Eustace gets one over old boss Clough: Mansfield 1-3 Derby
It may soon be known as the Liam Thompson Derby, but this was apprentice versus master. In the first of two games in 24 hours, John Eustace took on the man who brought him to Pride Park twice, Nigel Clough.
The former Rams boss has transformed Mansfield Town into a stable League One side, now sporting a strike partnership which Paul Warne likely dreams of: 2022-23 Rams player of the year David McGoldrick, and perennial target Michael Smith.
Thompson was nowhere to be seen as he moves closer to finalising a move to the One Call stadium. But with most first-teamers saved tomorrow’s trip to Burton, there was a chance for the next generation of Moor Farm graduates to shine.
Dajaune Brown, Charlie Smith and Cruz Allen were all on the scoresheet.
The Stags had the better of the opening stages, working the rotated Rams defence with a succession of corners. Lars-Jørgen Salvesen headed multiple clear, while Josh Vickers had to be alert to react to a quickly taken one too.
But Derby slowly grew into the game and took the lead after 22 minutes through Brown. Playing as a left-sided inside forward, the 21-year-old met a sweet Salvesen back-post cross to finish a swift counter attack.
This came moments after pressure from Ryan Nyambe saw David McGoldrick take an uncharacteristically heavy touch as he shot at the other end.
‘Didzy’ nearly scored a trademark equaliser when he chested a cross down and curled it just wide of the top-right corner.
But Michael Smith drew the hosts level three minutes later as a deflection gave him the lucky break required when you have not scored in nine months. The former Rotherham man chased a long ball down the right before cutting back past Rio Canoville and firing low across goal to beat Vickers.
And Mansfield really should have taken the lead when McGoldrick brought down a sublime Tyler Roberts pass to find himself in on goal but was denied by the foot of Vickers.
Clough’s men came out of the blocks well after the break, Smith hitting the bar from a corner inside three minutes.
McGoldrick, meanwhile, remained remarkably wasteful in the second half, seeing three 20-yard strikes either blocked or saved before going off as one of eight Stags changes in the 70th minute.
The young Rams attackers took the second half by the scruff of the neck, Owen Eames shining as he found Salvesen, who squandered his chance after the lovely line-breaking pass.
But Charlie Smith made no such mistake when he was found by central midfield partner Kenzo Goudmijn after a sustained spell of pressure on the edge of the Mansfield box. Derby’s number 43 calmly opened up his body to rifle his first senior goal into the bottom left corner.
Substitute Corey Blackett-Taylor added impetus, finding now-striker Brown in the six-yard box. While the former Port Vale loanee could not get a shot away, Eames soon did; his effort was blocked at the last moment.
Breathing space was secured with 21 minutes to play, by Welsh youth international Cruz Allen. Found by the cross of Blackett-Taylor, he took one deft touch before finishing to Harry Lewis’ left.
Rhys Oates hit the bar in the 73rd minute, but otherwise, the final 20 minutes passed without incident.
Academy graduates in the shop window?
Goals for Brown, Allen and Smith. A starring role yet again for Owen Eames. Much like the rest of the club, Derby’s once decimated academy is rebuilding nicely – now these talented prospects need football.
At just 17, expect Charlie Smith to remain at Moor Farm, but lower league clubs are surely watching many of Derby’s other youngsters. In contrast, it feels like it is now or never for Brown. He needs to regain the momentum that once saw him shine at Gateshead after a poor loan spell with Port Vale.
Eames and Allen are catching the eye with their positive dynamic movement behind the striker, and ball control. There will be no end of suitors for the pair, but could one of them break into the first team? They certainly did their chances no harm, but the impending arrival of Sam Szmodics will not help them.
Didzy’s still got it
Aging like a fine wine, David McGoldrick continues to effortlessly control football matches. Though his finishing was nowhere near the level that saw him hit 25 goals for Derby three years ago, his touch, technique and footballing IQ remain exquisite. The 38-year-old hit 18 goals for Barnsley last season, and the former Notts County and Forest man will be key to his new side’s ambitions.
Reinforcements are needed
Surely John Eustace thought he would be further ahead in the process of bolstering his squad by now? Two games in 24 hours was always going to lead to rotation, and this was a great opportunity to give fringe players minutes. But consider which first teamers are left for tomorrow.
Excluding Patrick Agyemang, I count 14 first team players who were left out in Nottinghamshire. Add O’Donnell, Vickers, Langås, then Derby have seven registration places remaining in their 25-man squad. It is widely assumed Goudmijn, Nyambe, Thompson and Blackett-Taylor will leave, perhaps Salvesen too. Even with Szmodics' return to be announced imminently, there is a lot of work to do.
Impending investment could be delaying things though and could enhance Derby’s window significantly. With Eustace set to speak to the media at full-time on Saturday, expect ‘no comment’ answers about the most powerful man in boxing. But we might just find out more about how he sees his final squad shaping up too.
Derby (4-2-3-1): Vickers (GK) (Price 87’); Nyambe, Langås (Osayande 60’), Canoville, Gill; Smith (Hodges 86’), Goudmijn (Myers 87’); Eames, Allen (Wren 86’), Brown; Salvesen (Blackett-Taylor 60’).
Unused Substitute: O’Donnell (GK).
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