MATCH REPORT: Derby County 0-1 Millwall

Derby County were cruelly beaten by a late goal despite a battling performance in a 1-0 loss against Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Chances were few and far between for either side in the first half as both teams performed a shut-out that saw the game goalless at the break.

Matt Clarke thought he’d given Derby the lead when his header struck the underside of the crossbar early in the second period.

Jacob Widell Zetterström’s penalty save in the final ten minutes still kept the game even and set up a tense ending but Josh Coburn, who missed the spot-kick, gave the visitors the points after he netted from close range deep into added time.

Key Moments

Chances were few and far between in the opening stages of the fixture, although the Rams looked to have started the most positively. They just struggled to fashion a clear-cut chance, with Kenzo Goudmijn and Ben Osborn both seeing the left side as an outlet to attack.

Camiel Neghli looked to tee up the first chance of the match for Millwall when he sent a perfect ball in for Mihailo Ivanović in the ninth minute. The ball curved to the striker who was lurking at the far post, but he couldn’t stretch to attack the ball.

Lars-Jorgen Salvesen looked to connect with Ryan Nyambe’s cross into the box in the 32nd minute after a neat backheel from Adams gave the right-back space to cross. Salvesen was well marshalled by his defender, though and he couldn’t direct the ball towards goal.

Adams was the one to head close moments later as Goudmijn swung a ball into the box that the Rams' captain met and sent just wide of the mark. The chance completed an elongated spell of possession with Derby growing back into the game after a period of where neither team could grasp control.

Derby started the second half with impetus. Adams looked to have been felled and had a penalty shout denied and Salvesen nearly threaded Jerry Yates into a shooting position in the box in the opening exchanges of the half.

The ball flashed across the face of Zetterström’s goal in the 58th minute when Luke Cundle’s cross met the foot of Ivanović, but the Lions striker still couldn’t test Derby’s shot-stopper as he directed the ball wide.

Clarke thought he’d broken the deadlock when he met Goudmijn’s corner with a strong header that hit the underside of the crossbar before ricocheting off the head of a Millwall defender on the line and into goalkeeper Lukas Jensen’s grasp.

Head Coach John Eustace made Derby’s first changes of the game in the 65th minute. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Tom Barkhuizen and Marcus Harness entered the field with Kayden Jackson, Salvesen and Goudmijn departing - as the Rams searched for the opening goal with momentum in their favour.

Barkhuizen nearly latched onto Yates’ through ball into a dangerous area as he appeared to be in behind but for some swift goalkeeping from Jensen who collected the ball despite some neat combination play between Mendez-Laing, Yates and Barkhuizen.

Sondre Langås was judged to have felled Coburn in the box and the visitors had a penalty in the 84th minute. Zetterström stepped up to the plate for Derby, though and made a vital save with his legs to keep the scores even.

Kemar Roofe made his debut appearance as he came on in the 88th minute for David Ozoh, who departed with an injury, and minutes later Coburn stole in at the far post and netted to secure the points for Millwall in added time to inflict a harsh defeat on Derby.

The Teams

Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Nyambe, Langås, Clarke (Forsyth 75), Osborn, Adams (C), Ozoh (Roofe 88), Goudmijn (Harness 65), Jackson (Mendez-Laing 65), Yates, Salvesen (Barkhuizen 65).

On The Bench: Vickers (GK), Rooney, Thompson, Armstrong.

Millwall: Jensen (GK), Cooper (C), Tanganga, Azeez (Emakhu 79), Bryan (Sturge 57), Saville, De Norre (Mitchell 79), Cundle (Honeyman 65), Ivanović (Coburn 65), Crama, Neghli.

On The Bench: Roberts (GK), Wallace, Wintle, Harding.

Referee: Elliot Bell

Assistant Referees: Jonathan Hunt, Greg Read

Fourth Official: Adam Herczeg