Derby County v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Football League Championship

Derby County :
Bywater, Addison, Buxton, Moxey, Hunt (Connolly 79), Green (Davies 71), Savage, Pearson, Johnson, Hulse, Porter (Commons 46).
Subs not used:
Deeney, McEveley, Teale, Campbell.

Scunthorpe United :
Lillis, Williams, Byrne, Mirfin, A.Wright, Thompson, Woolford (Togwell 71), O'Connor (Sparrow 90), J.Wright, Hayes, Hooper (Forte 84).
Subs not used:
Slocombe, Picton, Coleman, May.

SULSESC REPORT

by Steve Sumner at Pride Park

Matt Gray, Matt Gray, give me my train pass,

All along, down along, out along, lee,

For I want for to go to Derby, Pride Park

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

"And when shall I see again my team win?"

All along, down along, out along, lee,

"By Friday soon, or Saturday noon,

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

So they hurried and boarded the old grey train

All along, down along, out along, lee,

And off they sped to a pub, The Brunswick,

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

Then Friday came, and Saturday noon,

All along, down along, out along, lee,

But Nige Adkins' centreback had not been passed fit,

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

So Nige Adkins he got up to the top o' the hill

All along, down along, out along, lee,

And he seed his old Byrne down a-lacing his boots,

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

So Nige Adkins' old team, they took to the field,

All along, down along, out along, lee,

And Nige he sat down on a bench, and he cried

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

But this isn't the end o' this shocking affair,

All along, down along, out along, lee,

Nor, though they be low, of the Championship

Of Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

When the ref whistles time at the end of the game

All along, down along, out along, lee,

Nige Adkins' old team have triumphed once again,

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

And all the long night he heard cheering and shouting,

All along, down along, out along, lee,

From Matt Gray's old mates in their returning train,

With Nick Whitworth, Chris Vaughan, Andy Skeels,

Andy Theaker, Geoffey Kemp, David Payne,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all,

Old Whiffer Mal Watson and all."

DERBY TELEGRAPH REPORT

DERBY County would not have lasted long on Opportunity Knocks, the TV talent show originally hosted by Hughie Green in the 60s and 70s.

When opportunity arises, the Rams are currently incapable of spotting it and snatching it.

A first away win of the season at Watford last month stretched their unbeaten run to four matches and back-to-back home fixtures against Doncaster and Blackpool offered them chances to further improve their position in the Championship.

They blew both.

Their weekend game against struggling Scunthorpe United at Pride Park Stadium was one of only three in the division to beat the snow and freezing temperatures. A big chance, then, to put much-needed points on the board.

But no. They blew it again, this time in spectacular fashion.

Great effort went into making sure the match was played as the rest of the country shivered in winter's icy grip. In hindsight, the effort was wasted because the Rams' dismal display in a 4-1 defeat left supporters feeling colder than they had felt before kick off.

The fans were not impressed, hardly surprising given they had seen their team crumble to a third consecutive home defeat.

Those left in the stadium at the final whistle - and there were not too many - made their feelings known. Right now, Derby have a knack of filling Pride Park and emptying it in double quick time.

Home form kept the team's head above water earlier this season. While never a fortress, Pride Park was providing comfort and points but one win in the last five has decimated the home form and left the Rams in relegation trouble.

A handful of points separate them and the bottom three clubs, all of whom have at least one game in hand, two in most cases.

Derby are away to two of those teams, Peterborough and Plymouth, this month. How's your nerve?

If the Rams are to lift themselves they will need to perform a great deal better than they did in the first half against Scunthorpe.

What Derby produced in the opening 45 minutes was inexcusable.

They were devoid of creativity, pace, natural width and composure. There was no passion or purpose.

Add calamitous defending to the mix and there is only going to be one outcome - painful defeat.

Dean Moxey's careless back-pass in the early minutes seemed to set the tone. Gary Hooper did not accept the chance but he made amends when he put Scunthorpe in front after 14 minutes.

Martyn Woolford released Hooper through a gaping hole in the centre of Derby's square defence and Hooper coolly beat Stephen Bywater for his ninth goal of the season.

Centre-halves Jake Buxton and Miles Addison, immense in the goalless draw at Newcastle, were awful.

They were given the run-around by Scunthorpe strikers Hooper and Paul Hayes back in August and had a torrid time against the pair again.

Addison was caught floundering in no-man's land on the second goal.

Scunthorpe hoisted an innocuous long ball forward on the stroke of half time and Garry Thompson was allowed to volley low and wide of Bywater, the finish finding the net off the inside of a post.

The timing of the goal killed Derby.

One down at half-time, there would have been hope. Two down always looked a tall order especially given a worrying shortage of goals in the team. Only three have been scored in the last seven matches.

Derby posed little threat in the first half and against a Scunthorpe defence that is the worst in the Championship, conceding at a rate of almost two goals per game.

A shot from on-loan midfielder Lee Johnson, making his first start, contained no sting, while the strike partnership of Rob Hulse and Chris Porter did not work. Their styles can be too similar.

It was a surprise to see the Rams go into a home game without genuine width. It can work in away games but at home it leads to Derby's play being too narrow. Derby missed Gary Teale, the winger many fans love to slaughter. Maybe they should think twice in the future.

Paul Green will always give his all but he is not comfortable on the right side and had a poor afternoon.

Scunthorpe seemed to bank on Derby's attacks breaking down, as they often did, and the visitors countered neatly and with considerable threat.

The defeat would have been heavier had it not been for Bywater.

Porter was withdrawn - it could easily have been the ineffective Hulse - and Kris Commons provided some spark as did another of the substitutes, Steve Davies.

Derby had a go after the break - they had to after their meek, inept show in the first half.

Commons drove a shot wide and Hulse headed over before they scored just short of the hour. Commons received the ball, slalomed past two defenders and his scuffed shot was deflected into his own goal by Marcus Williams. Josh Lillis, son of former Rams striker Mark, had no chance.

Derby wanted a penalty when Byrne pushed over Hulse and Andrew Wright somehow managed to clear off the line after a good link-up between Johnson and on-loan right-back Nicky Hunt.

Johnson, happy to receive the ball, was neat and tidy much of the time while Hunt, rusty at times, did well on his debut considering it was his first taste of senior football this season.

Could Derby rescue themselves? They pushed for an equaliser but the introduction of Sam Togwell to help Scunthorpe's midfield was a shrewd and significant tactical move and the visitors wrapped up only their second away win of the campaign.

Hooper easily held off Buxton and pulled the ball back invitingly for Thompson who expertly curled his finish beyond Bywater's dive.

Substitute Jonathan Forte rubbed salt into Derby's gaping wounds when he scored the fourth goal a minute from time.

Scunthorpe deserved their victory, no question. The clever, comfortable way in which they moved the ball around at times was too much for Derby.

They have completed the double over the Rams, scoring seven goals in the process, and there lies Derby's current problem at home. They are conceding too many soft goals.

The defence, rock solid in recent away games, fell apart. The back four looked like it was built on shifting sand.

The defeat was the worst at home in the League under Clough, the lowest point of his 12 months in charge and a bitterly disappointing way to start his second year in charge.

Tomorrow's FA Cup replay against Millwall now takes on greater significance because the supporters are in desperate need of a lift.

Their patience is wearing thin.