Under-23s undone by Bird strike

A disciplined defensive display from our Under-23s was undone by a moment of magic as Derby won Sunday's Premier League 2 encounter by the only goal at Pride Park.

Under pressure for the most part, the team stayed solid throughout and while the Rams enjoyed the lion's share of possession and territory, Brandon Austin only made one save of note in each half.

That winner arrived in the 75th minute when Derby's captain Max Bird pinged home a 20-yarder off the underside of the crossbar.

Three wins in four in the division before Sunday, our best moment arrived on 65 minutes when substitute J'Neil Bennett zipped in a first-time shot from 22 yards saved well down to his right by Kelle Roos.

Derby played with a high defensive line and pressed high up the pitch, pinning us in our half for long periods of the first half.

A number of chances followed - TJ Eyoma blocked brother Aaron's goalbound shot, Jayden Mitchell-Lawson fizzed across the face of goal, Cameron Cresswell was inches away from nodding home Calum Macdonald's free-kick, Eyoma was blocked again by Dylan Duncan, Mitchell-Lawson and Eyoma both missed the target from decent shooting positions and Macdonald headed over from close range.

However, Austin was only forced into action once, a flying save to his right to palm away Louie Sibley's effort.

Our only chance came when Troy Parrott intercepted a quickly taken free-kick, the ball eventually finding Jack Roles whose effort was deflected wide.

Wayne Burnett switched formation from five to four at the back in the second half and that looked like it might reap instant reward when Roles and Parrott combined again, this time Parrott headed straight at Roos.

Derby got back on the ball after that and the half followed a similar pattern to the first. Chances were at a premium though and Bennett, off the bench for Jamie Bowden, hit a snapshot that Roos got down well to on 65 minutes.

Bird won it with his clean strike 10 minutes later and then set up Kyle McAllister one-on-one, saved well by Austin. The teams exchanged a shooting chance each - Bird wide from the left angle, Duncan fired over - and as the rain came down, that was that.

Key moment

There can only be one key moment - and that was Bird's winner on 75 minutes. There looked little on as Derby moved the ball around on the edge of our penalty area but Bird took matters in his own hands and connected perfectly from 20 yards, his shot flying home off the underside of the crossbar.

Coach's view

Wayne Burnett said: "I felt we defended well at times but we couldn't get any momentum in our play and if I'm being honest, Derby deserved to win. It was disappointing after the last few performances. We knew Derby were going to press us and it was difficult to play out. We had to re-jig and changed from a single to a double pivot because their players were causing us a problem inside. That meant we were playing with one less forward and it was tough. I thought in the last 20 minutes we played with a bit more of our identity but it was a bit too little, too late by then.

"Sometimes you come up against teams with players who have league experience and it's tough. There are clever players in that Derby team with a wealth of experience. But it's a good experience for our players and we have to learn from it. We have to get better because if you want to be successful, that's what you do."

Match data

Goal: Derby - Bird 75.

Yellow cards: Derby - Thorne 89; Spurs - Eyoma 69.

Referee: Josh Smith.

Venue: Pride Park, Derby.

Weather: Mild breeze, chilly, 7 degrees.