Derby County secured a vital victory over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday as winger Kane Wilson came off the bench to score the winner.
Derby are in pole position to get promoted out of League One. The Rams overcame third-place Bolton Wanderers at Pride Park to extend their lead in the automatic promotion places to four points.
There’s a lot of work to be done in the last seven games for Paul Warne‘s men to win promotion, but a healthy cushion, especially at this stage of the season, will take the pressure off somewhat.
Warne was praised on Saturday for how he altered the game tactically to nullify Bolton playmaker Josh Sheehan and the substitutions he made.
The Derby boss has utilized the luxury of being able to make five substitutes in a match to his advantage, with the use of subs proving more important than ever to alter the complexion of a game.
Derby County are top of League One for most substitute goals
With matches lasting longer than ever, records are being broken across England’s top four leagues for the number of goals being scored by a substitute.
As of March 20th, 642 goals have been scored by substitutes in league action this season – that’s already a record, while Derby lead the way in League One with 15 of their goals in the competition coming from the bench, as per Opta Analyst.
A crucial 1-0 win over promotion-chasing Bolton was sealed by a goal from a sub, with Kane Wilson heading home a cross, assisted by fellow substitute Callum Elder.
Warne has executed the finer details in a match to perfection and deserves huge credit for making bold decisions tactically that end up paying off.
Paul Warne knows his substitutes
Throughout this campaign, Warne has acknowledged that his full squad will be responsible for their success, not just the form of individuals.
This has seen him trust players to come off the bench and change the complexion of a game. Wilson’s goal on Saturday bears fruit to that method, but it isn’t the only time he’s achieved success with his subs.
In the 3-1 win over Lincoln City in December, he brought Wilson on at half-time when the scores were level. The 23-year-old would score and assist in the second period to secure an important victory.
Meanwhile, in the 1-0 success over Port Vale in November, Arsenal loanee Tyreece John-Jules came off the bench to score the winning goal 13 minutes from time.
It’s these important goals, particularly late on in games, that have helped Derby cement their place in the league’s top two.
And as we approach the final seven games, expect more substitutes to have their say on the outcome of promotion.