Derby County got back to winning ways following a 2-1 victory over Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.
The Rams fell behind early in the first-half to a Anis Mehmeti goal but a Conor Hourihane double after the break saw them secure a well deserved three points at Pride Park.
Interim Manager Liam Rosenior made three changes going into the game including bringing in James Chester at right-back for his first appearance following his summer signing from Stoke City.
David McGoldrick and Tom Barkhuizen were also brought in from the off and it was the latter that created the first real opening for Derby, bursting down the line before drawing a foul from Ryan Tafazolli and a booking for the Wycombe defender.
But it was the visitors that went in front soon after through Mehmeti. A ball over the top caught everyone out and the Chairboys winger was able to cut inside in the box and fire low and hard past Joe Wildsmith.
There were strong penalty shouts around Pride Park when Louie Sibley went down in the box on 18 minutes, but referee Samuel Barrott was unmoved and waved away the appeals of those in black and white.
Eiran Cashin went close to an equaliser just after the half-hour mark when his bouncing effort was palmed wide brilliantly by visiting goalkeeper Max Stryjek. The centre-back was first to the corner too but his header beat Stryjek and the crossbar.
The final 15 minutes of the half brought with it a constant wave of pressure from the Rams including a moment of madness which saw three or four chances in quick succession from inside the box. Sibley had an effort cleared off the line, Max Bird followed in from the rebound and also saw his effort cleared off the line before David McGoldrick had a shot put behind for a corner.
It was more of the same at the start of the second-half. First, Bird went on a mazy run which saw him beat several Wycombe players before firing just wide and less than a minute later McGoldrick fired straight at the on-rushing Stryjek from a tight angle.
James Collins and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing were introduced before the hour mark and the latter nearly saw an instant impact when he forced a superb save from the Wycombe keeper. He cut in from the right before bending an effort onto the crossbar with the help of Stryjek’s fingertips.
All of the Rams’ pressing finally paid off when Conor Hourihane bagged the equaliser with an exquisite finish on 72. The Republic of Ireland international cut in on from the right onto his favoured left foot and bent an excellent strike into the top right corner to send Pride Park into ecstasy.
10 minutes later and that man was at it again. After excellent work down the right from Mendez-Laing, the ball fell kindly to Hourihane in the box who lashed home exquisitely from around eight-yards out.
There was no sitting back on the lead, either, the Rams continued to push and nearly found a third through Mendez-Laing but for Stryjek who was superb for the visitors all afternoon.
Derby had to survive one more scare in the final minute of stoppage time when Al-Hamadi fired a powerful shot towards goal from the edge of the box but Wildsmith was equal to it and the Rams held out for a huge three points.
David McGoldrick was a thorn in the side of Wycombe all afternoon and was instrumental in a number of the big chances that fell the Rams way on the day.
The Chairboys struggled to handle his hold-up play and intricate passing but what summed up his performance was a delicate dink midway through the first-half which saw him nearly lob Stryjek but for an excellent save.
And a word for the matchwinner, Conor Hourihane, who scored two fantastic goals to turn the game on its head to ensure the Rams got back to winning ways at Pride Park.
Derby are back in League One action on Saturday 1st October when they travel to the Abbey Stadium to take on Cambridge United (3pm kick-off).
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Hourihane, Chester, Cashin, Barkhuizen (88’ Forsyth), Bird (56’ Mendez-Laing), McGoldrick (10’ Thompson), Roberts (56’ Collins), Sibley, Davies (c), Knight
Substitutes not used: Loach (GK), Stearman, Osula
Wycombe Wanderers: Stryjek (GK), Grimmer, Gape (c), Tafazolli, Vokes (77’ Al-Hamadi), Wing (77’ Horgan), Mehmeti (89’ Forino), Mawson, Obita, McCarthy, Freeman (89’ Kaikai)
Substitutes not used: Dickinson, Jacobson, Young
Attendance: 27,784 (1,010 Wycombe fans)
