Tue 25 Nov - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 3mins
Derby County’s B Team beat Mansfield Town 3-1 in emphatic fashion to secure three points in the Central League Cup on Tuesday afternoon.
The Rams made it back-to-back wins in the competition after they overcame Grimsby 3-2 on the road last month.
They faced up against a strong Mansfield side, including a number of senior professionals, in a hard-fought contest at Moor Farm Training Centre and came out on top thanks to goals from Jamie Wähling, Jerome Richards and Justin Oguntolu.
Derby came out of the gates quickly with a lovely move down the left that led to a Cruz Allen effort grazing the bar.
Wähling’s solo run from the halfway line in the 24th minute ended with a strike that deflected into the bottom right corner to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
Goalkeeper Sam Kane pulled off two saves from Lucas Akins to keep the young Derby side a goal to the good going into the second half.
The cagey second period got going in the 65th minute when left winger Richards cut onto his right foot to curl a shot into the far right corner to double the Derby’s lead.
Mansfield pulled a goal back from an Elliot Hartmann cross in the 70th minute, which was prodded home by Jack Goodman from inside the six-yard box.
With ten minutes to go, Wähling’s quick feet got him out of trouble on the edge of the Mansfield box for him to release a thunderous shot, which crashed against the post.
Second-half substitute Oguntolu pounced onto a long ball, bullying the defenders to smash home a third goal from a tight angle - which firmed up the win.
The B Team will return to action in the Central League Cup on Thursday 18th December away at Chesterfield (1pm kick-off).
Derby County B: Kane (GK), Gough, Cox (C), Canoville, Stokes, Tola, Wähling, Smith, Richards, Wilson, Allen.
Substitutes: Dzialuk (GK), Osayande, Oguntolu, T Gill, Osong.
"It was a good test for the players today," Senior Professional Development Coach Danny Maye said after the game.
"They were an experienced team and caused us problems. At times, we needed to be better with the ball, but I couldn’t fault our pressing and defending. It was great to see the boys do the basics well.
"As the game went on, our in-possession game improved. We played against the press more often, and then to the next line as it opened up. This gave us a chance to bypass their press and create an overload on the top line.
"Overall, it was a great experience for the lads with loads of opportunities to learn how to win in difficult circumstances."
Words: Harry Pearson
Images: Mansfield Town
