Leigh Curtis' Derby County player ratings v Cardiff as trio shine amid strange Cashin display
Kenzo Goudmijn's second goal in as many games secured all three points for Derby County as they overcame Cardiff City this afternoon.
The midfielder pounced in the first half to secure all three points and record a third successive home win at Pride Park in the league.
Derby had started with a real intensity as Ebou Adams saw a shot blocked against the club that had sold him to the Rams in the summer.
READ MORE:Update issued on unfinished Etwall housing site after developer Radbourne Construction's collapse
READ MORE:Drivers urged to reverse park in car parks from this date due to rule change
But moments later, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom came to the rescue when he won an important 50/50 with Wilfried Kanga who had latched onto a weak backpass from Eiran Cashin.
David Ozoh was then guilty of dwindling in possession that presented Rubin Colwill with a chance that Zetterstrom beat away to keep Derby on level terms. But Warne's side had their breakthrough with a lovely goal as from a throw, Jerry Yates' flick was collected by Callum Elder who raced down the left flank and steered a cross into the path of Kenzo Goudmijn who bagged his second goal in as many games.
Zetterstrom then came to his side's rescue again though when Cashin got his bearings all wrong and headed towards his own goal which the Sweden international kept out. Mendez-Laing came close to giving Derby a second however when he latched onto a wonderful 70-yard pass from Jerry Yates only to see his shot turned around the post by Alnwick.
The second half was largely a scrappy affair and there was a blow for Derby when Ozoh had to limp off early on with a hamstring problem to be replaced by Ben Osborn. Neither goalkeeper was seriously tested until Kayden Jackson fired straight at Alnwick following a brilliant flick from Yates.
Adams had a golden chance to win it after he raced through to an open goal after winning a challenge with Alnwick, but prodded wide of the post. However it did not matter as Derby secured all three points.
Here's how we rated the Rams players...
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom: Won a 50/50 with Kanga early on after a weak Cashin back pass and then made an instinctive stop to deny his Derby team-mate again when he got his bearings all wrong from a corner. 7.5
Ryan Nyambe: Defended with real conviction and it is hard to think of a time when he was beaten with Cardiff's threat largely coming down the opposite flank. So dependable. 7
Curtis Nelson: Very solid in the heart of the back four and won a couple of headers and it was an assured performance from the ex-Cardiff defender who would have enjoyed the result. 7
Eiran Cashin: Nearly had his team in trouble with two mistakes that Zetterstrom rescued and then whacked a ball 70 yards out of play to give Cardiff a corner. Had a strange game. 4.5
Callum Elder: Has been excellent since the season started and has rapidly grown in confidence. Plays with energy and defended well against El-Ghazi. Grabbed an assist too. 7.5
Ebou Adams: Saw a shot blocked early on and covered a lot of mileage against the club that sold him to Derby in the summer. Plenty of energy and commitment. Should have scored at the death. 6
David Ozoh: Had a fascinating battle with Rubin Colwill in the middle of the park and they are two top talents in this division. The on-loan Crystal Palace midfielder triumphed in that one but had to go off injured. 6
Kenzo Goudmijn: Finished the cross by Elder with ruthlessness and did what you want midfielders to do, which is to get into the box. It paid off with his second goal in as many games. 7.5
Kayden Jackson: Gets through so much work out on the right-hand side whether it is chasing down defenders, or helping out his team-mates at the back. Could have scored in the second half. 6.5
Jerry Yates: Took the breath away when he salvaged possession in the corner of his own half and then launched a 70-yard homing missile into the path of Mendez-Laing who went so close to scoring. Created a good chance for Jackson too. 6.5
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing: Came very close to scoring with a shot in the first half that was turned around the post by Jak Alnwick. Considering the air miles he racked up on the international break, he was lively at times. 6
Substitutes
Ben Osborn (Ozoh 48): Had to fill the hole left by Ozoh. Did well. 6
Marcus Harness (Mendez-Laing 69): Couple of nice moments. 5
Nat Phillips (Goudmijn 80): Came on and helped preserve a clean sheet. 5
Craig Forsyth (Elder 80): Had a couple of clearances. 5
Join our new Whatsapp community! Click this link to receive daily Derby County content and breaking news. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice