Kenzo Goudmijn’s second goal in as many games secured all three points for Derby County in a 1-0 win against Cardiff City in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday.
Paul Warne’s side made it nine wins in a row in the league at Pride Park Stadium, and ten in total in all competitions.
Goudmijn finished off a neat team move in the 28th minute to give Derby the lead, which they held onto despite a late push from the visitors as the game went seven minutes into added time.
It was the Dutchman's second goal in as many outings after he netted his first for the Rams a fortnight ago when they dispatched Bristol City 3-0 ahead of the international break.
The game came alive in the 10th minute as Rams goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström sprung into action to parry away Ruben Colwill’s shot from the edge of the area.
The ricochet from the goalkeeper’s hand and found captain Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on the left flank - the winger mounted a counter as he ran up the pitch and slotted Kayden Jackson in behind, but the attacker was unbalanced by his marker and the shot was swept up by Jak Alnwick in the Cardiff net.
Derby took the lead in the 28th minute after some neat interplay on the left flank found Goudmijn in the box to net his second goal in as many appearances. Striker Jerry Yates backheeled the ball to tee left-back Callum Elder up to cross on the wing - the delivery was flicked on by the heel of Jackson and found Goudmijn in position to finish low from around ten yards out.
Zetterström kept Derby in the lead minutes later as Joe Ralls’ corner deflected off Eiran Cashin’s head at the near post and forced a superb double save from the Swedish goalkeeper, as he denied the initial chance and the rebound in quick succession.
Elder was close to doubling the lead in the 38th minute as a short corner routine saw Mendez-Laing lay off the ball to the Australian in an enticing position on the edge of the box. Elder struck the ball sweetly and sent the ball just wide of the far post.
Some tenacious work from Yates to get an overhit Cardiff free-kick allowed him to spot Mendez-Laing running up the pitch on the left-hand side. The striker picked out Mendez-Laing with a 35-yard pass, and the winger cut inside to shoot but the ball went just beyond the near post via the fingertips of Alnwick.
Warne’s first substitution of the match was a forced one just after the break as David Ozoh departed the field injured, with Ben Osborn taking his place in the middle of the park.
The game went from end-to-end again as Ralls’ shot from distance was blocked after some determined marking by Cashin and a long ball was played over to Jackson as he ran off the shoulder of the Bluebirds’ defence and looked to be in behind. Cardiff substitute Will Fish jostled for position with the Rams attacker going to the ground, but appeals for a foul were waived off by the referee.
The visitors turned the play around once more and looked to threaten but Anwar El Ghazi’s dipping shot from distance did little to trouble Zetterström as the Bluebirds looked for the finishing touch after a short spell of possession.
Yates was the chief instigator again for the Rams in the 67th minute. A deft backheel unlocked the Cardiff defence and played Jackson into position, but Alnwick was quick to get down low and deny the Derby attacker his fourth goal of the season.
Deadline day signing Marcus Harness was introduced to the field of play for his first appearance in Derby colours, as Mendez-Laing made way for the substitute in the 69th minute.
The visitors were searching for an equaliser, and Ollie Tanner came close in the 79th minute. The substitute took the ball to the byline and shot from an acute angle, but the ball sailed high over the crossbar.
Warne looked to sure up the defence with 10 minutes of regulation time to go, with defenders Craig Forsyth and Nat Phillips introduced to the field of play in place of Elder and goalscorer Goudmijn. Phillips came on to make his first appearance since joining the club on deadline day from Liverpool.
Derby rode a wave of attacks from the visitors, with the fourth official indicating seven minutes of added time until the Rams could secure the win.
Zetterström was alert once more as he made a save from Tanner just before time, while Derby midfielder Ebou Adams also had a golden chance just before the whistle but couldn't covert with the goal gaping.
Despite that, Derby recorded a seventh straight clean sheet on home turf in the league to confirm the win.
Derby County: Zetterström, Nyambe, Nelson, Cashin, Elder (Forsyth 81), Ozoh (Osborn 49), Goudmijn (Phillips 81), Adams, Jackson, Yates, Mendez-Laing (C) (Harness 69).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers, Bradley, Collins, Ward, Brown.
Cardiff City: Alnwick, Bagan (Willock 62), Ng (Fish 46), Siopis, Goutas, Ralls (C) (Robertson 69), Colwill, O’Dowda, Chambers, Kanga, El Ghazi (Tanner 62).
Unused Substitutes: Horvath, Turnbull, Rinomhota, Ashford, Reindorf.
Referee: Matthew Donohue Assistant Referees: Paul Hodskinson, Richard Woodward Fourth Official: Martin Woods
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Derby will be back in Sky Bet Championship action on Saturday 21st September when make the trip to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United (3pm kick-off).
