Derby County were back in action at Pride Park as they hosted local side Chesterfield in the first round of the EFL Cup.
The Rams looked to bounce back from their 4-2 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in the opening match of the Championship campaign.
Paul Warne named a slightly changed side at Pride Park, with much of the squad looking to gain match sharpness and fitness at the start of the season.
While Derby started with plenty of possession, it was the visitors who took the lead as Armando Dobra pounced on a defensive error.
That advantage only lasted a few minutes though as Liam Thompson’s volley from the edge of the box drew his side level.
The Rams continued to dominate in the second half, with substitute Kayden Jackson’s effort securing his side’s passage to the next round of the EFL Cup.
So with that said. here’s a look at the Derby County News player ratings for Derby vs Chesterfield.
Josh Vickers – 6
Goalkeeper Josh Vickers had a solid night, rarely called into action but doing his job well when he was asked to sweep or pass out.
There was little that Vickers could do to stop the opener, making himself big but Dobra’s finish was a good one.
Ryan Nyambe – 7
Ryan Nyambe was called back into the side and started at right-back, where he was able to lock down the whole flank defensively.
There were small spells where the Namibian international was able to venture forward and looked a threat when doing so.
Eiran Cashin – 6
Academy graduate Eiran Cashin had a solid night, rarely making an error and often looking to drive and create space moving forward.
Considering he was playing on the right, as a left-footed player, the 22-year-old looked relatively comfortable until his substitution.
Sonny Bradley – 5.5
Sonny Bradley struggled in some parts of the game, playing a loose pass to Thompson that ended in the opening goal of the game.
Another moment led to a poor backpass that could’ve put the Rams in some hot water, but he dealt with Joe Quigley well and kept the forward quiet at times.
Bradley was typically solid from set-pieces as usual, commanding in the air with his headers to clear.
Craig Forsyth – 7
After an impressive display, Craig Forsyth may well have played himself into the manager’s thoughts heading into Saturday’s tie against Middlesbrough.
The Scotsman was defensively solid throughout, ensuring that no issues were created down the left flank.
David Ozoh – 6
Crystal Palace loanee David Ozoh showed signs of quality alongside signs of his youthfulness throughout the match.
At times, the midfielder was able to fend off the opposition, driving up the pitch and creating space for his teammates.
Off the ball, Ozoh appeared too keen to chase after possession, leading to some potential gaps in the midfield.
Liam Thompson – 6.5
Liam Thompson had something of a mixed performance at Pride Park, playing a role in two of the goals on the night.
The Derby academy graduate was at fault for losing possession in the midfield for Chesterfield’s opener, but his sublime finish drew the Rams level.
He showed plenty of energy, as has become standard of a Thompson performance.
Kenzo Goudmijn – 6
After a decent performance against Blackburn, Derby fans got another glimpse of the ability Kenzo Goudmijn has to offer.
The midfielder was looking to pull the strings and was unfortunate to not get on the scoresheet as he dummied past two players to hit the bar.
Tom Barkhuizen – 6
Derby forward Tom Barkhuizen had a relatively quiet evening but showed some flashes of his quality on occasion.
One effort at goal required a good block from a Chesterfield defender, while a flat cross in the second half should’ve been buried by one of his teammates.
Kane Wilson – 7
Kane Wilson had a promising display playing on the wing rather than his more natural right-back or wing-back position.
The 24-year-old continued to wreak havoc out wide and may feel unfortunate to have not picked up a goal contribution before being subbed off in the 60th minute.
Dajaune Brown – 5.5
Young striker Dajaune Brown was handed an opportunity to impress and there were some promising signals of a top prospect there – grabbing an assist for Thompson’s wonder strike.
The forward showed he was physically capable of competing in senior matches, but lacked some technical elements to round his game off.
A few opportunities fell the way of Brown, but he wasn’t able to grab that first goal for the Rams.
Substitutes
Kayden Jackson – 7
A hard worker, Kayden Jackson made the difference for Derby as he reacted fastest from a loose ball to score.
The forward continued to run everywhere to help the side see out the victory.
Curtis Nelson – 6
Curtis Nelson had little to do after coming on, looking defensively solid when called upon.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing – 6
Talisman Nathaniel Mendez-Laing had a quiet evening from the bench, fashioning a few chances but unable to find the back of the net.
Ben Osborn – 6
Ben Osborn got his first competitive run out at Pride Park, gaining some valuable minutes and helping the side earn a victory.
James Collins – 6
James Collins made his 100th appearance for Derby and continued to work hard as he pressed to help his side win the match.