Stockport County
Derby County’s preparations for the 2024/25 season continued with a worthwhile work-out against Stockport County in Spain on Friday.
The Rams were 1-0 winners against last season’s Sky Bet League Two champions at the Pinatar Arena in Alicante as part of their week-long training camp on foreign soil, with defender Sonny Bradley heading home in the final seconds from a corner.
The game was split into three 30-minute intervals, taking into account the heat and the opportunity for players to take in required drinks breaks.
Recent signing Ebou Adams started for the Rams after sealing a permanent move from Cardiff City earlier this week, while fellow summer recruits Kenzo Goudmijn and Jerry Yates were named in the side from the off.
Derby had a new name in the squad with goalkeeper Rohan Luthra on the bench. The shot-stopper has been training with the squad this week after leaving Cardiff City earlier in the summer.
Derby were backed by a strong following at the Pinatar Arena, while there was also a large contingent of Stockport fans enjoying the Spanish sunshine as the contest got under way.
There was little to report in terms of chances for either side in the opening exchanges. Derby enjoyed plenty of possession and worked themselves into some good areas out wide, delivering a number of inviting crosses into the Stockport penalty area.
Out of possession, the Rams worked hard to win the ball back quickly and deny Stockport any time and space on the ball to pose much of a defensive threat.
The only chance of the opening 30 minutes came in the final seconds of the first third, with Rams goalkeeper Josh Vickers reacting well to make an excellent save to keep out Jack Diamond’s powerful effort from distance.
Derby remained unchanged from the first 30 minutes, although their first change came after 38 minutes with Liam Thompson replacing Adams in a midfield switch with the latter suffering a dead leg.
The first real chance of the game for the Rams came after 43 minutes. Kane Wilson did well down the right-hand side and delivered a low cross towards Corey Blackett-Taylor inside the six-yard box. However, he just couldn’t get a touch on the ball.
Another opportunity came a minute later for the Rams’ winger, with Thompson the creator this time. The midfielder delivered a fine cross from the right-wing which the January signing from Charlton Athletic contacted with, but the ball drifted narrowly wide.
Down the other end a few seconds later, Stockport had another chance. A shot from Diamond, again from distance, was well pushed away by Vickers diving to his left-hand side.
Derby made a raft of changes on the 45-minute mark to ensure the match minutes were spread around the squad suitably, which included a first run-out in a black and white shirt for Ben Osborn following his summer move from Sheffield United.
Stockport’s Kyle Wootton hit the side netting from inside the area, after being put under pressure by Sonny Bradley, while Kayden Jackson fired inches wide after bursting towards the penalty area from deep as the game became a little more stretched.
A few more changes followed for the final period of the friendly with youngsters Dajaune Brown and Darren Robinson joined on the pitch by goalkeeper Luthra, who has spent all of this week with the Rams’ shot-stoppers in Spain.
Derby thought they had taken the lead with 70 minutes on the clock when Tom Barkhuizen thundered in an effort from 20 yards with his right foot, after a Stockport clearance fell kindly into his path, but his strike whistled just wide.
As the clock ticked down it looked as if the game would end in a goalless stalemate, but Bradley rose highest to head a corner from Osborn into the net from close range to secure victory for the Rams.
The game proved to be an extremely beneficial exercise for Paul Warne’s side as they continue to ramp up their preparations for the start of the 2024/25 season in three weeks’ time.
Derby County Starting XI: Vickers (GK) (Luthra 60), Wilson (Brown 60), Forsyth, Adams (L Thompson 38), Yates (Collins 45), Mendez-Laing (Barkhuizen 45), Goudmijn (Robinson 60), Elder (Bradley 45), Nyambe (Cashin 45), Blackett-Taylor (Jackson 45), Nelson (Osborn 45).
Substitutes Not Used: J Thompson (GK), Washington.
Derby will return to England on Sunday and will take on Sky Bet League Two newcomers Chesterfield on Wednesday 24th July (7:45pm kick-off) in their latest pre-season outing.
Images kindly provided by Mike Petch of Stockport County.
