My feelings too Ralph . . . .
IBO Reporter : Spot51
Well that was a load of Déjà Vu! Saints and Derby repeated the script from the original tie and produced another exciting 2-2 draw – this time in front of BBC TV’s cameras. Lineker was joined by Shearer and Jenas in the studio and Murphy was the gantry pundit.
Both sides chose reasonably strong sides and Derby wore their changed strip of pale grey. Saints were kicking towards the Northam but their first attack was thwarted. Derby broke away and Waghorn forced a save from Gunn. New left-wing back Johnson was bombing forward at every opportunity and a foul on Long allowed JWP to put a free-kick into the Derby box. This was cleared and Vestergaard was unable to keep possession. Then on 8m Johnson’s cross from the left almost found Long, but a nick off a defender carried the ball into the gloves of Roos.
Then Elyounoussi won a corner off Bryson but JWP’s cross was cleared. On 11m his next corner reached the head of Stephens but the ball flew over. Derby then enjoyed good possession but on 15m a nice build up by Saints saw the final ball hit just beyond Long.
Saints next corner was also cleared and as Derby tried to bring the ball out Johnson fouled an opponent and saw yellow. The following Saints move looked promising: Vestergaard brought the ball out, found JWP who put Cedric away down the right. Sadly, his cross went into the Northam. Cedric’s next foray forward almost connected with Stephens’ long ball but it outpaced him.
Stephens was then needed in his own box, breaking up a Derby attack. Then Saints should have gone in front. Johnson fired in a cross from the left and this time Long met it. Roos managed to block his shot but Armstrong should have stuck the rebound away. |He took too long to sort his feet out and the chance was gone.
Saints continued to get forward with no end product until, on 27m, Derby avoided the Saints press to flood forward. Keogh set then going, then Waghorn and Wilson’s flick played in Mount who's shot just cleared Gunn’s bar.
Derby had played themselves into the game and now dominated possession. Another good passing move was spoiled by Bryson’s overhit cross then Romeu’s foul on Mount gave us a free-kick to defend. My notes say “Saints have lost their fizz” and to underline that Marriott got through and forced a save from Gunn. Our passing had gone to pot and Derby were regaining the ball far too easily.
Stephens again saved our bacon with great tackling but a wayward pass by Ramsay put us right back in trouble. Derby fed Waghorn who found Bryson who shot across Gunn into the far corner. 0-1 – or so we thought. After a delay of over a minute Mr. Taylor accepted the VAR advice that Waghorn was offside and disallowed it. On TV we saw the pictures: it was close!
Derby continued to dominate but their next effort, from Marriott, sailed high into the empty Chapel Stand. There was a delay when Long went down clutching his knee. Saints sent Redmond to warm up but after treatment Long was able to carry on. Sadly, a chance soon fell to him but he seemed unable to take it with his right foot. BBC showed a stat showing Derby enjoying 63% possession but nothing of note happened before the half time whistle sounded. 0-0: thank you VAR!
Half time was more entertaining as Franny and Matt Le Tiss were interviewed and BBC showed a sample of Matt’s great goals. He said he wanted Saints to dominate possession as they’d done early on, before Derby started playing. It was Johnson, not Long, who was replaced by Redmond at half time. Saints abandoned the back 3 and went to 4-2-3-1 with Ramsay and Cédric as full-backs.
Derby piled forward straight away but the final ball sailed behind. On 49m Mount tried his luck from distance but his effort went wide. Saints then stepped it up. First Redmond was flagged offside but on 53m Elyonoussi found space to shoot but struck a defender and the ball bounced straight to their keeper. On 55m Derby won a corner off Armstrong. Keogh met the cross but Gunn caught his looping header. Ely won another Saints corner but nothing came from it. As the hour came up, it looked a very even game.
On 62m Wilson turned JWP and shot from the edge of our box. Gunn saved. Then Long got down the left. With three waiting for his cross, it unerringly found Roos’ gloves. Chelsea loanee Tomori was having a storming match in the middle of Derby’s defence. He moved swiftly to cut out Ely’s pass to Long. Even he was unable to halt Redmond’s run and shot but Roos dived to his right and turned it round the post. JWP’s kick was headed behind for another. This was met and hacked away at the near post.
With Saints now on top, it seemed only fitting that their next attack opened the scoring. It was a sweet move started when Ramsay won the ball on the right touchline. He fed Long who played it on to Elyounoussi before drifting into the box. Elyounoussi headed for the line, before standing a lovely chip towards Long. His header went past the keeper only to be blocked by a retreating defender. This time Armstrong was first to the ball and headed Saints ahead. 68m gone and 1-0 up.
Within 2 minutes Jack Stephens carried the ball out of defence and played an inch perfect pass into Redmond’s path. The forward chipped the advancing keeper. 2-0 Saints. What could possibly go wrong?
On 73m Long was substituted with Sam Gallagher coming on. Then Cédric was booked for a foul on Bogle. Before the free kick Marriott came off - replaced by Arch-Skate Nugent who was roundly booed. Wilson curled his kick down the “corridor of uncertainty” where it went past everyone, including the static Gunn and nestled in the far corner of the goal. There was another VAR delay as any number of Derby players could have been ruled offside. Sadly for us, a single red clad leg ending in a white boot (JWP?) played them all onside and the goal stood – 2-1 now.
Saints tried to put the game to bed but Derby’s defence held firm. Redmond almost found Gallagher, but the final pass was cut out. Then, on 80m, Lawrence replaced Huddlestone and Derby went 4-2-4. Within 2 minutes they were rewarded when a cross from the right found the head of Waghorn and he stuck it away. Bloody 2-2 again...
In the remaining minutes Derby went all out for a winner. They won corners and free kicks without creating a clear chance. Then Saints came back with Ramsay’s cross put out for a corner. This was cleared but Saints regained the ball and played in Cédric, but his shot flew over the bar. In four added minutes, both sides missed chances to finish it. First Lawrence met a Waghorn cross but headed over. Then Redmond cut in from the left, fired in a low cross, but Elyounoussi could not get the important touch. That was that. 2-2 and extra time needed.
In a rare act of common decency, the BBC put the Brexit Show onto BBC 2 and stayed with the football. Saints replaced Armstrong with Slattery, but Derby were first to attack winning 2 corners. Between these they replaced Bogle with Holmes. The game became untidy with neither side retaining the ball for long.
There was a nasty clash of heads between Slattery and Malone, the latter needing treatment before being allowed to continue. Both sides looked tired but it was Derby who brought on another sub first, Bennett for Wilson. On 104m Derby strung together a lovely move, but a lousy final pass by Nugent was rapturously applauded by home fans. As we approached 1 added minute, Gallagher was fouled. JWP took it; getting it up, but not down as it cleared the bar. Half time = still 2-2.
Saints had another scare right after the restart. Nugent flicked on a throw from the right touchline, but Lawrence put his header over. Nugent then turned peacemaker – assisting Ramsay when the youngster pulled up with cramp. Then Derby put Lawrence in again but his shot also went too high.
With 10m left, Ramsay was withdrawn. Cedric moved to right back and Targett came on in his natural position. Saints immediately looked better balanced and pressed Derby back. A wonderful run by Romeu set up a golden chance for Redmond but his shot was too near Roos and the keeper blocked it. A minute later Redmond was in again, but this time his shot was too high. Cedric tripped Malone on 115m giving Derby a free kick. Gunn punched it away and the next cross was cleared. Targett went down the left but was tackled as he drove into the box.
Saints’ next attack saw Slattery felled in the box. VAR took a look but we were only given a corner which was headed over. On 119m Slattery found Ely in front of goal but he missed his kick. Then Slattery and JWP set up Redmond but he ran the ball out. In the added minute a Targett throw was played on to Ely but he hit his shot right at the keeper. Final Score = 2-2. On to penalties.
The kicks were taken at the Northam End with Derby going first.
Waghorn took the first, scored, then JWP brought us level. 1-1
Nugent scored, then up stepped Redmond. I suppose I’ve been spoiled by watching Matty and Rickie but, by any standard, Redmond’s effort was lousy. It sailed high and wide: 2-1 Derby.
Mount scored (off the bar), Vestergaard put his away, as did Lawrence and Targett: 4-3 Derby.
Derby captain, Keogh only had to score to send Derby to Accrington in Round 4.
He did.
Not Gunn's best match so far in his short Southampton career
28 Gunn
66 Ramsay (Targett 110')
5 Stephens
4 Vestergaard
2 Cédric - Booked 75'
14 Romeu
16 Ward-Prowse
51 Johnson - Booked 16' (Redmond 45')
11 Elyounoussi
17 Armstrong (Slattery 90')
7 Long (Gallagher 73')
21 Roos
37 Bogle (Holmes 94')
6 Keogh
5 Tomori
46 Malone
4 Bryson
44 Huddlestone (Lawrence 80')
8 Mount
9 Waghorn
14 Marriott (Nugent 76')
7 Wilson (Bennett 102')
1 McCarthy
15 Gallagher
22 Redmond
33 Targett
35 Bednarek
55 Slattery
65 Barnes
1 Carson
10 Lawrence
17 Evans
20 Bennett
23 Holmes
25 Lowe
28 Nugent
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 14,651
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