3/1 To Win
Derby County saw their 15-match unbeaten run in Sky Bet League come to an end as they went down 3-2 at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.
Sam Vokes’ 11th minute goal gave the hosts an early advantage at Adams Park, but Warne’s came back strongly in the second half.
Derby’s equaliser came on 66 minutes through James Collins as he turned David McGoldrick’s right-wing cross into the net from close range.
Wycombe went on to get two goals in the final 15 minutes as Lewis Wing’s deflected effort from the edge of the box found the net put them back in front before he added a late third to condemn the Rams to defeat in the league for the first time since October, despite Lewis Dobbin's fine goal with a minute remaining.
Major Moments
Derby boss Warne named an unchanged starting XI from the 5-0 home win over Morecambe last weekend with hat-trick hero McGoldrick and Collins leading the line, while with Curtis Davies on the bench and Max Bird nursing a groin injury it meant that defender Craig Forsyth retained the captaincy.
Wycombe, meanwhile, went into the game without defender Ryan Tafazolli due to injury. Midfielder Nick Freeman also came out of the side that took to the field in their 3-0 success at Port Vale last time out, with Jason McCarthy and Garath McCleary coming into the starting XI, while the Chairboys’ new signing Jordan Willis was named on the bench.
The whole world has been moved by the heart-breaking scenes witnessed in Turkey and Syria after a tragic earthquake hit both countries in the early hours of last Monday morning. Over 25,000 people have been reported to have lost their lives and thousands more injured and a minute’s silence as a mark of respect took place prior to kick-off, as well as both sets of players donning black armbands.
Derby started brightly and had an opportunity with seven minutes played. After a swift counterattack and Lewis Dobbin surging down the left, midfielder Conor Hourihane’s first time effort from inside the box was easily saved by Max Stryjek.
Jason Knight forced another stop from Stryjek with nine minutes on the clock. Good link-up play between McGoldrick and Collins saw the ball worked to the Republic of Ireland international around 25 yards out, but his low strike was comfortably saved by the home goalkeeper.
After making a promising start, Derby went behind after 11 minutes. Wycombe broke from a Rams corner and after Brandon Hanlan’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Forsyth, the deflection kindly took the ball into the path of Vokes. The former Wales international made no mistake as he fired a first-time volley past the helpless Joe Wildsmith from 12 yards out.
Derby had to seek a response and thought they’d found one with 22 minutes played. Good play saw the ball worked to Korey Smith inside the box, forward from right back, but a Wycombe defender got back to clear the danger as he lined up a shot.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing had a shot blocked and Dobbin drew an easy save from Stryjek as the Rams probed for a leveller, while down the other end Wildsmith made a smart save at his near post to keep out McCleary’s low strike after he drifted inside from the left wing.
Superb play down the right by Mendez-Laing carved out a chance late in the half for the Rams. He used his pace brilliantly and fizzed the ball low across the six-yard box, but no one in a maroon shirt could get a vital touch to draw Derby level from such an inviting delivery.
The final chance of the half, however, fell Wycombe’s way as they pushed to extend their lead. Good feet by Wing saw him carve out a shooting opportunity after getting past Forsyth, but Wildsmith was equal to his right-foot strike.
Derby looked to push on early in the second half as they attacked towards the 1,800 travelling fans situated behind the goal in the Troo Stand but, despite plenty of pressure and industry, their early efforts weren’t rewarded. The only noteworthy chance ahead of the hour mark came the way of defender Eiran Cashin as he headed over from a corner.
Wycombe almost had a second just before the hour and, like their opener, the chance came as a result of some good fortune. McCleary’s cross was knocked back across goal by Hanlan and, with Wildsmith seemingly beaten, Cashin was back to clear the ball off the line. Moments later, they had another chance to go 2-0 up but McCarthy’s composure deserted him as the ball came his way at the back post and he lashed his effort over.
Those moments came back to haunt the hosts as the Rams levelled on 66 minutes. McGoldrick did well down the right to find space to whip an inviting cross into the box and Collins got himself in the right place and the right moment to find the roof of the net from a few yards and net his tenth goal of the campaign.
The goal fired new life into Derby, but it was Wycombe who got their noses back in front with just over 10 minutes to go. A short corner was worked to Wing on the edge of the box and his strike, via a deflection, found the far corner.
Tom Barkhuizen, Harvey White and Louie Sibley all came off the bench as Warne made a triple change, but Wing's close-range finish from a right-wing cross late on ensured they were beaten in League One for just the third time under Warne.
They did given themselves a glimmer of hope in the final minute of normal time, however, as Dobbin found the top corner with a brilliant effort from inside the box to set up a dramatic finish.
The Teams
Wycombe Wanderers: Stryjek (GK), Grimmer, Jacobson (C), Wheeler, Vokes, Wing (Freeman 90), McCleary (Willis 90), Hanlan (De Barr 79), Obita, McCarthy, Scowen.
Substitutes Not Used: Cartwright (GK), Forino, Wakely, Campbell.
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Forsyth (C), Hourihane (Barkhuizen 81), Cashin, Collins, McGoldrick, Mendez-Laing (White 81), Smith (Davies 90), Roberts (Sibley 81), Dobbin, Knight.
Substitutes Not Used: McGee (GK), Thompson, Springett.
What’s Next Up?
Derby face a quick turnaround as they prepare for a run of four of their next five league matches being played on home territory at Pride Park Stadium, starting with the visit of Lincoln City on Tuesday 14th February (7:45pm kick-off).
