride Park Stadium.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scored the game’s only goal as he curled home from 12 yards after new signing David McGoldrick’s effort rebounded off the post.
And it was an afternoon full of positives for interim boss Liam Rosenior who would have been impressed with how the Rams applied themselves throughout the encounter.
It was a new-look starting squad for Derby with only Curtis Davies, Jason Knight and Max Bird starting from last season’s team.
The game allowed supporters their first glimpse of new signings James Chester, Conor Hourihane, David McGoldrick and James Collins, whilst Tom Barkhuizen was searching for his second goal for the club following his strike against Bradford City seven days ago.
And the Rams started the game well, implementing what they have practised on the training ground and putting it into a match situation. They passed the ball around neatly, whilst out of possession they remained resolute and kept their shape well.
The new signings were impressing, too. There was an energy about Derby, despite the simmering heat which didn’t affect the flow of the game too much.
Mendez-Laing was a bright spark on the wing, swapping with Barkhuizen throughout the opening 45 minutes, whilst McGoldrick and Collins looked to open up the defence when they had the opportunity.
Behind them was Hourihane and Bird who were workhorses in midfield. Hourihane’s set pieces were causing an issue for the Hertha Belin defence, and that caused Derby’s first opportunity of the game on the half hour mark.
His out-swinging free kick was cleared only as far as Bird on the edge of the box but his volleyed effort just went wide of Oliver Christensen’s goal. But, Derby’s good play was rewarded five minutes before the half time interval as they took the lead.
It was good work from McGoldrick who did well to turn his man inside the penalty box before his first effort was saved. The ball rebounded back to the forward but his second effort smashed off the post and back out into the area.
Mendez-Laing picked up the loose ball and made no mistake from 12 yards to open his account for the club and give Derby the half time lead.
Chester and McGoldrick were replaced at half time and replaced by Eiran Cashin and new signing Kwaku Oduroh as the Rams continued to show good signs of progression in the second half.
Derby, who looked composed throughout the afternoon, managed to get into some good areas and test the Hertha Berlin defence. The German side were restricted to their first opportunity of the game on the hour mark as Dodi Lukebakio curled towards the far post but his effort kissed the post before going wide.
The Rams hit the post themselves minutes later as Knight struck a free kick from 25 yards, skimming the frame of the goal on its way behind for a goal kick. Then followed a number of changes for the Rams as Roberts, Davies, Mendez-Laing, Hourihane and Collins left to a standing ovation. Barkhuizen departed 10 minutes later, again to good applause from supporters.
It was a youthful-looking line up which concluded the game as Hertha upped the tempo in the final 10 minutes, but the Rams held their own to see the game out. They could have even extended their lead as Jack Stretton saw an effort saved by Christensen late on.
Rosenior will have been pleased with what he saw from his side as the Rams look to build on that performance on Tuesday night against League Two side Stevenage.
Derby County: Wildsmith (Loach 77’), Knight (Robinson 77’), Chester (Cashin 46’), Davies (Stearman 60’), Roberts (Sibley 60’), Mendez-Laing (Forsyth 60’), Bird (Aghatise 77’), Hourihane (Thompson 60’), Barkhuizen (Nunn 69’), Collins (Stretton 60’), McGoldrick (Oduroh 46’).
Hertha Berlin: Christensen, Selke, Serdar, Maolida, Lukebakio, Kenny, Kempf, Plattenhardt (C), Boateng, Sunjic, Gechter.
Substitutes: Kwasigroch, Ekkelenkamp, Ernst, Wollschlager, Ullrich, Eitschberger, Zeefuik, Scherhant.
Attendance: 7,043 (207 visiting supporters)
