3/1 To Win
Harry Wilson is urging Derby County to use the confidence from recent home performances to keep them in the play-off places with just three games left to play this season.
The Welsh winger’s added-time brace lifted the Rams two spaces and into sixth spot, with a 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers, after both Middlesbrough and Bristol City lost on Monday afternoon to give Derby the edge heading into the final run in, which includes a crucial clash with the Robins on Saturday.
After chances went begging at Pride Park with Wilson coming close through a free-kick and Mason Mount having best opportunity in the second half when his effort was tipped onto the post, their fortune turned around in nine minutes of added time.
Jayden Bogle was hauled down in the area and Wilson coolly tucked away the spot kick in the 94th minute. He added the final blow in the 101st minute when Jack Marriott squared to him in the area to fire just as calmly as the first past Joe Lumley.
As the Rams scrap for every point to extend their season, Wilson was delighted with the victory.
Speaking to RamsTV, Wilson said: “That was our aim before the game to get the three points without knowing the other results.
“When we play at home, we know we have to make this place a fortress. Every time we play here we play to win and although we left it late, I felt we deserved the win with the chances we created.
“At this stage of the season, we are still in the play-off picture, where we want to be so we would have taken a bad performance and a win rather than a good performance and a draw or a loss because at this stage it’s all about the points.
“We are all desperate to get in those play off places. At half time, when you see the teams around us losing, that gives you a boost for the second half to try and take advantage of that.”
On the goals, he added: “When I got the ball, it was a case of picking my place and trusting myself to put it in the place I picked. When it hit the net, it was a mixture of excitement and relief because with the chances we had second-half, we felt it wasn’t going to be our day.
“For the second, me and Jack ran clear, he was unselfish and squared it to me. It was on my right foot so I wasn’t as confident as what I would have been had it been on my left, but I concentrated on getting it on target. I scuffed it a bit, but I was delighted to see it roll in.”
The entirety of Pride Park Stadium held their breath as Wilson stood over the penalty spot at 0-0.
Seconds later as it hit the back of the net, the stadium erupted.
The on-loan Liverpool player praised the fans for their support from the opening whistle and is urging them to keep it up for the away trip to Bristol City.
“The noise coming from behind the goal especially was fantastic. The fans throughout the game got right behind us, even when things weren’t going our way but they gave us that boost that we needed to get over the line.
“They are the games that you want to be playing in as a player. It is going to be a massive game for both teams because we both have a lot to play for.
“Their fans will be getting behind them and our support will be fantastic as ever on the road so it’s up to us as players to go on the pitch and make sure we get a positive result.
“I feel with the way we have played at home in recent games, the goals we have scored and some of the football we have played has got to give us confidence.
“Birmingham away was a difficult game for different reasons but we have to put that behind us and go there full of confidence that we can get a result.”
