3/1 To Win
Derby County’s Under-18s ran out 3-1 winners against Stoke City in the Under-18 Premier League - North at Moor Farm Training Ground on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from Justin Oguntolu, Johnson Osong and a fine Cruz Allen strike meant the young Rams won back-to-back games, after an inspired 2-1 win away at Newcastle United last week.
It was the visitors who had the first opportunity of the game as Will Smith beat the offside trap and found himself clean through on goal, but he scuffed his effort wide of the post.
The Rams worked their way into the game, and in the 12th minute took the lead through Oguntolu. Harry Hawkins drove forward from midfield, shrugging off Stoke defenders and slotted in Oguntolu, who made no mistake with his finish.
Danny Maye’s side doubled their advantage 10 minutes later, as Allen switched the ball excellently to Niall McAndrew, whose touch found Osong as he fired a first-time effort past Stoke goalkeeper Ben Houston.
Stoke halved the deficit before half-time, as Josh Maskall delivered an excellent cross for Dean Adekoya to head home.
The Rams started the second half brightly, with Allen and Hawkins both narrowly missing the target after an early second-half flurry.
Derby’s bright start to the half was rewarded, when Allen got a deserved goal by finishing off the post from a tight angle.
The pressure didn’t stop there, as Allen and Oguntolu both came close to adding a fourth, forcing good saves from Houston in the Stoke goal.
Tempers started to flair in the Stoke camp, but the Rams kept their head and saw the game out to pick up a deserved three points, as attention now turns to an away trip to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday 9th March in their next league outing (12:30pm kick-off).
Derby County Under-18: Price (GK), Eames, Gill, Hawkins, Banks (C) (Cox 67), Osayande, Trialist (Tola 46), McAndrew (Green 69), Oguntolu (Agustien 77), Allen, Osong.
Substitutes Not Used: Hardy.
Words: Will Stanier
