Derby County’s Under-21s were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest at Pride Park Stadium in the first East Midlands derby of the 2022/23 season in Premier League 2 - Division 2 on Monday evening.
Forest picked up all three points in the evenly contested local derby courtesy of Ateef Konate’s strike early in the second half.
The defeat leaves Pat Lyons’ youthful and relatively inexperienced side bottom of the league table after seven successive defeats to start the campaign, but they will be able to take heart from their determined performance.
Derby began on the front foot and inside the first minute they had created a chance to take the lead. Cian Kelly-Caprani advanced forward down the left from defence and crossed into the box towards midfielder Ola Ibrahim, but he could only head the ball wide from around ten yards out.
The lively start to the contest continued as Alfie Roberts in the Derby goal was called into action after ten minutes to thwart Forest midfielder Sam Collins with a good reaction stop with his feet.
Derby thought they had first blood in the local derby after 24 minutes when forward George Nunn closed down Forest goalkeeper George Shelvey as he prepared to launch a clearance up the pitch. The forward managed deflect the ball goalwards with his outstretched leg but visiting defender Zach Abbott got back to hack the ball off the line.
An injury just before the half hour mark forced the Rams into a midfield change. Youngster Darren Robinson, after sustaining an early blow to his ankle in a heavy challenge, was forced off despite trying to continue and he was replaced by Courtney Clarke.
Winger Sonny Blu Lo-Everton came close to opening the scoring for Derby in the closing stages of the half. The recent signing from Watford drifted inside from the right to the centre of the pitch and let fly with a stinging effort from distance which Shelvey pushed away before gathering the loose ball at the second attempt.
Forest put Derby under pressure at the start of the second half and Roberts kept out Konate’s cross-shot at his near post. However, it was a warning sign that the Rams didn’t heed as Konate found the net after 53 minutes with a cool low finish beyond Roberts into the far corner from inside the box.
The remaining 37 minutes provided little in terms of clear opportunities at either end and, despite providing plenty of industry and determination in their performance, Derby were unable to break down a resolute Forest backline as they held on to pick up all three points.
Derby’s Under-21s have a three-week break until their next outing in Premier League 2 - Division 2 when they host Aston Villa at Loughborough University Stadium on Monday 31st October (7pm kick-off).
Derby County Under-21s: Roberts (GK), Oduroh, Kelly-Caprani, L Thompson (C), Kavanagh (Bates 64), Rooney, Lo-Everton (Wheeldon 82), Robinson (Clarke 26), Cybulski, Nunn, Ibrahim.
Substitutes Not Used: J Thompson (GK), Brailsford.
Nottingham Forest Under-21s: Shelvey (GK), B Hammond, Powell, McDonnell, Donnelley (C) (Gibson-Hammond 46), Abbott, Collins, Fewster, Taylor, Konate (Salmon 85), O Hammond.
Substitutes Not Used: R Hammond (GK), Larsson, Perkins.
