MATCH REPORT: Derby County B 3-2 Preston North End U21

Derby County's B Team came out on top in a 3-2 win over Preston North End Under-21s in the Central League at Moor Farm Training Centre on Monday.

Keith Briggs took charge of the B Team as they claimed their second win on the bounce, after winning 4-0 against Chesterfield in the Central League Cup on Thursday 4th September.

The win against Preston was the Rams’ first in the 2025/26 Central League, having lost 2-1 away to Oxford United Under-21s in the first match of the competition back in August.

Derby’s first-team defender Sondre Langås played the full game and captained the side against the Lilywhites, as he continued to build up his match sharpness following knee surgery back in May.

Midfielder Owen Eames gave Derby the lead at Moor Farm with a spectacular curling strike from distance. Justin Oguntolu flicked the ball into the path of the midfielder, who took a touch and wrapped the ball just inside the right-hand post from 20 yards.

Marley Mintus doubled Derby’s lead before the break, as a well-timed body feint allowed him to find space to turn his defender and unleash a low strike, in a busy penalty area, that beat the goalkeeper.

The visitors hit back with a sharp move that saw striker Felipe Rodriguez Gentile finish from close range, but Derby provided a quick response as Cameron Wilson steered home Cruz Allen’s cross to the far post to make it 3-1.

Winger Shay Reid notched a second goal for Preston as he struck the ball on the volley from inside the box, but the Rams held on to take all three Central League points.

Team News

Derby County B: Price (GK), Hawkins, Turley (Wähling 46), Tola, Osayande (Canoville 46), Langås (C), Richards, Mintus, Oguntolu (Wheeldon 46), Eames (Allen 46), Wilson.

Substitutes Not Used: J Thompson (GK).

Next Fixture

Derby County's B Team are next in action when they head to Grimsby Town in the Central League Cup on Tuesday 14th October (2pm kick-off), before returning to Central League action with a home fixture against Bolton Wanderers on Monday 27th October (1pm kick-off).