Derby County Under-18s cruised to a 5-0 win against
Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Moor Farm Training Centre on Saturday.
After some time out, the young Rams returned to Premier League – North action in the most emphatic of ways. Archie Brown, Festy Ebosele, Tyree Wilson and a double from Jack Stretton ensured that the side continued their good run of form in the division.
Derby started brightly, personified by the running of Stretton who had two early chances inside 10 minutes. After being denied on both occasions, he finally got his goal after 20 minutes of action. Brown worked the space well on the left wing before clipping a ball to the near post that was duly met by the swinging boot of Stretton, whose effort rocketed into the roof of the net.
Soon after, it was two. From providing the first, Brown decided it was time to get a goal himself. Jaden Charles’ cross found the attacker at the back post who couldn’t miss from a couple of yards out.
Bartosz Cybulski then went close to putting the game out of sight in the first half but the goalkeeper got the better of him in the one on one situation.
Derby started the second half similarly to how they started the first: on fire. Ebosele made it three on the hour mark. After being brought down in the penalty area, he picked himself up, dusted himself off and converted the penalty.
Just after, Stretton had a chance to double his tally for the game after some wonderful link-up play with Cybulski. A quick one two between himself and his strike partner followed a well hit half volley that fell just wide and into the side netting.
Eventually, Stretton got his second and deservedly so. Raw pace provided him with opportunity to break through with only the keeper to beat. He dispatched well into the far bottom corner. It’s two goals in three games from the striker now.
Substitute Wilson then got a well-deserved goal to seal the most emphatic of victories for the young Rams. The winger waited patiently as the back post before stroking home. The effort was so powerful it ripped through the net.
What’s to come
Once again, Derby will be brought out of league action to play in their third and final match of the Premier League Cup group stages. The Rams face Aston Villa at the Bodymoor Heath Training Ground in their last match of Group B.
Walker’s side have to win the match to stand any chance of progressing through to the next phase of the competition. Their defeat to Middlesbrough in the competition at the end of last month means that the side will have to depend on other results to go in their favour if they are to progress through the competition, which they reached the semi-final in last season.
After that, comes another crucial game in yet another competition. The second leg of their UEFA Youth League clash with Icelandic opposition IA Akranes comes just four days later. The side head to Pride Park with a 2-1 advantage after Festy Ebosele and Stretton gave Derby a head start in the country’s capital.
That matchup appears amid a demanding run of fixtures for Walker’s young side. They will play three games in the space of a week.
Next five
Aston Villa [A] – Saturday 23rd November [kick-off: 11am]
IA Akranes [H] – Wednesday 27th November [kick-off: 7pm]
Manchester City [A] – Saturday 30th November [kick-off: 12pm]
Liverpool [H] – Saturday 7th December [kick-off: 12pm]
West Bromwich Albion [A] – Saturday 11th January [kick-off: 11am]