Derby County Under-21s fell to defeat in Premier League 2 against Sunderland at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground on Monday night.
The clash with the Black Cats was the Under-21s' fifth league game of the season. Jake Buxton’s side came into the tie buoyed by an impressive 4-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers a week ago.
Sunderland held first team experience in their starting eleven in the form of striker Aaron Connolly and winger Nazariy Rusyn in the North East.
Goals from Tom Watson and Connolly in the first period saw the Under-21s two goals down after a competitive half. Caden Kelly’s penalty after the break was followed by spells of dominance in attack from the Rams but they couldn’t break down a stubborn Sunderland defence.
A clinical and incisive five minutes from Sunderland saw the hosts double their lead with goals from Rusyn, Jenson Jones and a second from Watson coming in short order to see the game end 6-0.
Riley Moloney had the first clear-cut opportunity of the game for the Rams when he cut inside from the left flank and let fly, but the winger sent the ball just beyond the crossbar.
Midfielder Cruz Allen unleashed a free kick from 25 yards out minutes later, but Sunderland goalkeeper Dan Cameron got his body behind the strike to deny the Welsh youth international.
Watson opened the scoring just before the 20-minute mark, he received the ball in the box and broke away to make space for a left-footed shot that arrowed across the goal and into the bottom corner.
Connolly doubled the Black Cats' lead as he sped through and slotted the ball underneath the Rams’ goalkeeper Harley Price in the 26th minute.
A dangerous ball into the box from Jack Perry looked certain to cause trouble in the 30th minute for Derby, but to no avail as the hosts cleared their lines.
Price had to be alert in the 38th minute as Rusyn bared down on goal in dangerous fashion. The winger shot from close range but was denied by Price who made himself big and parried the shot wide.
Sunderland’s lead looked to have been cemented further just before half-time when Joe Anderson volleyed the ball into the back of the net after the ball as the ball was returned into the box from a corner, but an offside call saw the teams go into the break with the score line at 2-0.
Buxton made two changes over the half-time break as Niall McAndrew and Harry Hawkins replaced Perry and Alex Stepien-Iwumene for the Rams.
Black Cats substitute Kelly struck from the spot to extend the hosts’ lead in the 53rd minute.
Derby held control for an extended period as they looked to take a foothold back into the game. Some lively interplay between Moloney and Allen looked to create chances, but the Sunderland defence held firm.
Moloney departed the field in the 65th minute as Morten Spencer came on to freshen Derby’s attacking options and Charles Ebuka Agbawodikeizu followed minutes later taking the place of Allen.
The Rams kept pushing forward as they looked for a goal to break down a stubborn defence. They got into positive areas high up the pitch, but a turnover late on saw Rusyn head beyond Price from close range.
The goal was a catalyst for a decisive finish from the Black Cats as they netted twice more in added time, with Jones and Watson scoring in quick succession.
Team News
Derby County Under-21s: Price (GK), Bartley (C), Gill, Turley, Osayande, Robinson, Perry (McAndrew 46), Allen (Agbawodikeizu 70), Brown, Stepien-Iwumene (Hawkins 46), Moloney (Spencer 65).
Substitutes Not Used: Rees (GK).
Post-Match Reaction
Under-21 Lead Coach Jake Buxton said: “It’s a disappointing result for us.
“We weren't correct behind the ball when we were in possession for four of the goals we conceded.
“We had a lot of the ball tonight and got into a lot of good positions to work the opposition goalkeeper or put crosses into the box, but we lacked that last bit in the final third. Now we have to go away and continue working on the areas where we fell short tonight.”
