The RamZone Wrap: Derby Deliver Happy Anniversary For Macca & Co.
Wednesday, 1st Oct 2014 13:51 by Daniel J Sewart

Steve McClaren & Co. celebrated a year in charge at the Rams this week and as a gift, his team presented him with a third straight 2-0 win and with it, a move up to 4th place in the Championship.

Derby returned to their iPro branded fortress on Tuesday night, welcoming a well organised outfit in Bournemouth, who despite residing in the bottom half of the table, have proven to be no easy beats that specialise in shutting teams down.

This type of team has been a problem in the past for Derby who prefers free flowing football but in the end it would be McClaren’s men who found a way through.

A fit again Jeff Hendrick, was selected on the bench and entered the arena to great applause with 20 minutes left to play. His return to the squad only adds to the impressive options and depth the Derby squad has been developing this season.

On the pitch McClaren made just one change to the team who ran Bolton ragged on Saturday, Shotton moved into the heart of defence, relegating Whitbread to the bench.

In the opening exchanges the Rams were lively and despite the visitor’s best efforts, there was no containing Ibe, Christie and Ward who were desperately trying to unlock the Cherries.

Despite creating chances, Derby was unable to put a score on the board.

Christie came close and should have scored just before the break when he fired wide after finding himself in a perfect shooting position.

HT: 0 — 0

Derby stepped up a gear in the second half and looked intent on playing football on their terms but Bournemouth were impressively frustrating as they did not give the home team the extra inch they were continually trying to create.

On 67 minutes Derby should have been 1-0 up but for a puzzling refereeing decision that deprived them of the lead.

Candidate for ‘Average Ref Of The Week’, Mr. Scott Mathieson, witnessed Jamie Ward break through the Cherries defence and find himself with only the keeper to beat. Ward’s resulting shot was attacked by former Rams keeper Lee Camp but in doing so found himself outside of the box — the deflection from Camp’s save hit Ward and ended up in the net.

So Derby 1-0 to the good!

No Sorry — Mr. Mathieson had different a different idea… or is that no idea?

The Ref, who reportedly graduated from the Robert Madeley school of refereeing, first signaled a goal, then ruled out the goal, brought play back for the handball, sent off Camp and awarded Derby County a free kick 20 yards out.

Martin lashed the resulting kick into the goal frame and the Rams were unrewarded for their efforts.

By the letter of the law the ref may have followed the rules by having to bring back play to red card Camp, but frankly as it is a bit of a grey area regarding what constitutes a "goal scoring opportunity" and "deliberate" handling outside the box - you could suggest Mathieson would have been better off allowing the goal to stand and issuing a yellow to Camp.

Whatever the case it was Bournemouth down to 10 men and Derby still needing to find a goal.

The extra man can sometimes be a hindrance and sometimes a help but on this occasion it was one less player Derby had to get past, as they pressed their advantage and looked to break the deadlock.

On 81 minutes the dam wall broke as Will Hughes went on one of his trademark runs, dribbling into the Bournemouth box, a quick fire exchange with Martin ended with a powerful shot from 14 yards out and the ball lodged itself in the top right corner.

The Rams finally took the lead, one that Mr. Mathieson was unable to take away!

The Rams were coming home with a wet sail and in injury time Chris Martin ensured there would be no last minute sucker punch. Substitute Johnny Russell showed great pace as he broke down the wing, his fabulous cross into Martin allowed the number 9 to just tap into an empty net from two yards out as the game entered injury time.

It was 2- 0 for the third game in a row and more importantly - game over!

FT: 2 — 0

Last season Derby would have walked away with a point, as teams that played like this would more often than not, succeed in sharing the spoils. Yes the Cherries were down to 10 men, but if it had not been for a ridiculous refereeing decision, Derby would have already been ahead at that point.

Playing against 10 men often proves tougher for some teams but Derby showed their class and growing confidence by making it count. Sensational levels of fitness and skill as an opposition tires, will prove telling in more games than this one.

Derby is heading in the right direction and that direction is up.

4th in the Championship, 1 point off top, unbeaten in 9 games and a run of 3 consecutive clean sheets. Now that's something to celebrate!

Happy Anniversary McClaren, Simpson & Steele — thanks for coming!

A big thumbs up on the job you have done so far for DCFC.

RamZone’s Ryan Weston was at the iPro for the match and once he returns from McClaren’s one year anniversary shindig — we will present his report and thoughts on the victory that finds the Rams within a whisker of top spot.

Until then — COYR!!

Match Info / Teams:

Ref: Scott (Madeley in disguise) Mathieson

Crowd: 26,725

Rams: Grant, Christie, Keogh, Shotton, Forsyth, Eustace (Best 73’), Bryson, Hughes, Ibe (Russell 45’), Ward (Hendrick 74’), Martin.

Unused Subs: Mitchell, Naylor, Whitbread, Mascarell.

Goals: Hughes - 81’, Martin — 90 + 2’

Cherries: Camp, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Harte, Arter (Kermorgant 86’), O’Kane, Surman, Ritchie, Wilson (Flahavan 67’), Stanislas (Pugh 56’).

Unused Subs: Daniels, Smith, Gosling, Pitman.

Match Stats — Derby / Reading:

Possession: 59% / 41%

Shots On Target: 5 / 2

Shots Off Target: 14 / 3

Corners: 7 / 3

Fouls: 8 / 9

We Said / They Said - Match Reaction:

We Said — Steve McClaren:

"Bournemouth came and dropped deep and made it very compact but we kept our patience. We said at half-time to keep our patience and concentration because we have players who will score and that's what happened.”

"We score goals in the last 10 minutes of games and that's big advantage for us. Teams know that and we just have to keep knocking at the door and hopefully it will come down and it did in this game."

They said — Eddie Howe:

"We frustrated Derby and made it difficult. I thought they shaded it in terms of possession but I thought we were comfortable and had some good counter-attack opportunities ourselves first half.”

"We feel hard done by because the way Derby keep the ball it was going to be tough to hang on and although we battled on, they eventually got the goal with a great finish."