3/1 To Win
Derby County slid to a 4-2 defeat at Hillsborough against Sheffield
Wednesday in the Sky Bet Championship on New Year’s Day.
Wednesday captain Barry Bannan struck early to give the hosts a goal advantage and the scoreline remained the same going into the break despite chances for Kane Wilson, Nat Phillips and Jerry Yates as the Rams looked for an equaliser towards the end of the first period.
Josh Windass made it two in the 60th minute when he struck from behind the halfway line before Djedi Gassama ran in behind to make it three moments later.
A goal from Jerry Yates gave hope for Derby in the 68th minute but it proved to be a consolation as Anthony Musaba made it four in the 74th minute.
Ebou Adams struck on the volley late in the last knockings of the game to pull another goal back for Derby.
Key Moments
Jacob Widell Zetterström saw the first action of the match as he was alert to keep out Gassama’s shot towards the near post in the third minute, tipping the ball out for a corner.
Wednesday took the lead through Bannan in the eighth minute of the matchj after he finished Shea Charles’ low cross from close range following a quick move with Gassama down the right flank.
The Rams came close to a response in the 11th minute as Kenzo Goudmijn’s corner was dropped under pressure from Phillips in the box. Wilson aimed to head the follow-up into the net but the Owls’ defence rallied to put him off balance and see it over the crossbar.
Wilson was on point again in the area as Goudmijn’s corner in the 20th minute bounced to the right-sider just inside the box and he struck and forced a reaction stop from James Beadle in the Wednesday goal.
The shot-stopper was on hand again for the next corner delivery as Phillips met the ball sweetly with his head and forced Beadle down low to save.
Wilson broke for the Rams and found space to shoot on the edge of the area after performing a give-and-go with Kayden Jackson in the 29th minut. He caught the ball well, but Beadle was in position at the near post to quash the threat.
Zetterström was forced to take evasive action and swatted away an effort from Gassama in the 36th minute after a prolonged spell of pressure from the Rams was seen off by the hosts.
A positive spell in the 40th minute saw Yates earn a free-kick and Derby play well around the Owls, but the Rams struggled to find the final ball to unlock Wednesday’s defence with Wilson’s crosses into the penalty area being well dealt with.
Yates had a good chance to score just before the end of the half as he was found in space by Goudmijn with the second ball from a corner. The striker latched onto the ball in the air with his left foot at the back but struck the frame of the goal and rebounded clear.
Paul Warne made half-time changes for Derby with Callum Elder, Liam Thompson and Dajaune Brown entering the field and Sonny Bradley, Marcus Harness and Jackson making way.
Charles forced a strong stop from Zetterström in the 49th minute as the goalkeeper parried away the Owls midfielder’s effort from the edge of the penalty area.
Two minutes later, Brown had a chance for the Rams as he received a pass from Yates and spun in the box to poke the ball towards goal but the onrushing Beadle made himself big and blocked the shot.
The hosts netted two in quick succession on the hour mark to take the game away from Derby. Windass fired from beyond the halfway line in his own half to score and make it 2-0 before Gassama took a through-ball well to evade Craig Forsyth on the left flank and netted calmly in the box moments later to make it 3-0.
Yates gave Derby hope going into the final 25 minutes of the game as substitute Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s cross bounced perfectly to the striker who was in position from inches from goal to finish.
It was little respite for the Rams, though, as Musaba ran in behind to net the Owls’ fourth on the counter-attacker after the restart.
Adams swung in a high ball to the back post and
Phillips forced another strong save from Beadle in the 86th minute.
Adams made it 4-2 after a positive spell of possession in
the late stages of the game, he latched onto a volley after a series of headers
saw the ball land with him in the box to round off the scoring from a chaotic 90 minutes at Hillsborough.
The Teams
Sheffield Wednesday: Beadle (GK), M. Lowe, Chalobah (Otegbayo 46), Bernard, Iorfa, Ingelsson, Bannan (C) (Musaba 58), Ugbo (Smith 57), Johnson (Windass 46), Gassama (Paterson 73), S. Charles.
Unused Substitutes: P. Charles (GK), Palmer, J. Lowe, Valentín.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Wilson (Barkhuizen 73), Phillips, Nelson, Bradley (C) (Elder 46), Forsyth, Goudmijn (Mendez-Laing 66), Adams, Harness (Thompson 46), Yates, Jackson (Brown 46).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Rooney, Chirewa, Collins.
Referee: Lewis Smith
Assistant Referees: Darren Williams, Rob Smith
Fourth Official: Scott Jackson
What’s Next?
The Rams will be back in action in the Sky Bet Championship when they head to Ashton Gate to play Bristol City on Saturday 4th January (3pm kick-off).
