3/1 To Win
Derby County’s Under-23s produced a thrilling comeback to earn a 3-3 draw with Swansea City at St George’s Park in Premier League 2 – Division One.
The Rams were 3-1 behind with quarter of an hour to play but Luke Thomas’ deflected effort and a bizarre own goal from Adam King helped Darren Wassall’s side to secure a point.
Mason Bennett had earlier drawn Derby level after George Byers gave Swansea the lead, before Aaron Lewis and Courtney Baker-Richardson looked to have put the visitors in control.
Bennett started in the No.9 role with both regular strikers Charles Vernam and Offrande Zanzala having departed on loan, and he went close after four minutes, striking wide with his left foot after some good work from Thomas.
The visitors took the lead just three minutes later and it was far too simple from the Rams’ point of view, with Mael Davies delivering an accurate cross and Byers, totally unmarked, nodding home.
Alex Babos should have levelled shortly after but Gregor Zabret stood up well in the Swansea goal, but Bennett got Derby back on terms when he converted Ikechi Anya’s left-wing cross.
After two headers, Swansea then took the low route to goal, with Baker-Richardson neatly backheeling to left-back Lewis, who curled home with his right foot to restore the lead.
Chances were few and far between throughout the rest of the first period, with Anya looking lively but Derby didn’t create too much until the 50th minute when Jamie Hanson’s in-swinging corner was palmed away by Zabret.
The Rams started to press as the hour mark passed but Swansea grabbed a decisive third with just over 20 minutes to go, as Baker-Richardson slotted home after being played through one-on-one.
Kenji Gorre stood out on the left-hand side and he went for the spectacular just moments later, bending one just wide from outside the area.
Derby reduced the deficit with just under 15 minutes left as Thomas found himself in a central area, and his shot deflected off Cian Harries and in.
Suddenly, after being on the back foot for most of the second half, the Rams were on top and they broke forward to earn an equaliser just three minutes later, albeit with a huge slice of luck as King inadvertently lobbed his own keeper after a good surge forward from Bennett.
It was a thrilling end, and Derby could have have snatched a winner when Babos danced through before setting up the substitute Lewis Walker, whose close-range effort was kept out as the points were shared.
Derby County: Mitchell; Cover, Wassall, Shackell, Karic; Hanson, Stabana (Walker, 80’); Thomas, Babos, Anya; Bennett.
Substitutes not used: Barnes, Bogle, Taylor, Cresswell.
Swansea City: Zabret; Davies, Rodon, Harries, Lewis; King, Evans (Maric, 90+1); James (Garrick, 64’), Byers, Gorre; Baker-Richardson.
Substitutes not used: Thomas, Cullen, Brydges.
Major Moment…
Bennett ran powerfully all game from his forward position and it paid dividends for the Rams as the clock ran down.
He moved into the left-hand channel with the ball before delivering a ball into the area, and although it didn’t find a teammate, King was under enough pressure to misjudge his clearance and lift the ball over his own ‘keeper and in to make it 3-3.
Who Impressed…
Kyron Stabana moved into an unfamiliar midfield role and he supplied energy and the quality on the ball that he has already displayed from right-back so far this season.
At one point in the second half he burst forward from midfield before supplying Thomas neatly, a true example of Stabana’s all-round performance on the night.
What’s Next…
Derby return to Premier League Cup action next Monday at St George’s Park when Birmingham City are the visitors, before a trip to Tranmere Rovers’ Prenton Park to face Liverpool in the league the following Sunday afternoon.
