The Damned United came to Derby and found it very tough, against the Rams and their manager a man by the name of Clough. They tossed his father at the first sign of trouble, now son of Brian repaid their act by doing the double.

Derby County 2 vs. 1 Leeds United

Tuesday 12th April 2011

Pride Park - Derbyshire

G. Salisbury

Attendance:

27,252 (3,815)

The Teams:

The Rams:

Jones, Brayford, Barker, Ayala, Roberts, B Davies, Pearson (Robinson 75), Savage, Bailey, Ward (Porter 86), S Davies (Addison 90). 

Unused Substitutes: Atkins, Leacock, Bueno, Anderson.

Yellow Cards: Ayala, Pearson, Savage

Goals: Ward (60), B Davies (63)

The Damned United:

Schmeichel, Connolly, Gradel, Kilkenny, Becchio (Somma 64), Howson, Livermore (Johnson 64), Lichaj, Bannan (McCormack 72), Bromby, O'Brien.

Unused Substitutes: Bruce, Naylor, Sam, Higgs.

Yellow Cards: Becchio, Johnson, Howson

Goals: Gradel (58)

Match Stats:

Possession: Derby 48% - Damned 52%

Shots On Target: Derby 8 – Damned 6

Shots Off Target: Derby 4 – Damned 7

Corners: Derby 5 – Damned 3

Fouls: Derby 15 – Damned 15

Most Fouls: Davies 2 - Bromby 4

Old One-Eye’s Match Report:

Davies stunner sinks Leeds – make mine a Double.

This season’s opening fixture saw Leeds entertaining Derby at Elland Road, and on that occasion The Rams emerged victorious with a performance that caused optimistic noises to be voiced about possible promotion.

Eight months later, it is Leeds who flirt with the playoffs while Derby looks anxiously over their shoulders, paying attention to the results of Scunthorpe and others.

Let’s get one thing out of the way now - none of that matters one jot. Old One-Eye remembers many occasions when subterfuge, skulduggery and out-and-out cheating by the ‘Men in White’ were the orders of the day.

The Leeds of today are no longer demons wearing ‘smiley’ badges, and any rivalry between the clubs is imaginary, but for this old fellow and for many like him, they are the opponents over whom victory tastes sweetest.

The Leeds United thousands were in fine voice at the start, no doubt in celebration of actually being able to find their way out of Leeds.

This correspondent has probably been there a hundred times, and escaping the city’s clutches usually comes down to taking any number of random turns in varying directions until you arrive somewhere else – anywhere else – then stopping the first person you see baht ‘at and asking.

Leeds named three players who had worn Rams shirts in the past – loanees Barry Bananaman and Jake Livermore, together with Paul Connolly who had not exactly endeared himself to Derby supporters with his ‘Leeds are bigger than Derby’ comments of late.

Predictably, Paul was roundly booed every time he touched the ball. Luckily for him, that wasn’t very often. Unluckily for him, that’s because Stephen Pearson wouldn’t give him a sniff.

The first half largely belonged to the visitors. Steve Davies had a fleeting glimpse of goal for the home side before Leeds, passing the ball through midfield well, imposed some authority on proceedings.

Daniel Ayala got his body in the way of a fierce drive from Neil Kilkenny, Barry Bannan fired wide after robbing Ben Davies and then Brad Jones parried a drive from Jonny Howson.

Luciano Becchio, Ayala and Pearson all found their way into the referee’s notebook as the first half wound down – Becchio for attempting to slam-dunk the ball into the net whereas the Rams players were guilty of challenges that would not have looked out of place four decades earlier. I think that ‘meaty’ might be an adequate description.

Robbie Savage ran around getting in the Leeds players’ faces and generally winding everyone up – especially the Leeds fans who gave him the sort of reception they normally only reserve for Seth Johnson – but the blonde bombshell can pass the ball a bit too.

One superb through ball was within an ace of giving Derby an undeserved lead when Jamie Ward just failed to make contact, but it was Leeds who looked the likelier winners at half time.

Football is a game of two halves and a thousand clichés. The Rams emerged a different team during the second half, and I hope that Stephen Pearson gets his hands on the video and watches it time and time again until he finally convinces himself that he can be a very good player indeed at this level. Whatever was sneaked into his half-time cup of tea worked wonders, because he tormented Paul Connolly for the next 30 minutes.

Brilliant work by Steve Davies and Pearson released Ward who bore down on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal. Unfortunately for Ward, it looked as though he had inadvertently put on a pair of Theo Robinson’s old boots as he snatched at the chance and pulled his shot horribly wide of the near post.

A succession of corners kept Leeds penned in before Schmeichel saved from Barker.

Ben Davies too was causing problems down the right, and one twisting run ended with a cross which ran tantalisingly close to Pearson and Steve Davies as Leeds hung on desperately. Then, against the run of play, the visitors scored a goal out of nothing.

Derby momentarily switched off as Leeds took a quick free kick in central midfield following a foul by Savage. The ball eventually found its way out to Max Gradel wide on the left, and the impressive ex-Leicester player burst inside John Brayford’s challenge to unleash a shot which Jones got a hand to but was unable to keep out of the net.

On many occasions this season, going a goal down would have been enough to finish The Rams off, but for the second time in four days the setback just spurred the home side on to greater efforts. As though sensing that Pearson was in fact Alan Hinton wearing a Stephen Pearson mask, Derby gave him the ball – and boy, did he use it.

Ayala poked the ball up the left wing and Pearson pivoted, brought it under control and, in the process, did Connolly like the proverbial kipper. A sprint, a pinpoint cross and there was Jamie Ward to smash the ball into the roof of the net from close range to send the crowd into raptures.

Barely two minutes later, Derby was in front and once again Pearson was involved. Good work from Ward forced a corner and Pearson took it, left-footed (This information is superfluous, Old One-Eye. Everyone knows that Stephen Pearson only has one foot), and swung the ball out to the edge of the penalty area. Ben Davies met it on the volley and simply stroked his shot into the top corner of the net.

Bradley Johnson had a fleeting chance to level but headed tamely wide just seconds after coming on for the totally ineffective Jake Livermore. For the next 15 minutes though, Leeds were largely spectators as The Rams midfield completely took command.

Ward hit the side netting, Schmeichel produced an excellent save to keep out a Steve Davies free kick and another Davies effort curled just wide of the far post before Rams skipper Savage finally talked his way into the referee’s notebook.

Nigel Clough threw on Pele in a Theo Robinson mask as a replacement for Pearson who received his first standing ovation outside Wembley, and the speedster demonstrated a number of deft touches as Derby threatened to put the game away good and proper. However, when Ben Davies failed to convert a fairly straightforward – if there is such a thing - one-on-one chance, I think we all knew that is would be ‘brown trousers time’ for the remainder of the contest.

Leeds resorted to the ‘Route One’ approach, thumping high balls into Derby’s box time and time again. It looked as though Rams keeper ‘Hummingbird’ Jones was under strict instructions to not venture far from his goal, leaving Ayala and Shaun Barker to deal with the aerial threat.

To his credit, Jones did well to beat away a Gradel free kick, and then received a painful blow on the head which required lengthy treatment.

Five minutes injury time stretched out to nine following the injury to Jones, but Derby’s defence held firm. As the final whistle blew, the relief was palpable. Derby’s lead over the bargain basement places in the Championship had stretched to 11 points.

Surely now, the shadow of relegation no longer hangs over Pride Park – or is that wishful thinking?

Old One-Eye's Man of the Match:

Stephen Pearson – a match to remember (because it might never happen again).

Old One-Eye's Rams Ratings:

Jones(5), Brayford(6), Barker(7), Ayala(8), Roberts (7) B Davies (7) Savage(7), Bailey(6), Pearson(8), S Davies(7), Ward(8).

Manager’s Reaction:

Nigel Clough was happy to beat the old enemy, you get the feeling he had a score to settle for the family:

"From start to finish it was a real end-to-end game, the second 45 minutes was as good as we have seen at Pride Park for quite some time, and that's including the six-game winning run we had earlier in the season.”

"You could tell the crowd sensed it too, they were really up for it. We came back quickly after going behind; that was crucial and again the players showed excellent character.”

"Leeds didn't have time to settle after they scored, and our two goals were absolutely superb. We haven't come back enough times this season, but we have done it two games running now to take four points.”

"Once you come back once or twice, especially early in the season, you believe you can do it more and more, and that is something we want to instill into the squad."

"Beating Leeds is probably the next best thing to winning a local derby for our supporters. We haven't done well enough in our local derbies this season, so hopefully this win will go some way to making up for those defeats.”

"We need to get mathematically safe now, we're so close to it, and we would like to get over 50 points if we can. Another point or so will do it, I think, and with the gap as it is now (11 points) it will take a freakish run to see us in the bottom three."

"Both goals were superb and credit must go to Stephen Pearson for setting up both of them, he did brilliantly for the first goal to beat his marker and then pick out Jamie.”

"Ben's goal was superb and we are delighted for him to get off the mark. We wish he had got a goal like that sooner, for his personal confidence as much as anything. He nearly scored one similar against Forest and if he had got one sooner I think he would have flourished a bit more."

Cracking Goal-Scorer Reaction:

Ben Davies was relieved his form is on the rise and pleased to have scored the winning goal:

"It is a massive relief to finally get my first goal out the way and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. For it to turn out to be the winner was brilliant and we're so close to safety as well, which is the most important thing.”

"It was a special night for me, and the team, and hopefully it can be a kick-start for my career here at Derby.”

“When I was out the team I practiced for hours with the Gaffer and Andy Garner on my finishing, we practiced finishes on the volley quite a lot, so as soon as the ball came towards me, my eyes lit up. Practice makes perfect really, and I as soon as I hit it I knew it was going in."

"We were excellent in the second half and the Gaffer said it was the best we've played for some time. I didn't think we deserved to go behind and to be honest if we had lost, it would have been a travesty.”

"We know if we put a performance on the fans will get right behind us, and they certainly did that. That atmosphere was amazing. It is frustrating we haven't been able to play like that more often.”

"The team proved they are capable of it before I came here, and I've seen glimpses too."

Next Match:

QPR vs. Derby

7:45pm – Monday April 18th

Loftus Road

Photo: Action Images

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