Derby County’s Under-21s started 2023 with a 3-0 defeat at Southampton in Premier League 2 - Division 2 on Friday evening.
Pat Lyons’ side went into the contest looking to build on their impressive four-game winning run going into Christmas, but they were unable to maintain their form against the Saints.
Kami Doyle opened the scoring after 17 minutes for the hosts before Jimmy Morgan added a second five minutes later.
No further goals followed until Dominic Ballard struck for the home side deep into added time to leave the Rams still searching for their first points of the league campaign.
Goalkeeper Joseph Anang gained his first minutes in a Derby shirt after recovering from the arm injury he sustained just days after signing on loan from West Ham United back in August, while Will Grewal-Pollard and Connor Dixon made their comebacks from lengthy spells out of action owing to injury.
The Under-21s are back in action on Tuesday 10th January when they head to local non-league side Alfreton Town in the Fourth Round of the Derbyshire Senior Cup (7:45pm kick-off), before returning to league action against Middlesbrough at Loughborough University Stadium (7pm kick-off).
Derby County Under-21s: Anang (GK), Bardell (C) (Nunn 15), Kelly-Caprani, Bates, Clarke, Grewal-Pollard, Oduroh, Robinson, Wheeldon (Lo-Everton 78), Dixon (Hawkins 78), Ibrahim.
Substitutes Not Used: Roberts (GK), Moore.