Derby County kicked off their pre-season campaign ahead of the 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Matlock Town on Friday night.
Two of Derby's newest recruits were on target in the pre-season opener against the local non-league outfit. Kayden Jackson fired home midway through the first half whilst Jerry Yates struck at the start of the second to give the Rams the advantage. Midfielder Liam Thompson rounded off the scoring with a delightful 20-yard effort into the top corner to round off the scoring.
It was a pleasant evening in Matlock for the Rams to return to action. The rain had stopped pre-game leaving a zipping surface, which suited Derby in the opening exchanges of the game.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was bright, shooting wide from 18 yards whilst a minute later he turned provider for James Collins who headed straight into the palms of Ben Townsend in the Matlock goal.
The pressure continued with Eiran Cashin trying his luck from distance, an effort which was palmed away by Townsend, and the goalkeeper had to stand tall moments later to deny Callum Elder's header at the back post.
The Rams did eventually take the lead midway through the first half – and it was one of Paul Warne's summer signings who got off the mark. Jackson, who joined from Ipswich Town earlier this month, found a yard of space in the box, rounded the goalkeeper and fired Derby into the lead.
They had chances to be further ahead at the break, but Jackson's goal was the difference as the half came to a conclusion.
Warne made nine changes at the break with Josh Vickers and Darren Robinson the only ones to retain their places for the start of the second half. And the Rams thought they'd doubled their lead a minute after the interval as Yates, signed on loan from Swansea City less than two weeks ago, fired home from close range, but he was thwarted by the linesman's offside flag.
The striker did eventually get his goal soon after – a typical striker's finish. Jake Rooney's effort from the edge of the area was tipped onto the post but Yates reacted quickest to roll into an empty goal to double the Rams' lead.
Dajaune Brown, fresh from his loan spell with Gateshead in the second half of last season, showed signs of his quality soon after as he met a cross and fired against the crossbar, whilst minutes later he turned provider for Yates who saw an effort saved by Townsend.
Supporters saw their first glimpse of recent signing Kenzo Goudmijn who was introduced on the hour mark, replacing Robinson. Five minutes later, they were treated to a wonderstrike from Thompson who curled an effort from 18 yards into the top corner to make it 3-0 to the Rams.
And that's how it stayed as Warne's side enjoyed a successful evening at the Proctor Cars Stadium and a positive workout with the upcoming Championship season just under a month away from getting started.
They will now head to Spain on Sunday for a week-long training camp, with their next friendly coming against League One side Stockport County on Friday 19th July (10am UK time) at the Pinatar Arena in Alicante.
Derby County First Half: Vickers (GK), Wilson, Robinson, Nelson, Cashin, Elder, Fornah, Stepien-Iwumene, Mendez-Laing, Jackson, Collins.
Derby County Second Half: Vickers (GK) (J Thompson 59), Nyambe, Rooney, Bradley, Forsyth, Robinson (Goudmijn 59), L Thompson, Blackett-Taylor, Barkhuizen, Yates, Brown.