Derby boosted their hopes of staying in the Sky Bet Championship with a much-needed 3-1 victory over West Brom at The Hawthorns.
Just a third victory away from home all season secured John Eustace’s side a vital three points in their quest for safety and results elsewhere mean the Rams stay out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
Five defeats from their last six have punctured West Brom’s play-offs hopes and their latest started when they were twice punished from set-pieces which were finished by Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates to give Derby a two-goal cushion at the break.
The Rams were made to sweat when Adam Armstrong pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to go but they sealed the three points late on when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing came off the bench to score his third goal of the season.
The home supporters made their feelings known towards players and boss Tony Mowbray as boos rang around The Hawthorns from those that were still left in the stadium.
The visitors settled nerves inside the away end when they took the lead with seven minutes on the clock. Adams jumped highest at the near post to bullet a header past Josh Griffiths from Marcus Harness’ corner.
West Brom offered little in the way of a response. A quick throw-in released Tom Fellows beyond the back-line but his ball across was quickly snuffed out by the recovering Rams defenders.
Derby doubled their advantage on the half-hour and a set-piece proved to be the Baggies’ downfall once again.
Harness sent in another teasing delivery which was flicked on by the head of Sondre Langas and touched by Matt Clarke into the path of Yates who touched home.
The hosts were limited to half-chances in front of a dejected home support who have seen their play-offs hopes falter in recent weeks.
They were denied by a superb Josh Vickers save when Mikey Johnston showed quick feet to get the beating of Kane Wilson and he fired a cross towards Fellows who arrowed the ball towards goal but the Derby keeper got down well to tip it behind.
The Rams seemed content to sit behind the ball in the second half but West Brom were still not able to threaten their relegation-threatened opponents, with Torbjorn Heggem’s header next to go wide.
West Brom halved the deficit in the 70th minute when Armstrong broke the offside trap and latched onto Grady Diangana’s pass before expertly dispatching the ball beyond Griffiths.
Derby secured maximum points when Adams lobbed a pass beyond the Baggies’ high line and Mendez-Laing rounded Griffiths before slamming home to send the away fans into raptures.
Jim Goodwin paid tribute to his dogged Dundee United side following the 2-1 comeback win over Aberdeen which clinched fourth place and a European spot.The Terrors, who returned to the William Hill Premiership this season, had lost their four post-split matches going into the final fixture against the Dons, who were two points ahead and looking in fine fettle when Danish attacker Jeppe Okkels score...
Barry Ferguson was left infuriated by one of the worst decisions he has ever seen and called for the introduction of goal-line technology after Rangers were on the wrong end of a pivotal first-half call in their season-concluding 2-2 draw away to Hibernian.With Gers leading through an early Cyriel Dessers strike, Nico Raskin looked to have put them two ahead in the 15th minute but Hibs defender Ro...
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Rangers were left to lament a contentious first-half moment as they ended a largely dispiriting William Hill Premiership campaign with a 2-2 draw away to Hibernian.Second-placed Gers went ahead early on through top scorer Cyriel Dessers and felt they should have doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Nico Raskin looked to have forced the ball over the line. However, play was waved on and Hibs ...
James Forrest gave Celtic fans the finale they craved as he equalised in stoppage time against St Mirren to extend his run of scoring for the club to 16 consecutive seasons.Forrest left it until the league season was 38 games old to get off the mark on a day when he was chosen to deliver the William Hill Premiership trophy to his team-mates ahead of Callum McGregor lifting it for the fourth year r...
AFC Wimbledon secured their place in the League Two play-off final as they defeated Notts County 2-0 on aggregate.An early strike by Josh Neufville gave the south London side a 1-0 second-leg victory at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.The Dons will face Walsall at Wembley on Monday, May 26 for a place in League One.With veteran striker David McGoldrick ruled out because of injury, and Alassana Jatt...
David Martindale believes the pressure is off his Livingston side after they booked their place in the Premiership play-off final with a comfortable victory over Partick Thistle.The Lions progressed 4-0 on aggregate, securing a second 2-0 win with Jamie Brandon’s opener added to by Stevie May’s stunning half-volley.They will now face either Dundee or Ross County over two legs, with the...
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca pointed to Marc Cucurella’s Barcelona connections after the defender headed the only goal against Manchester United to keep his side’s Champions League hopes in their own hands.The 26-year-old got on the end of Reece James’ cross in the 71st minute to power home his seventh goal of the season and rescue the Blues just as two vital points looked to ...
Walsall boss Mat Sadler said guiding the Saddlers to a play-off final is the proudest moment of his footballing career after they completed a 4-1 aggregate win over Chesterfield.Late goals from Charlie Lakin and Levi Amantchi – with an Armando Dobra consolation for the Spireites in between – earned Walsall a 2-1 victory on the night.And it provided a measure of redemption for a side wh...
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