3/1 To Win
Derby County’s Under-21s tasted defeat on the road in Premier League 2 - Division 2 on Friday night as they went down 3-1 at Middlesbrough.
Derby fell behind after just 20 seconds of the game through Isaac Fletcher, but they hit back to equalise immediately, with only two minutes on the clock, as striker George Nunn glanced a header into the net.
Jeremy Sivi restored Boro’s lead midway through the second period and substitute Max Howells went on to confirm the win with three minutes of normal time remaining to inflict back-to-back defeats on the Rams in the 2022/23 campaign following their 5-2 reverse against Leeds United in their season-opener last Friday.
Under-21s boss Pat Lyons included right-back Kwaku Oduroh, who featured for the first team at Mansfield Town in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, in the starting line-up while striker Bartosz Cybulski was back in side after a spell out due to injury.
Northern Ireland youth international Darren Robinson captained the side while Under-18s wingers Jaydan Davidson and Carlos Richards got the chance to impress from the off.
Derby made the worst possible start to the game in the searing heat as the hosts took the lead inside 20 seconds with Fletcher on target with a drilled finish from inside the box.
However, the Rams hit back immediately. Midfielder Ola Ibrahim whipped a free kick into the box from the left-hand side and Nunn met his delivery with a glancing header which found its way into the bottom corner for his first goal in a black and white shirt since signing from Chelsea in the summer.
The contest settled down after the frantic start to proceedings and the next meaningful goalscoring opportunity came just before the half-hour mark as Derby goalkeeper Harry Evans made a good stop at his near post to deny Fletcher a second goal.
Winger Pharrell Willis curled an effort wide for the home side towards the end of the half with chances in front of goal reasonably limited, despite the blistering start to the opening 45 minutes in the North East.
The second half began in a low-key fashion before Boro took the lead once more with 64 minutes. Sivi powered his way into the Derby area and fired in a low effort which, despite Evans getting a hand to the ball, had enough power to find its way into the back of the net.
Derby weren’t short of effort as they sought to get back on level terms once more and left-back Cian Kelly-Caprani let fly with an effort from distance, but it was comfortably saved by Oliver Swann in the home goal.
Middlesbrough netted a third to kill off any hope of Rams fightback with 87 minutes played as substitutes Samuel Folarin and Howells combined for the latter to score. Folarin used his blistering pace to burst away down the right-hand side and square for Howells to tap in from a few yards out.
Derby’s Under-21s are back on home soil for their next Premier League 2 - Division 2 when they face Sunderland at Moor Farm Training Ground on Sunday 21st August (1pm kick-off).
Middlesbrough Under-21s: Swann (GK), Whelan, Akono Bilongo, Dodds, Hannah (Gitau 88), Conteh, Cornet, Fletcher (John 73), Kavanagh (Howells 79), Sivi (Folarin 79), Willis.
Substitutes Not Used: Popple (GK).
Derby County Under-21s: Evans (GK), Oduroh, Kelly-Caprani, Bates (Hawkins 80), Robinson (C), Grewal-Pollard, Davidson (Brailsford 33), Ibrahim, Cybulski, Nunn, Richards (Burton 80).
Substitutes Not Used: Roberts (GK), Ashia.
