November Round-Up: First Team, Under-21s, Under-18s And Ewe Rams

On the road again… and again… and again…

That pretty much sums up a November which saw Derby County clock up over 1,700 miles across six away fixtures during the month.

Cup matches outweighed Sky Bet League One fixtures four to three over the course of November and incredibly, away from a penalty shoot-out defeat to Premier League side Liverpool, the Rams were able to complete the month without a loss to boot.

Here’s a reflection of what was a hectic November schedule for the Paul Warne's side as well as a brief look at how the Under-21s, Under-18s and Women’s team all got on across the last 30 days.

01/11 - Morecambe 1-1 Derby County (Sky Bet League One)

The month got underway with what would be the first of just three league fixtures, away at Morecambe.

It was a night that proved to be one full of frustration for the Rams as they saw not one but two penalties saved across the 90 minutes.

James Collins saw a spot-kick saved in the 37th minute and it buoyed the home side who went up the other end and took the lead just before the break.

Immediately after the restart the Rams had another chance from the spot and this time David McGoldrick stepped up - but the outcome was the same and it had a real feeling of one of those nights.

Louie Sibley finally found an opening for Derby and levelled things up on the hour mark but that was the best it got for Warne’s men, despite a huge number of chances, who had to settle with a point to open November.

06/11 – Torquay United 2-2 Derby County (Emirates FA Cup First Round)

Less than a week later and there was yet more frustration from a Rams perspective, this time in Emirates FA Cup First Round action away at National League outfit Torquay United.

For 55 minutes, Derby were in cruise control. A double from Will Osula looked to all but confirm passage to the Second Round but after Eiran Cashin was wrongly dismissed and a spot-kick awarded to the Gulls, the home side had a big lifeline with over 30 minutes to play.

The Rams stood strong right up until the fifth minute of stoppage time when a long ball wasn’t dealt with and Will Goodwin was in the right place at the right time to fire home and force the game to a replay at Pride Park.

09/11 – Liverpool (3) 0-0 (2) Derby County (Carabao Cup Round Three)

From National League opposition to Premier League opposition within the space of three days - 9th November brought with it a trip to six-time Champions League winners, Liverpool.

Backed by over 5,500 travelling Rams, Derby were able to limit the home side to very little and quietened the famous Anfield crowd.

Goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith was forced into a couple of incredible saves on the night but otherwise, Jurgen Klopp’s men were kept quiet.

It was all square after 90 minutes and as per the rules in the Carabao Cup, the game went straight to the lottery of penalties.

Despite Wildsmith making the first save of the shoot-out, it wasn’t to be for the Rams who eventually ran out on the wrong end of spot-kicks with Conor Hourihane, Craig Forsyth and Lewis Dobbin all having their efforts saved.

12/11 – MK Dons 1-3 Derby County (Sky Bet League One)

Despite being winless in their opening three games of the month and over 5,500 fans travelling to Liverpool just a few days prior, the Rams were backed by an astonishing 6,700 at Stadium MK.

It was a cagey opening 45 which saw the home side take the lead after 41 minutes but an instant response from Haydon Roberts just two minutes later changed the course of the game.

The Rams came out in the second-half and put in one of their most dominant displays of the season. Goals from James Collins and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in front of the army of travelling supporters wrapped up a perfect away day and got three vital points on the board.

15/11 – Derby County 5-0 Torquay United (Emirates FA Cup First Round Replay)

Whilst it was a game that everyone would rather have avoided due to the already packed November schedule, Derby made sure there was no such drama in their Emirates FA Cup First Round Replay.

An own-goal after seven minutes from Torquay’s Mark Ellis took the wind out of the visitors' sails early on and strikes from Will Osula and a first senior goal for Liam Thompson saw the Rams put the game to bed before the half-time whistle.

Lewis Dobbin scored a goal of the season contender on the hour mark before David McGoldrick rounded off an impressive 5-0 win which ensured the Rams eased into the Second Round setting up yet another away trip at the end of the month - this time at Newport County of Sky Bet League Two.

18/11 – Portsmouth 0-0 Derby County (Sky Bet League One)

Three days later and the Rams were back in league action and back on the road - this time taking on the team one place above them in the table in Portsmouth.

Paul Warne went into the game short of options to choose from after both Haydon Roberts and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing had picked up injuries a few days earlier and it made an already challenging game, all the more tough.

Putting square pegs in round holes had become a common occurrence during November though due to injuries and suspensions but it didn’t stop the Rams putting in an incredibly resilient performance to play out a hard-fought 0-0 with their hosts.

A point under the circumstances was more than acceptable and would see the Rams go into December well in the mix of those Sky Bet League One play-off places.

27/11 – Newport County 1-2 Derby County (Emirates FA Cup Second Round)

In what had become a completely unknown entity during the month of November, the Rams found themselves with over a week between their final two matches of the month.

A trip to South Wales in the Second Round of the Emirates FA Cup was how Derby concluded the month in a game that, like Torquay, had all the makings of a banana skin.

The first-half showed just that too when the home side took the lead thanks to a Priestley Farquharson header.

Hoping to avoid a similar outcome to Torquay, the Rams came out after the break completely revitalised and dominated from the restart.

Louie Sibley levelled things up before the hour mark with a superb individual effort and just as time looked to be running out, up popped David McGoldrick to head home a winner and set up a Third Round tie against fellow League One side Barnsley at Pride Park Stadium in January.

Under-21s

Derby County's Under-21s were able to land their first victory of the season in the month of November.

A tough night in Stoke saw the young Rams on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline to start the month in Premier League 2 - Division 2 action, but they responded well to that and finished the month with two positive results in the Premier League Cup.

A stoppage time equaliser from Cian Caprani ensured Pat Lyons’ side picked up a point at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on 18th November, before they finally landed that long awaited win on the road at Queens Park Rangers on 28th November. Striker Bartosz Cybulski and defender Harrison Solomon both found the net in the first-half of the game to cement a 2-0 win for Pat Lyons' side.

Under-18s

November started with a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League Cup for Jake Buxton's Under-18s.

It was a valiant effort from the young Rams who took the lead after just two minutes through Johnson Osong.

Chelsea were able to equalise before the break though and a red card to Keilen Robinson with 10 minutes remaining allowed the Blues to capitalise and ultimately score two late goals to win the tie.

Adebayo Fapetu helped Jake Buxton’s men to a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers in the Under-18 Premier League - North a week later before the month rounded off with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in the Second Round of the FA Youth Cup.

Ewe Rams

It was the complete mixed bag of results for Derby County Women during November.

The month started with an impressive 3-1 victory away at West Bromwich Albion in the WPL Premier Division. Goals from Amy Sims, Jess Camwell and Kira Rai completing the scoring for Ewe Rams.

November also saw the First Round of the FA Women’s Cup commence but it was heartbreak for Sam Griffiths’ side who lost out on penalties to Stoke City.

Anita Gaspar had scored late on to cancel out an early Stoke goal in the 1-1 draw but after things remained stalemate after extra time, the game went to penalties and the Ewe Rams were eventual 3-2 losers on spot-kicks.