Derby County Under-18s return to league action on Saturday as Justin Walker’s side face Blackburn Rovers away from home, kick-off 12:30pm.
The young Rams are set to play their first Premier League – North tie since they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 on 1st December at the Training Centre in Partnership with the University of Derby.
Since then Walker’s Under-18s have played three cup games claiming victory on each occasion, twice in the FA Youth Cup and once in the Under-18 Premier League Cup.
Last time out the Rams defeated Sheffield United 3-0 at Pride Park to progress to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.
Jason Knight, Louie Sibley and Tyree Wilson were all on target for the Under-18s against the Blades, with the latter two also registering an assist each.
Derby made an imposing start to the cup clash and within ten minutes were a goal ahead, Knight met Sibley’s corner and made no mistake in firing his header past goalkeeper Marcus Dewhurst.
The lead should have been doubled long before it was with chances going begging, but minutes before half-time Sibley hammered in the second after latching on to Wilson’s squared pass.
Within minutes of second-half action, the tie was all but over as Wilson drew a foul in the Blades’ penalty area and stepped up to put the spot-kick beyond the reach of Dewhurst.
The victory advances derby into the fifth round of the competition, where they will face either Manchester City or Nottingham Forest.
Returning to Premier League – North action Walker’s side go in search of their eighth successive win in all competitions against Rovers at the Blackburn Rovers Training Centre.
The Lancashire side currently occupy eight in the league table, four places lower that Derby having accumulated 16 fewer points.
Last time out Rovers were defeated 2-1 by Wolves back in November where Jalil Saadi’s late equaliser for Blackburn was cancelled out by an Austin Samuels winner just three minutes later.
When the two sides met earlier this season, in August, the young Rams were 2-1 winners with Jack Stretton bagging a first half brace to claim the spoils.
Kick-off on Saturday at the Blackburn Rovers Training Centre is at 12:30pm.
Words by Andrew Haines
