Kayden Jackson’s second goal of the season earned Derby County victory over Middlesbrough at Pride Park – their first Championship win since promotion.
The striker broke the deadlock when he pounced on a mistake from Isaiah Jones in the first half to round Seny Dieng to leave Pride Park rocking. Up until that point Boro were, as you would expect, lively going forwards as Latte Lath met an Isaiah Jones cross at the back post but couldn’t divert it on target.
Derby had moments themselves, however, and Jackson forced Dieng into a save with a shot from just inside the Boro box which was a result of Paul Warne’s side forcing the visitors into a mistake. But the breakthrough came when Jones played a careless back pass towards Dieng that was cut out by Jackson, who still had a half of the pitch to run. However, he kept his composure superbly to slide in the opener.
Derby were then forced to shuffle their pack after a head injury to Eiran Cashin and a hamstring problem for Kane Wilson that led to Sonny Bradley and Ryan Nyambe coming on. Those changes appeared to rattle Derby for a while as Boro started to dominate with Finn Azaz going close on a couple of occasions, while Jones had a shot saved by Vickers.
In the second half, Ben Osborn saw a shot deflected wide of the post early on as Derby searched for a second. But after that Boro took control with Azaz striking off target before Rams keeper Josh Vickers had to be alert to tip a Hayden Hackney effort over the bar. Delano Burgzorg thought he had hauled the visitors level with a header but he was flagged offside. The Boro striker then crashed a shot against the woodwork with a deflected effort as Derby dug in to protect their lead and earned all three points.
Here are the big talking points from the game…
Up and running
Middlesbrough are an established Championship side, and if you had read social media in the build-up to this game then Derby were pretty much written off by those who felt Michael Carrick’s side would be far too strong.
And that much is true when you look at their squad which is blessed with an array of talent that will probably compete for the top six come the end of the season.
But Derby’s victory was not about talent, it was about heart – and everywhere you looked there was plenty of it. Ben Osborn patrolled midfield like a dog on postman watch, Curtis Nelson was a towering aerial presence at the back and keeper Josh Vickers produced his best performance for the club so far.
Derby had to ride their luck at times, particularly when Boro hit the woodwork in the second half and also had a goal ruled out for offside. But for all of Boro’s possession, Derby fought with everything they had and there was so much character that was aided by the fans.
After the shock of the Blackburn defeat, it was important Paul Warne’s side got their first victory in the Championship as early as they could. Yes, it wasn’t football utopia, and the currency of choice here was hard work rather than silky possession and passing. But everybody contributed and it was a win that nobody could begrudge the Rams, given how much they fought across the 90 minutes.
Warne request granted
Paul Warne admitted before this game that the Rams fans had a crucial role to play – and boy did they deliver. They were loud, they were proud and in the moments that Derby needed them to stay with the team, they more than did so.
There is a growing realisation that this season’s objective is to survive – and that Derby cannot compete with most teams in the second tier in terms of squad depth. Boro, for example, had the luxury of a £4.5m striker on their bench.
But what does make a difference is the power of Pride Park and we witnessed it here in all its glory. Warne was quick to praise the crowd for their influence, particularly as they did not get edgy when Boro were trying to find chinks in the armour.
They just kept singing, and in the closing stages every cheer was like an injection of energy for a team that was giving absolutely everything. Ultimately, they became just as important as the players because when games are this tense, getting anxious in the stands usually transmits to the players. That certainly didn’t happen here.
Sympathy for Cashin
As much as it will probably infuriate Eiran Cashin, and he was clearly outraged judging by his reaction, it was absolutely the right decision to substitute him after such a nasty blow to the head.
The way he remained motionless after an accidental collision with Callum Elder in the first half before attempting to lift his head only to lay it back down again was a real cause for concern. Paul Warne nailed it when he called it frightening. If Cashin had been in a boxing ring and acted like that, then the ref would have stopped the fight immediately.
The player’s safety is always paramount. If he had been allowed to continue and then went down again, Derby would have faced plenty of criticism for not taking his welfare into account. It was the best thing to do in the circumstances, but you could understand why Cashin was angry because he was having a fabulous game in the heart of the back four. Everybody will sympathise with him, but there was zero point in taking any risks. Head injuries are a serious business.
Vickers the hero but decision looms
Amid all the fanfare of Jacob Widell Zetterstrom’s arrival, questions were being asked about whether he would replace Josh Vickers after finally completing his move from Djurgarden.
However, Paul Warne has seldom chucked a new signing straight into the team, with Ebou Adams being the exception last season at Charlton Athletic. So, Zetterstrom had to watch this game from the bench and in the process witnessed Vickers have his best game since arriving at the club himself.
He was brave on crosses, made a fabulous stop in the second half and barely put a foot wrong in what was a man-of-the-match performance.
What Warne has to decide now is whether to stick or twist when it comes to his selection for Watford next week, and it will be fascinating to see what he does because Vickers was exceptional against Boro. It’s a horrible decision to have to make, but it’s why the manager and his coaches get paid big bucks.
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