Derby County made it two wins from two games at Pride Park Stadium in the 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship as they saw off Bristol City with an impressive 3-0 win on Saturday.
Kenzo Goudmijn’s first goal for the Rams saw Derby in front after 28 minutes before Kayden Jackson doubled the lead after half-time as he netted his third goal in as many games on home turf this term. The win was topped off by David Ozoh as he made it three late on with his first-ever career goal.
Paul Warne’s side were looking for their second home win from as many games at Pride Park Stadium in the second tier and to get back to winning ways after suffering elimination from the Carabao Cup at the Round Two hurdle via a penalty shoot-out at Barrow on Tuesday.
The Robins came into the match off the back of a 1-1 draw against Coventry City at Ashton Gate last weekend and had a free midweek after being eliminated from the Carabao Cup in Round One.
Derby began with intent as Ebou Adams won the ball back high up the field and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing twice looked to play Kayden Jackson in behind the Robins’ defence but was narrowly unable to find the opening.
The visitors showed their first signs of threatening in the eighth minute when Sinclair Armstrong burst down the left flank and into a one-on-one with Derby goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström. Some adept positioning from the Swedish shot-stopper and recovery work from defender Curtis Nelson saw the Robins' attacker shepherded wide and away from danger.
Armstrong came close again in the 19th minute as some direct passing found him in position to shoot, but Zetterström denied the attacker from close range.
Mendez-Laing worked the ball down the wing in the 21st minute. His attempted ball into the box deflected into the air and dropped kindly for Adams to take a shot. However, the Rams' midfielder was forced off balance by his marker and sent the ball into the grasp of Bristol goalkeeper Max O’Leary.
Mendez-Laing was again the instigator for Derby in the 25th minute as he ran forward and found Goudmijn bearing down on goal. He slotted the ball into the Dutch midfielder in space inside the box, but the strike was superbly saved by O’Leary to send the ball behind for a corner.
Goudmijn would be the man to open the scoring for Derby a few minutes later. He hammered a low shot from the edge of the box from a corner just inside the post and into the back of the net - his first goal for the Rams.
The visitors looked to fashion a reply in the 35th minute, as some interplay between former Derby man Max Bird and Armstrong found Scott Twine running into the box, but the Derby defence smothered the shot and sent the ball out for a corner.
Goudmijn was in position to shoot again after the Rams pressed high up the field and he dispossessed Kal Naismith, but he struck just wide from the edge of the penalty box.
Derby kept pushing until the half-time whistle where they went into the break with a goal advantage.
Armstrong forced an athletic save from Zetterström early in the second period as he flashed a shot across the face of goal.
Jackson doubled the Rams' lead in the 60th minute as he latched onto a throw-in inside the penalty area. The attacker took the ball down and hit a stinging strike into the back of the net, giving O’Leary no chance to stop it for his third goal in three matches on home territory this term in all competitions.
It looked certain to be a third goal for Paul Warne’s side just two minutes later, but some fast reactions from O’Leary saw him make a double save from Jerry Yates' shot and Eiran Cashin’s header in a packed penalty box.
A wayward ball on the wing had O’Leary running off his line moments later and Mendez-Laing beat the Bristol goalkeeper, but his strike towards an open net from an awkward angle struck the post.
Substitute Anis Mehmeti struck across goal for the visitors after Twine found him lurking at the far post in the 72nd minute, but once again Zetterström was alive to the danger and directed the ball away from goal with a strong hand.
Soon afterwards Derby wrestled control of the ball back in the middle of the park and, after some neat interplay, substitute Tom Barkhuizen found Yates in the box where he went close, as the ball struck the inside of the post before deflecting wide and away from danger.
On-loan Crystal Palace midfielder Ozoh cemented the victory late on, as the midfielder emerged on the edge of the box and fizzed the ball low into the back of the net after O'Leary had palmed Adams' shot into his path.
Derby saw the game out well to pick up all three points and record an eighth successive home league win, the first time the Rams have done so since 1996 under the late Jim Smith. During that time they have kept seven clean sheets, conceding only to Reading back in March. In all competitions, Warne's side have now won nine in a row at Pride Park Stadium.
Derby County Starting XI: Zetterström, Nyambe (Ward 90), Nelson, Cashin, Elder, Ozoh, Goudmijn (Thompson 86), Adams, Jackson (Brown 90), Yates (Forsyth 86), Mendez-Laing (C) (Barkhuizen 74).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Bradley, Collins, Chirewa.
Bristol City Starting XI: (GK), Pring, Naismith, Bird (Mehmeti 64), Williams, Twine (Wells 83), Knight (C), Vyner, Sykes (Hirakawa 83), Tanner, Armstrong (Mayulu 64).
Unused Substitutes: Bajic (GK), McNally, Roberts, Cornick, McGuane.
29,270 (3,068 away).
Derby will have a free week as the international break takes up the fixture schedule. The Rams will return to action on Saturday 14th September when they welcome Cardiff City to Pride Park Stadium (3pm kick-off).
