3/1 To Win
Derby County goalkeeper Rohan Luthra has quickly made himself a cult hero during his loan spell at National League North side Spennymoor Town.
The 22-shot-stopper made the move to Spennymoor on a seven-day emergency loan last week following an injury to their first-choice goalkeeper Brad James.
Luthra went straight into the side and kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 home win over Warrington Town last Tuesday evening.
He started the day training with John Eustace’s first team squad in Derby and had to launch a late-afternoon dash to Spennymoor via train, meeting his new team-mates less than an hour before kick-off.
The goalkeeper was once again between the posts for Graeme Lee’s side in their FA Trophy Semi-Final at National League side Rochdale on Saturday.
The tie finished in a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes, with Spennymoor levelling deep into added time to force a penalty shoot-out.
Luthra then made himself the hero in the shoot-out, saving Tarryn Allarakhia’s spot-kick to spark wild celebratory scenes and send his temporary side to Wembley for a showpiece Final against Aldershot Town next month.
Reacting after the final whistle, he said: “I have no words; I don’t know what to say. It is an incredible feeling and I couldn’t have asked for a better start to this loan spell.
“From top to bottom, the club have been amazing with me and welcomed me.
“It doesn’t get much better than this as a goalkeeper, saving the winning penalty in a shoot-out to get the team to a Final at Wembley. These are the moments why we play football for.”
Luthra arrived at Derby on a one-year deal in the summer of 2024, following a spell training with the squad as a free agent.
He featured throughout pre-season and has been named as a substitute three times in all competitions so far this term for the Rams.
