Derby County recorded their second win in three Sky Bet League One matches under new Head Coach Paul Warne with a 3-0 success at Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
Derby took the lead after 15 minutes at the Wham Stadium as striker William Osula blasted home his first-ever career goal in what proved to be an action-packed opening 45 minutes.
The hosts had two penalties inside a couple of minutes late in the half but home skipper Sean McConville, who had earlier hit the crossbar, failed to find the back of the net with both efforts. The first was saved by Rams goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, while the second was dragged wide of the post.
Minutes later, the Rams made the home side pay for those misses as Osula once again got in behind the home backline and kept his cool to drive in his second of the afternoon.
The second half proved to be less dramatic and the added bonus of Tom Barkhuizen tapping in a third in added time rounded off an excellent away day for Derby.
Plenty of energy and enthusiasm was on display from both sides early on as they looked to make an early mark on the contest. The first effort of the game came from Rams midfielder Jason Knight as he let fly with a rasping right-foot effort from distance which Toby Savin in the home goal gathered easily.
Derby crucially got their noses ahead with 15 minutes played as Osula netted his first-ever career goal with an emphatic finish. A lightening quick break saw wing-back Nathaniel Mendez-Laing drive forward with real determination to get the Rams on the move. He also had the composure to pick out on-loan Sheffield United frontman Osula’s run, and he used his pace to drive into the box and, after a quick step-over, thunder a left-foot strike past Savin.
Defender Eiran Cashin headed over the crossbar when finding himself free inside the box to meet Louie Sibley’s corner from the right as Derby pressed for a second goal soon afterwards, but they were also provided with a major let-off just before the half-hour mark by the hosts. McConville hit the crossbar from close range after latching onto a deep cross to the far post from the right-hand side - and fortunately Derby managed to clear the danger.
A staggering couple of minutes late in the half followed, with the home side missing two penalties inside as many minutes - before the Rams went on to double their lead seconds later.
The first penalty was awarded for a foul by Max Bird on Shaun Whalley in the box, but Wildsmith guessed correctly by diving to his right to make the save. Moments later, before anyone could gather their breath, Derby skipper Curtis Davies brought Whalley down as he burst into the box from a pass in behind the backline. McConville stepped up again from 12 yards and went the same way as his first spot-kick, but this time he dragged his strike wide of Wildsmith’s right-hand post.
Derby went on to add to Stanley’s misery as Osula netted their second within a minute of the second missed penalty. Davies’ long ball forward in behind the Accrington defence found the teenager, who burst past his marker and thundered a right-foot effort into the far corner to send the 2,600 visiting Rams fans wild going into half-time.
Warne’s side started the second half looking to add to their tally and defender James Chester had a header from Sibley’s left-wing free-kick delivery pushed away by Savin at his near post, while the shot-stopper also thwarted Lewis Dobbin shortly afterwards by flying off his line to block his effort.
A long-range drive from Bird thundered off the woodwork on the hour while the stretching Osula failed to sufficiently connect with Mendez-Laing’s excellent right-wing cross following a lightening quick Rams break as Warne’s side pushed for a third goal.
The Derby boss shuffled his pack in the second period by bringing on Haydon Roberts, Korey Smith and David McGoldrick in place of Mendez-Laing, Knight and Osula as they sought to see the closing stages of with little drama, while Richard Stearman followed in the final ten minutes in place of Dobbin to close the game out.
Derby netted a third deep into added time as Sibley’s low shot was saved and Barkhuzien was on hand to tap the ball into the empty net.
Osula, on his first-ever career start, starred up front with his two goals as well as his all-round performance and will understandably grab the headlines for his showing in the absence of leading goalscorer James Collins owing to suspension.
Mendez-Laing and Knight also produced eye-catching performances, while once more Chester at the back was solid and dependable when called upon and Barkhuizen's work-rate alone over the 90 minutes saw him net a deserved late goal.
Derby will host Manchester City Under-21s at Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday night in their final Papa Johns Trophy - Northern Section Group F fixture (7pm kick-off), before returning to League One action with a trip to Ipswich Town next Friday (8pm kick-off).
Accrington Stanley: Savin (GK), Clark (Sangare 81) (Martin 89), Hamilton, Astley, Coyle, Whalley (Sisay 69), Leigh (Delfouneso 81), Pritchard, McConville (C), Rodgers, Tharme.
Substitutes Not Used: Jensen (GK), Nolan, Fernandes.
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Chester, Cashin, Barkhuizen, Bird, Mendez-Laing (Roberts 64), Sibley, Dobbin (Stearman 82), Osula (McGoldrick 70), Davies (C), Knight (Smith 69).
Substitutes Not Used: Loach (GK), Rooney, Thompson.
Attendance: 4,879 (2,624 Derby County fans).
