MX23RW : Friday, March 29 13:30:37| >> :600:93075:93075:
[monks data]
Derby logo
Championship | Gameweek 39
Apr 2, 2021 at 3pm UK
Pride Park Stadium
Luton Town

Derby
2 - 0
Luton

Gregory (7'), Shinnie (49' pen.)
Wisdom (47'), Sibley (51'), Byrne (66'), Kazim-Richards (90+5')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Dewsbury-Hall (66'), Pearson (81')

Wayne Rooney refuses to let Derby take their foot off the pedal

Wayne Rooney refuses to let Derby take their foot off the pedal
© Reuters
Lee Gregory and Graeme Shinnie earned the Rams a first win in eight games.

Derby manager Wayne Rooney is still looking over his shoulder despite a 2-0 win over Luton that lifts his side eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Goals from Lee Gregory and Graeme Shinnie settled a game Rooney described as a 'must win' for his team who are now 18th on 43 points.

Derby made the start Rooney demanded when Martyn Waghorn turned a cross back for Gregory to give the Rams a seventh-minute lead.

But Luton grew into the game and should have equalised with Elijah Adebayo heading over before the striker was denied by David Marshall from eight yards.

Marshall made an even better save to turn behind a Glen Rea header but Luton's hope of a comeback was dented when they conceded a penalty in the 49th minute. Rea tripped Tom Lawrence and Shinnie beat Simon Sluga's dive to give Derby breathing space.

Luton could not find a finish to get back into the game which ended with a confrontation after the final whistle in which Derby forward Colin Kazim-Richards was booked.

Derby had gone seven games without a win and Rooney admitted: "It was a game we had to win.

"I stressed to the players before the game we cannot leave the stadium without three points today, it was as simple as that.

"I thought we started really well and getting the goal so early in the second half should have calmed the game down but it got a bit scrappy although overall I felt comfortable and we thoroughly deserved the three points.

"We have to keep pushing and trying to win games, we're not safe at the minute but if there becomes a point when we are, we can't afford to take our foot off the pedal. I want to win games and we've got a big one coming up against Reading on Monday."

On the incident at the end of the game, Rooney said: "I didn't see, it's the first time I've walked straight down the tunnel so I don't know what's gone on.

"These days it could be something very serious or something very small. I'll get to the bottom of what happened. I want my players to play with good discipline which they have done."

Luton manager Nathan Jones felt his side paid for their poor starts to both the first and second halves.

He said: "It's frustrating because of the way we started both halves. We didn't really start on the front foot in either half and that's what cost us.

"We had enough chances to have got something from the game but when you start both halves in the manner that we did, it's very difficult to win a football match We just didn't do the basics well enough, didn't defend our box well enough on two occasions.

"I'm not going to be very critical of the referee because if we had defended our box better on two occasions and take the chances then we get something from the game, so for me to mention the referee looks like I'm trying to mask over something which I'm not trying to do"

On the Kazim-Richards incident, Jones said: "To be fair to Derby it was one player pretty much offering everyone on. It reminded me of a David and Goliath type of thing, he wanted to take on the armies of Israel."

ID:441626: cacheID:441626:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5145:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Middlesbrough's Marcus Tavernier celebrates scoring their second goal against Preston North End in the Championship on March 16, 2021
Read Next:
Good Friday's Championship predictions including Bournemouth vs. Middlesbrough
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Portsmouth392411463323183
2Derby CountyDerby402461069353478
3Bolton WanderersBolton39228971432874
4Peterborough UnitedPeterborough38218974462871
5Barnsley382011770482271
6Oxford UnitedOxford Utd391891262521063
7Stevenage3917111151401162
8Lincoln CityLincoln3916131056332361
9Blackpool391791357421560
10Leyton Orient391610134444058
11Northampton TownNorthampton40158175160-953
12Wigan AthleticWigan39177155348550
13Wycombe WanderersWycombe381311145049150
14Bristol Rovers38148164857-950
15Exeter CityExeter39138183352-1947
16Charlton AthleticCharlton391015145758-145
17Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury39135212955-2644
18Reading39139175557-242
19Burton Albion39109203151-2039
20Cambridge UnitedCambridge38109193255-2339
21Port Vale3899203661-2536
22Cheltenham TownCheltenham3798203050-2035
23Fleetwood TownFleetwood39713194161-2034
24Carlisle UnitedCarlisle3959253569-3424


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!