EFL: Derby promotion hopes dented
Northampton Town 1 - 0 Derby County
Derby's dreams of promotion took a hit as they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against mid-table Northampton, dealing a significant blow to their aspirations.
It was a tough loss for Derby, with Northampton securing their first victory in six games, and notably, their first-ever win against Derby. Sam Hoskins emerged as the hero for Northampton, scoring his 15th goal of the season with a strike in the first half.
Initially, Derby seemed to have control of the game, enjoying the lion's share of possession. However, they squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 20th minute when Martyn Waghorn missed a clear chance, side-footing the ball over the bar with the goal gaping.
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Against the flow of the game, Northampton seized their chance midway through the first half. Louis Appere chased down a long ball and displayed excellent awareness to find Hoskins, who volleyed the ball into the bottom corner with precision.
Despite Derby's efforts to equalize before halftime, including Ebou Adams coming close twice, they couldn't break through Northampton's defence. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing came close to converting a cross after the break, but it was Manny Monthe who hit the post for Northampton.
In the dying moments, Derby piled on the pressure in search of an equalizer, but Northampton's resilient defence held firm. To compound Derby's woes, Sonny Bradley received a straight red card in stoppage time, adding to their disappointment.
The best reaction
"That was a game we needed to win...
Chris, a Derby fan living in Greater Manchester, was unhappy with the result: "I didn't think we played well, but we still created enough chances to win. The goal we conceded was ridiculous. The chance Northampton took was harder than any of the ones we missed. Sometimes, games are determined by such moments. In the end, it just became one of those games. We put in enough decent balls and had enough set pieces, but we failed to convert any of our chances. That was a match we needed to win."
The thoughts of Paul Warne
Paul Warne's assessment of the afternoon.#DCFC
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) March 23, 2024
"It's going to be a tense end to the season..."
Jamie, another Derby fan added: "Bolton are now only four points behind us and have an extra game to play. It's going to be a tense end to the season and we need to be at 100% if we're going to clinch promotion back to The Championship."
A neutral perspective
Liam is a Manchester United fan but ended this match as a neutral. He spoke with us about the goal that clinched the result: "That was an exceptional finish. The home team hit the post and should have been awarded a clear penalty. It was a great win for Northampton Town against a side expected to clinch promotion this season."
Helen is a Manchester City fan, she watched the match as City weren't playing due to the international break. She gave some insights into the match. Helen said: "Derby applied plenty of late pressure but could find no way through Northampton's resilience kept Derby out, and they deserved a win. You have to wonder the impact this result will have on the promotion race."
