3/1 To Win
Derby County succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Watford at
Pride Park Stadium in their first Sky Bet Championship game of 2025 on home turf on Saturday
afternoon.
Imran Louza gave Watford the lead in the fourth minute to complete
a frantic start to the game after Jerry Yates headed narrowly wide moments
earlier. A double chance at the end of the first half almost found an equaliser
as Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's shot and Kayden Jackson’s overhead kick hit the crossbar.
Edo Kayembe made it two for Watford in the second period following
goalkeeping heroics from Jonathan Bond that kept Derby at bay despite an
explosive start to the second period, with Mendez-Laing and Ebou Adams going close.
Key Moments
An early challenge by Edo Kayembe on Mendez-Laing saw the Watford midfielder booked, and the game started feistily. Ben Osborn delivered the resulting free-kick from deep, which found Yates, whose header at the near post went into the side netting.
The frantic start to the match continued as the Hornets went down the other ned of the pitch and took the lead. Louza was in position in the box to finish after Kwadwo Baah’s low cross from the right flank deflected into his path.
Eiran Cashin had a snapshot at goal in the 21st minute but couldn’t connect with the ball in a busy penalty area. Ingenuity to take a quick free-kick by Osborn found Mendez-Laing to cross into the Rams centre-back whose attempt deflected to Kane Wilson to win a corner.
Derby were pushing for an equaliser and a run from Wilson looked to be dangerous in the 26th minute after sharp thinking from goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström saw him unleash the right-back into space on the left wing after a Watford corner, but Wilson was felled by a Watford defender to halt the attack.
Derby twice came agonisingly close to equalising in the 40th minute. Mendez-Laing connected with Wilson’s cross to the far post and smashed against the crossbar, the rebound went into the air and was met by Kayden Jackson as he performed an overhead kick that struck the crossbar.
Cashin forced another acrobatic stop from Bond after Adams won a free-kick that the centre-back met with a towering jump and aimed towards the top corner of the goal.
Bond’s impact continued into the second half as Mendez-Laing struck a stinging strike towards goal in the 49th minute that was denied by a reaction save from the Hornets’ shot-stopper.
Adams struck the post as Derby upped their momentum. Jackson squared the ball to him on the edge of the area and the midfielder curled the ball onto the frame of the goal. Derby looked to have the bit between their teeth searching for an equaliser.
A crucial block from Cashin saw Vakoun Bayo’s chance deflected as he shot from inside the area in the 55th minute.
Cashin was again in a vital position as the visitors looked to be in with a chance to double their lead. Bayo was played in behind and the defender performed a well-timed sliding tackle to see the ball out for a corner.
Moussa Sissoko hit from range as the ball came to him on the edge of the penalty area, it struck the crossbar and then defected off Zetterström’s head before going out of play.
Corey Blackett-Taylor was Derby’s first change of the game, replacing Jackson to bring fresh attacking intent as the Rams tried for an equaliser.
Bayo was again Watford’s threat in behind but more astute defending from Derby saw Curtis Nelson shepherd the attacker away from danger as looked to burst into space in the box in the 65th minute.
Kayembe doubled the visitors' advantage in the 67th minute when the Hornets hit Derby with an incisive counter-attack. Mattie Pollock also had the ball in the back of the net minutes later but was offside.
Marcus Harness, Craig Forsyth and Dajaune Brown were substituted onto the field of play in the 74th minute. Joe Ward came on minutes later.
Kayembe fired over the bar after Zetterström came off his line to make a blocking save to thwart the attacker’s first effort.
Blackett-Taylor looked to push forward in the closing stages of the game
and won a free-kick on the edge of the penalty box after beating his
man on the wing. The resulting free-kick was taken by Ward who went for
goal and swung the ball just beyond the far post in one of the last actions of the match.
The Teams
Derby County: Zetterström (GK); Wilson (Ward 81), Nelson, Cashin, Elder (Forsyth 74); Goudmijn (Harness 74), Adams, Osborn; Mendez-Laing (C) (Brown 74), Jackson (Blackett-Taylor 62), Yates.
On The Bench: Vickers (GK), Barkhuizen, Collins, Thompson.
Watford: Bond (GK), Ngakia (Larouci 64), Sierralta, Pollock (C), Louza, Vata, Bayo, Dele-Bashiru (Sissoko 46), Abankwah (Andrews 76), Baah (Ogbonna 78), Kayembe.
On The Bench: Roberts (GK), Porteous, Ince, Doumbia, Nabizada.
Referee: Adam Herczeg
AssistantReferees: Robert Hyde, Matthew McGrath
Fourth Official: Andy Davies
Attendance
29,040 (2,234 away supporters)
What’s Next?
A quick turnaround will see the Rams return to Pride Park for Sky Bet Championship action against Sunderland on Tuesday night (7:45pm kick-off).
