Derby County scored two late goals to earn a dramatic 2-1 victory over Peterborough United in Sky Bet League One on Saturday.
Derby had several first-half chances to take the lead with Tom Barkhuizen and Louie Sibley both going close, while Jack Marriott fired over for the visitors early on with their best opportunity.
Liam Rosenior’s side faced ten men for the vast majority of the second half after Nathan Thompson was dismissed for two bookable offences, but it was the visitors broke the deadlock midway through the half through substitute Josh Knight.
Grant McCann’s side thought they had seen off Derby’s pressure and desperation for an equaliser to pick up all three points and inflict defeat on the Rams in front of the Pride Park Stadium faithful for the first time this term - but Jason Knight struck with a stunning header from Conor Hourihane’s corner with two minutes of normal time remaining to get them back level.
Then, deep into added time, Lewis Dobbin’s low cross was turned home by substitute David McGoldrick for his first Derby goal since joining from Sheffield United in the summer to earn the Rams victory.
In a crackling Pride Park atmosphere, it was the visitors who applied some early pressure. The first chance of the contest fell to former Derby striker Marriott, who had a golden opportunity to open the scoring inside the opening five minutes.
The frontman intercepted goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith’s pass out from the back and, with the whole goal to aim at and Derby’s number one off his line, he rushed his effort and lashed the ball high and wide from around 20 yards to the delight of those in the South Stand.
Derby responded by creating a chance of their own down the other end straight away to give the home faithful something to get behind early on. Barkhuizen scampered away down the left wing to good effect and his pull-back was lifted narrowly wide by Sibley with a first-time effort from 12 yards.
Barkhuizen and Sibley both forced visiting goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom into good stops by the ten-minute mark as Rosenior’s side enjoyed a strong spell of pressure, while the goalkeeper also narrowly avoided an embarrassing moment as he punched a corner from the right-hand side just past his own post.
Derby continued to enjoy plenty of the ball and put together some excellent passing moves, although their final ball evaded them as they sought to break down the strong visiting backline. When they did create half-chances, Lewis Dobbin and Barkhuizen weren’t able to direct their efforts on target.
Peterborough looked a threat when they were able to advance towards the Derby goal and their leading marksman Jonson Clarke-Harris lashed an effort wide after bringing the ball down well on the edge of the box, while Marriott fed Harrison Burrows to get a low shot away which Wildsmith kept out.
The Rams thought they’d made the breakthrough on the stroke of half time as Dobbin crossed from the right wing for Barkhuizen to strike goalwards first-time, but on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Bergstrom denied the frontman and Hourihane’s rebound effort was blocked by a Peterborough defender.
Derby made a switch at the break with Craig Forsyth replacing Haydon Roberts at left full-back and the Scotsman made an immediate impact with a powerful run down the wing and a low cross towards Collins which Bergstrom claimed.
It was Peterborough who had the first chance of the half, however. Wildsmith’s clearance only found its way to Ben Thompson some 25 yards out and he, like Marriott in the first half, let fly with an effort which sailed off target as he tried to catch the Derby goalkeeper out off his line.
Derby were handed a numerical advantage with 55 minutes on the clock to change the dynamic of the match. Posh full-back Nathan Thompson, who was booked in the first half, brought Barkhuizen down as he got away down the left-wing and referee Bobby Madden wasted little time in showing a second yellow card, followed by a subsequent red.
Burrows spurned an excellent chance to Posh just before the half mark to hand the visitors the lead and only moments after they were reduced to ten men. The left-sider drifted into the Derby box from out wide but couldn’t direct his strike on target as he fired the ball into the side netting.
Derby didn’t heed the warning signs and Peterborough took the lead with 69 minutes played. A corner into the box wasn’t dealt with and substitute Knight, on the pitch following the red card, tapped home at the far post.
Rosenior responded by introducing McGoldrick and Korey Smith off the bench in place of James Collins and Max Bird and Sibley, coming inside from the left, had a low strike kept out by the body of Bergstrom with McGoldrick waiting to pounce inside the six-yard box.
Chances remained few and far between as the Posh defended stoutly, although an equaliser almost came from an unlikely source in the last ten minutes. Forsyth over-hit a cross from the left wing which caught Bergstrom out and crashed off the crossbar.
Derby desperately pushed on as they attacked towards the South Stand and Knight hauled them back onto level terms with two minutes of normal time remaining. Hourihane whipped an inviting corner into the box from the right wing and Knight rose highest above his marker to power a header into the top corner for his first goal of the season.
The drama didn’t end there, though. Derby went in search of a winner and it came in added time. Dobbin burst away down the left and crossed low for McGoldrick to get in ahead of his marker and find the back of the net to send the home faithful wild.
When Derby needed to display their character most, the players stepped up and delivered to record a vital victory to maintain their winning start to the season on home turf; making it four wins in four in all competitions.
Knight produced another assured display at right-back as he continues to grow into the role after making the move from midfield so far this term and he was named as the RamsTV Man of the Match for his showing. His late goal proved to be vital as the Rams turned the game on its head.
Barkhuizen was a constant threat for Derby down the wing throughout and he was involved in the Rams’ key attacking moments, forcing two good first half saves from Bergstrom and also being involved in the move which saw Nathan Thompson dismissed in the second half.
Derby are back in action on home turf on Tuesday when they host League Two side Grimsby Town in their opening Papa Johns Trophy - Northern Section Group F fixture (7pm kick-off), before returning to League One action with another home game against Plymouth Argyle next Saturday (3pm kick-off).
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Hourihane, Cashin, Barkhuizen, Bird (C) (Smith 69), Collins (McGoldrick 69), Roberts (Forsyth 46), Sibley, Dobbin, Stearman, Knight.
Substitutes Not Used: Loach (GK), Rooney, Oduroh, Thompson.
Peterborough United: Bergstrom (GK), Edwards, Kent, Fuchs, Taylor (Knight 57), Clarke-Harris (C) (Poku 84), N Thompson, Marriott (Mason-Clark 77), Burrows, Ward, B Thompson (Kyprianou 84).
Substitutes Not Used: Cartwright (GK), Tomlinson, Randall.
Attendance: 26,440 (1,878 away supporters)
