Derby County’s long awaited search for a win came just 4 days short of the year long anniversary of their last victory.
Just short of 29,000 were packed into Pride Park and the cheer at the end of the game, was an expression of the Rams’ fans relief of the result.
The game itself was poor, and certainly not one for the neutral’s, although it wasn’t without controversy. Nick Montgomery was brought in to replace the departed Michael Tonge, but based on this performance, Kevin Blackwell will surely have to be trying much harder to bring in a replacement for the man from Salford.
The game began slowly and wasn’t helped by referee Chris Foy pulling it back continously for the slightest touch on a player. Montgomery gave a number of free kicks away early on, and was booked on 20 minutes for a poor challenge on Kris Commons. A long Derby throw in was brought down by Hulse, who held off Morgan before hitting a shot on the turn which struck the post.
The Blades finally got on the attack, and on 25 minutes Greg Halford struck the outside of the post with a free-kick, but it was Derby County who broke the deadlock just a minute or so later. Good play on the left by Commons led to his cross deflecting of Sun Jihai and deceiving Matt Kilgallon who saw Paul Green’s header hit him and beat Paddy Kenny.
United broke just two minutes later, and Derby County’s high defensive line was punished as BillY Sharp broke down the right. Laid off to Halford whose cross landed right on the head of Henderson, who made no mistake as he headed past Roy Carroll to level the scores.
Derby had a number of half chances towards the end of the half but nothing to really trouble Kenny. The Blades last chace of the half fell to Sharp. When Naysmith’s cross found Sharp in the area, he was given far too much time, but curled high and wide when he really should have done better.
Nacer Barazite was introduced at half time, and would go onto change the whole complexion of the game. The Arsenal loanee showed the desired quality in midfield that the Blades are searching for.
Ten minutes into the second half, Hulse got behind the defence but was caught up by Kilgallon who made the tackle, only for referee Foy to award County a penalty. United were fuming that linesman Bob Pollock had not given the decision. After much deliberation the referee spoke to his assistant and ruled out the decision, opting to award a corner instead. Replay’s were inconclusive, except for one angle in particular which looked as though County had been dealt an injustice.
Stephen Quinn failed with an effort from the left, but apart from this, County were certainly on top. Villa headed against the bar from yet another Commons cross. Derby’s efforts were rewarded soon after. A cross from the right was deflected up by Kilgallon on to Rob Hulse‘s hand, who brought the ball down before firing past Kenny from inside the area. There were calls for handball, but an argument can be seen from both sides, as the ball was deflected up at him and gave him no reaction time to move his hand.
Blackwell brought on James Beattie and David Cotterill, but any attempt Beattie made to get the ball were thwarted by referee Foy again and in the closing stages he was eventually booked.
Nick Montgomery was belatedly substituted on 83 minutes as Danny Webber was thrown on as an extra attacking option. Webber created a chance for Quinn from the left but Quinn again was unable to get his shot on target. The last chance for the Blades was carved out by some excellent work on the right by Sun, whose cross found Beattie and Henderson who perhaps got in each other’s way and subsequently headed wide.
Player Ratings
Paddy Kenny
Couldn’t do anything about the goals, being wrong footed by Kilgallon’s deflected effort, and Hulse’s close range effort being hit with such power.
Sun Jihai
Worrying at times with his exuberance, but one of the few players who have real quality. Some passes went astray, but he was fairly faultless aside from this.
Chris Morgan
Morgan came in for Ehigou and put in a fairly Morganesque performance, but without the usual booking. Thought he had been booked in the second half, but the yellow was actually shown to Quinn.
Matt Kilgallon
Kilgallon was at the centre of everything today. An own goal, and a penalty given away, which wasn’t actually given, but Kilgallon still looks like the best centre half outside the Premier League.
Gary Naysmith
A performance you would expect from Naysmith. You wouldn’t expect to see him helping out his winger, but he can always be depended on when he’s needed at the back.
Greg Halford
One of Halford’s better games as a United player. Despite hitting the post, some of Halford’s balls into the area were excellent and just needed a striker taking a chance at the back post or Quinn coming in from the left to take advantage of it.
Gary Speed
The usual from Speed. It’s hard enough playing in this division against two quality midfielders that Derby had, but when he’s trying to do the work of two central midfielder’s, it’s an impossible task.
Nick Montgomery
Lee Hendrie must have been sat on the bench wondering what he has to do to get a game. Blackwell had hoped to bring in two players before the Derby game, both of which have yet to materialise. With the injury of Matthew Spring, Blackwell opted for Monty, and hopefully will have seen enough not to make the mistake again. His passing was nothing short of awful, and could become the first player in history to get a negative pass completion rate. Some will counter this, by saying he’s not a ball player, but a ball winner. On 20 minutes he was booked for his 3rd foul of the game, and then never went close to a tackle again.
Stephen Quinn
Nothing special from Quinn, but a satisfactory performance nonetheless. His shot towards the end from in the area was poor. Nevertheless he’s really starting to make this position his own.
Darius Henderson
It was a brave decision by Kevin Blackwell, to leave James Beattie on the bench, but Henderson will have done himself no harm with this performance. His first league goal, and some magnificent hold up play. A good all round peformance.
Billy Sharp
Only had the one chance, which he made a hash of. If Sharp is to get goals, he needs the ball to be landing at his feet or head in the area. If it’s running and build up play that is being looked for, then surely Danny Webber would be a better option up front.
James Beattie
David Cotterill
Kevin Blackwell
‘We were a shadow of the team we normally are, it was a bad day at the office, everyone has them, ask Sir Alex Ferguson,’
‘It was sod’s law, we were reminded of so many things in the build up to game, such as it was Paul Jewell who sent us down, it was a year since they had won and it was the 13th!
‘But in all honesty, I can’t say we deserved anything and credit must go to Derby.’