What Marcus Harness did as Derby County have last laugh with help from transfer ‘diamond’
Kenzo Goudmijn then picked out the run of Mendez-Laing whose cross was cleared from under his own bar by Dunne and the best chance came when the winger picked up a pass from Jerry Yates and slipped a ball across the face of goal, but nobody was on hand to tap in.
But Derby started the second half with purpose as Mendez-Laing teed up Harness who feinted to shoot with his shot taking a deflection to go behind for a corner. Mendez-Laing aimed the corner into the box where Nelson, just inside the box, sent a header flying past Paul Nardi.
That stung Derby into a response and before half-time, they started to go through the gears. After Jimmy Dunne had sliced a cross at his own goalkeeper, Craig Forsyth dragged a shot wide of the far post following a smart attack involving Marcus Harness and Kayden Jackson.
Both sides had struggled to create chances in the opening 15 minutes in a game that was mired in midfield skirmishes. But gradually gaps started to appear as Karamoko Dembele, who was linked to Derby in the summer, found space outside the area. The former Blackpool man turned and smashed a powerful 20-yard drive that drew a save from Jacob Widell Zetterstrom who tipped his effort over the bar
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