Derby vs Leicester: Rams halt barren run against Foxes
First-half headers from captain Richard Keogh and on-loan striker Chris Martin saw Derby end their Leicester hoodoo with a 2-1 victory at Pride Park.
After five successive npower Championship defeats against the Foxes, Nigel Clough's side broke the sequence with a vital three points to move them clear of the relegation zone.
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Leicester City's scorer Jeff Schlupp after the defeat against Derby County at Pride Park
Substitute Jeff Schlupp pulled a goal back for the visitors just after the hour mark but Leicester could not rescue anything from the game as their winless league run reached five matches.
Frank Fielding returned in goal for Derby in one of four changes made by Rams boss Clough.
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Fielding replaced Adam Legzdins to make his first appearance since losing his place through injury at the start of October.
With Gareth Roberts out with a knock sustained in training this week, on-loan Watford midfielder Craig Forsyth filled in at left-back.
Leading scorer Jamie Ward, midfielder Craig Bryson and right-back Kieron Freeman all returned from injury as Ben Davies and Valentin Gjokaj dropped to the bench.
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson made one change to his side, recalling fit-again left-back Paul Konchesky in place of striker Schlupp.
Andy King headed over the crossbar as the Foxes attacked early on but it was Derby who took the lead after 16 minutes.
Leicester captain Wes Morgan conceded a free-kick wide on the left and Keogh glanced home Ward's delivery from six yards out.
A mistake by Jeff Hendrick midway through the first half almost led to an equalising goal.
The midfielder lost possession to opposite number Richie Wellens on the edge of his own box but Lloyd Dyer scuffed his volley after being picked out at the far post by David Nugent, who was denied by Fielding shortly afterwards when he let fly from long range.
Derby felt they should have had a penalty in the 40th minute when Wellens tripped Freeman just inside the area down the right-hand side.
The Rams finished the first half on top and almost extended their lead when Ward escaped down the left before setting up Martin, but the man on loan from Norwich saw his shot saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
Martin would not have to wait long for a goal, however, as he headed home Forsyth's left-wing cross a minute before the half-time whistle.
Schlupp, who in Konchesky's absence had been filling in as a makeshift left-back, was introduced at the start of the second half with Wellens making way.
And the 20-year-old, who recently spent a month on trial at Manchester United, got Leicester back into the game after 62 minutes with an arrowing left-footed strike across Fielding after being teed up by Nugent's lay-off.
The German-born Ghana international continued to make a nuisance of himself and almost returned the favour for Nugent in the 70th minute, but this time Fielding made the save.
At the other end, substitute Davies worried Schmeichel with a 25-yard shot but his effort was always rising and narrowly cleared the crossbar. Martin's deflected strike then looped kindly into the hands of the Dane.
Leicester pushed for an equaliser but never really tested Fielding as Derby held on for a first Championship victory in nine outings to climb into the top half of the table.
Leicester had been pushed down to sixth with Nottingham Forest's win at Hull earlier in the day and Pearson's team remain in the final play-off spot.
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by junc21
Monday, March 18 2013, 4:03PM
“Jan 2 top of the table was in sight and most were saying NP was leading LCFC to the Prem and what a good manager he was.Now ...sack him What a load of fickle supporters you lot are!
Pure joy at seeing the total collapse of your support for your team and your owners after a debt to what is now heading inexorably towards £100million and still no promotion hahahaha.”
by squirril33
Monday, March 18 2013, 12:00AM
“Very good post Kap. I fear Pearson has done more harm than good though. The owners trusted him to gain the premiership this season as anything other is not acceptable. He is failing and the players are obviously sick of him it shows. The owners must feel let down and betrayed I just hope they stick with it. They need to look at other Clubs finishing well. There are decent motivating managers out there. Bully's always lose their bottle when the bullying is returned just as Pearson is doing. He has let his enormous ego rule his brain. His contempt for supporters and other people's opinions is renowned. He has stifled everything these players have to offer.”
by AsfordbyFox
Sunday, March 17 2013, 10:45PM
“when Nige said if you don't like what's going on at the club then stay away, was he talking to the fans or the players?”
by kapero
Sunday, March 17 2013, 10:08PM
“I had serious doubts about Nigel returning from the outset and I tried to keep my theories on this based in fact. He has answered a number of my doubts this season and I think it is unfair some of the knee jerk criticism he is receiving now.
He built a young lean squad and had them playing some dynamic football, cutting teams to shreds from the outset and high on confidence.
He has unfortunately lost his bottle and resorted to what he knows best, formulaic, direct football. It appears now his players are losing faith in much the same way he lost confidence in them to control matches.
An interesting statistic...when Knockaert starts we average two goals per game. When he doesn't, we average one goal. Even more interesting though, considering many berate him for losing posession too easily, we actually concede less too.
As such, we have lost our creative thrust and X factor. And this to me is the stem of the problem for Nigel. He seems to concentrate too much on what a player takes away from a team rather than focus on what they add.
I will not overlook the fact that we were playing very well under Nigel, and a change will serve little purpose at this stage, so please Nigel, lets go down in a blaze of footballing glory rather than fizzle out in a defensive 4-4-2 haze.
It is still possible Nigel, so believe in your players and let them dictate the tactics and tempo because your stern authority is causing them to drop their heads at the wrong time. Have faith.”
by squirril33
Sunday, March 17 2013, 9:27PM
“Said Alan. The guy is a dead loss. Whats more he will never manage a Premiership Club. He is division one thru and thru. Why do the owners dally. Next season a new Premier deal will dwarf all others. There is still chance to give ourselves a chance with a late push and some direction.”
by Alanprichard
Sunday, March 17 2013, 9:13PM
“Where's Dorset and Foxeerod and the rest of the Nigel brigade, to help out with this red algy bloom that is polluting our forum??????? It is clear to see that they are not the Nigel fans they were in January when we were flying high. But since the decline in form not a word!! Only one of you lot with balls is Yesterday ( Geofflane) It's very obvious that Nigel has failed you lot, and you now must be to embarrassed to comment.
It is very clear now that the moaners as you used to bang on about have been the only ones that could, and have seen that Nigel, and his overpaid staff. Whom are way out of their depth and are unable to offer any assistance at all to our players in the shirt.
The Thai owners deserve better than the tripe our manager and coaching staff are dishing up, and shouldn't wait a minute longer to get shut of Nigel and his assistants.
TOP start scouting a new manager to relieve Pearson of his position NOW !!!”
by squirril33
Sunday, March 17 2013, 9:03PM
“Brighton are now with us. On present form we are the worst team in the Championship. These are not the worst players. These players do not want to play for Nigel Pearson. His time is up. Get out of the bed LUlu. Our owners have been good for us but they must sniff the air right now. Pearson is killing our club he is draining the life out of this team. He was flushed with money and backing. Any manager could have done as well as he has and a good many could have done better. TOP wake up and point him to the door before everyone's dreams totally evaporate.”
by yorkiefox
Sunday, March 17 2013, 8:19PM
“DIRE!!!
Derby looked dangerous every time they took on SSL a centre back playing out of position at Right Back.
Why has Moore not been recalled? Their second goal came from a cross from SSL's side. Wood now looks like he has never seen the goals and is challenging Vardy for attempts on goal without scoring. Nugent is a shadow of his pre- Christmas self
Why play 4-3-3 away from home when attacking minded home teams load the midfield?
Dyer flatters to deceive, Marshall should have played in a front three or better still in a 4-4-2 from the start- at least he can score on occasion.
Wellens was in to stiffen our defence in James absence, so we switch him for Schlupp (great to see him come on in an attacking role and score a goal) so why not play Jeffrey as a wide left player instead of Marshall and Dyer next time?
Switch King for Knocky, Marshall or Waghorn and lets have some invention in the attacking midfield role.
That was a total waste of 3 points and now puts extreme pressure on us to win every remaining match and intense pressure on NP to keep his job at the end of the season - I am already writing up my CV”
by AsfordbyFox
Sunday, March 17 2013, 8:13PM
“Oh deep joy.. Brighton haven't just Beaten Palace - they've hammered them.”
by victormildew5
Sunday, March 17 2013, 8:12PM
“luffblue has lost his head rofl...agent pearson from nottingham you are doing a sterling job.”