Derby County 1-4 Sunderland
Sunderland romped to a vital win at Derby County on Friday evening as play-off chasing Derby County were brushed aside.
George Honeyman opened the scoring and set the tone before Ashley Fletcher’s first goal for club made it two, but the Rams were handed a lifeline before the interval as Matej Vydra’s fired home.
Chris Coleman’s men didn’t falter, though, and they restored their two-goal cushion when McGeady dispatched a penalty following the restart, with John O’Shea sealing the points on his 250th appearance for the club.
One down, seven to go.
ALL CHANGE
Coleman made five changes ahead of the game, as Donald Love, Paddy McNair, McGeady, Lynden Gooch and Fletcher were included in the starting XI. Adam Matthews, who played in China for Wales during the international break, dropped to the bench, as Jake Clarke-Salter missed out due to suspension and Ovie Ejaria was absent due to a back and rib injury. Lee Camp retained his place despite Jason Steele returning from a one-match ban, as Marc Wilson returned to the squad for the first time since January.
ADVANTAGE SUNDERLAND
Sunderland threatened first as McGeady’s defensive-splitting through ball found Fletcher, but the striker was unable to get it under his spell before Scott Carson’s attempted clearance cannoned off the frontman and whistled over the crossbar. Derby responded with a volley of chances but the Black Cats batted them away, with Andreas Weimann volleying their best opening high and wide. The opener arrived on 10 minutes and Honeyman provided it, with the midfielder’s half-volley taking a wicked deflection off Craig Forsyth to wrong-foot Carson and nestle into the net.First blood to the Black Cats.
BACK AND FORTH
Coleman’s men were unfazed by Derby’s response and dealt with everything thrown at them, but it was a different story at the other end and Fletcher made the hosts pay. Richard Keough dallied in possession and the striker seized control of the ball before holding off three defenders, and he supplied the cherry on top with a low finish powering into the bottom corner. Gooch was inches away from making it three as Fletcher smashed the ball across goal where the USA international was a fraction away from connecting, but Vydra pulled one back moments later with a cracking finish.
SPOT ON
Fletcher almost grabbed his second in first-half added time, but there was no time to dwell on what could have been as a big 45 minutes began. Work hard and weather the storm was the half-time consensus, but the Lads shunned any notions of keeping it tight and restored their two-goal advantage on 50 minutes. Gooch, who impressed throughout, was toppled in the box and the referee pointed to the spot, with McGeady supplying an ice cool finish to make it 3-1.
END TO END
Derby enjoyed the bulk of the possession from that point on, but Fletcher created the next chance as his curling effort clattered the post with Carson rooted to the spot. McNair then sent a looping header onto the crossbar before Weimann spurned a golden chance to reduce the deficit – and the Rams were once again punished. O’Shea got the goal, pouncing as the ball pinged around the six-yard box, to seal a memorable win and close the gap to safety. One down, seven to go.
Derby County: Carson, Forsyth, Keough, Lawrence (Palmer 45), Baird, Johnson, Weimann, Vydra, Jerome (Ledley 83, Davies, Thorne (Nugent 58).
Subs not used: Roos, Wisdom, Pearce, Thomas.
Sunderland: Camp, O’Shea, Kone, Oviedo (Matthews 81), Love, Cattermole, McNair (Wilson 78), Honeyman, Gooch, McGeady, Fletcher.
Subs not used: Steele, LuaLua, McManaman, Maja, Robson.