Derby County set a new club record for away wins in one season with a hard-fought triumph over Cambridge United, propelling them closer to promotion.
Paul Warne’s team started with energy and purpose, nearly taking the lead when Louie Sibley’s corner curled into the area and bounced off the crossbar. Cambridge responded quickly, and they almost took the lead when Macauley Bonne was teed up eight yards out, but his shot was cleared off the line by Sonny Bradley.
Derby created a wonderful chance on the next attempt when James Collins touched the ball into the path of Mendez-Laing, but his shot lacked the power to concern Will Mannion.
The winger was a great threat, hitting a 25-yard drive that looped past Mannion but crashed off the crossbar. But, while Derby wondered if it would be one of those afternoons, Sibley made a fantastic pass to penetrate the Cambridge defence. Mendez-Laing ran onto it, turned Mannion, and rolled the ball into an empty net, eliciting wild celebrations in the away end.
But the Americans turned the tide in the second half, but the back five were outstanding as they threw themselves at a lot of Cambridge shots in order to retain a clean sheet.
And they were able to keep the Americans out, as Derby set a road record with 13 victories. A point against Carlisle next week will ensure their return to the Championship.
Almost there.
Put your abacuses aside and forget about scribbling down the permutations; the maths is straightforward. One point is all that is required to return Derby to the Championship.
In what was a record-breaking afternoon, more of which can be found below, this victory effectively put them in the second tier, and it is only a matter of time before their promotion is confirmed. With a three-point lead and a goal difference, some fans believe Derby are there. Nobody should underestimate this game’s potential to put a boot in your bottom when you least expect it.
That being said, there was a fantastic mood at full-time, no doubt driven by the satisfaction that they had escaped this difficult fixture with a win. Both Bolton and Peterborough had hoped that this assignment would cause Derby problems, so they dropped points to keep the door open for them to finish second.
But Warne’s staff has shown amazing passion over the previous eight months, and they have performed like a machine. That is demonstrated by the fact that they have accumulated the most points by a Derby team since it became three points for a win. And now it all comes down to the season’s final game next week, which will be against Carlisle United, who have already been relegated. Pride Park is ready for one heck of a celebration.
Record breakers
Derby’s victory over Cambridge became their 13th away win of the season, setting a new club record. After being trapped at 12 for a long, it felt like they had passed up the opportunity to write themselves into history. There was a defeat at Northampton, followed by draws at Portsmouth and Wycombe. This was their final shot, and they ultimately crossed the finish line, which is an incredible accomplishment.
Derby have been so strong away from Pride Park, which is why they are on the verge of promotion, and this record will certainly continue for quite some time. Heck, it might even continue forever. Warne and this bunch of players can be extremely happy of creating their place in Derby history, and if another Rams squad exceeds 13 wins in the future, they will have done exceptionally well.
You could tell how much it mattered to this Derby team by the way they threw themselves at every shot or cross that came into the box, especially in the second half when Cambridge ramped up the heat but found the back five in command.
Ebou Adams epitomised Derby’s spirit.
There was almost a collective gulp in the away end when Ebou Adams was left flat out after nearly having his head volleyed into the top corner while attempting to block Lyle Taylor’s overhead kick.
It was a microcosm of what Adams has offered to this squad since joining on loan from Cardiff City in January, where he has demonstrated persistence and bravery. It has been consistently stated that he has drastically transformed Derby’s midfield.
He is a major fan favourite, so when Taylor, who is skilled at playing the pantomime villain thanks to his Forest connections, left him unmoving, you can imagine the shouts that followed. Of course, the collision was completely unintentional and had no malicious intent. Taylor stayed to make sure Adams was okay, and when the midfielder returned to his feet, Adams tapped his hand as if it were no big deal.
He was able to continue, no harm was done, and everything was handled appropriately. However, Adams’ willingness to put his body on the line exemplified Derby’s attitude.
One moment of class, Warne’s clever ploy and defensive excellence.
Paul Warne nailed it right away in his post-match commentary, describing the game as awful and exacerbated by a bone-dry pitch. Nathan Jones complained about it following Charlton’s game at the Abbey last weekend, so Warne requested that the pitches at Moor Farm not be watered for the final week in order to prepare them for their season’s penultimate fixture. It was a clever manoeuvre aimed to simulate the situations they would experience on Saturday.
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