Match ends, Derby County 3, Sheffield Wednesday 2.
DerbyDerby County3Sheff WedSheffield Wednesday2
Darren Bent's penalty gave Derby a thrilling win over Sheffield Wednesday and sent them top of the Championship.
Lewis McGugan put the Owls into the lead with a superb curling free-kick, before Jake Buxton glanced home the equaliser from George Thorne's corner.
Will Keane pounced on slack Derby play to fire home for 2-1, but Buxton nodded home another leveller from a corner.
Bent converted a spot-kick after Owls goalkeeper Keiren Westwood was sent off for hauling down Tom Ince in the area.
Derby were hoping to capitalise on morning leaders Middlesbrough's 1-0 defeat by Leeds earlier in the day and named midfielder Thorne in the starting line-up for the first time this season.
Thorne - a summer signing from West Bromwich Albion - had been kept on the sidelines by a pre-season cruciate ligament injury.
| A cornerstone for the Owls? Not any more... |
|---|
| Before Saturday's game at Derby, Sheffield Wednesday had only conceded one goal from a corner this season. |
But his side fell behind after Will Hughes gave away a soft free-kick on the edge of his own area and McGugan's effort looped over the wall, leaving goalkeeper Lee Grant rooted to his spot.
Ince then missed a glorious chance to level, but the on-loan winger could only hit the post with the goal at his mercy, before later seeing a free-kick brilliantly tipped over by Westwood.
McGugan's goal failed to give Wednesday a foothold in the game, and a minute after the break Steve McClaren's side were level when defender Buxton rose to turn in.
Soon after, Derby gave the ball away cheaply and forward Keane, who is on loan from Manchester United, took full advantage to beat Grant at the near post.
Stuart Gray's side had Derby in trouble, and Kieran Lee sliced an effort from Jacques Maghoma's cross when well placed in the area.
Wednesday looked vulnerable at corners and Derby made in 2-2 when Craig Bryson's ball in was headed in by Buxton for his third goal of the season.
Ince then curled an effort just wide, before he won the penalty from which Derby moved two points clear at the top of the table after Brentford beat Bournemouth 3-1.
Derby head coach Steve McClaren:
"We've had spells of six or seven clean sheets but in the last four we've conceded nine goals.
"We can't continue with that and I thought today we are going through a spell where we make a mistake or give a free-kick away and it's a goal.
"But we have to eradicate mistakes otherwise conceding nine goals in the next four games will get us nowhere.
"We said to the players at half-time that this could be a very big three points if we comeback and I think in the end we wore Wednesday down with constant pressure and the tempo of our football."
Sheffield Wednesday manager Stuart Gray:
"We have been doing very well in our own box so to concede three goals from set plays was very disappointing. And then for Westwood to get sent off, I think that was a bit harsh.
"Derby are a good side and I think they will get promoted. Because they put you under so much pressure, we have got lads making decisions with tired minds.
"But to get ourselves 2-1 up gave us something to build on."
Line-ups
Derby
- 1Grant
- 2Christie
- 6Keogh
- 5Buxton
- 3Forsyth
- 8Hendrick
- 34ThorneSubstituted forLingardat 62'minutes
- 19HughesBooked at 90mins
- 23Ince
- 39Bent
- 7DawkinsSubstituted forBrysonat 61'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Bryson
- 10Ward
- 16Lingard
- 21Roos
- 29Thomas
- 32Shotton
- 33Mascarell
Sheff Wed
- 1WestwoodBooked at 75mins
- 8Palmer
- 15Lees
- 18Zayatte
- 17Helan
- 20LeeBooked at 79mins
- 37McGugan
- 4HutchinsonBooked at 50minsSubstituted forKirklandat 76'minutes
- 19MaghomaSubstituted forMaguireat 62'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 48KeaneSubstituted forMattockat 72'minutes
- 9NuhiuBooked at 87mins
Substitutes
- 3Mattock
- 7May
- 10Maguire
- 33Melo
- 35Dielna
- 36Vermijl
- 43Kirkland
- Referee:
- Darren Bond
- Attendance:
- 31,628
Match Stats
Home TeamDerbyAway TeamSheff Wed
- Possession
- Home68%
- Away32%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home8
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Derby County 3, Sheffield Wednesday 2.
Post update
Hand ball by Chris Maguire (Sheffield Wednesday).
Booking
Will Hughes (Derby County) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt saved. Craig Bryson (Derby County) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Craig Forsyth.
Post update
Attempt missed. Tom Ince (Derby County) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Booking
Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Richard Keogh (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday).
Post update
Attempt missed. Jeremy Helan (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Atdhe Nuhiu.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jesse Lingard (Derby County) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Craig Bryson.
Post update
Tom Ince (Derby County) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Jeremy Helan (Sheffield Wednesday).
Post update
Jesse Lingard (Derby County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Liam Palmer (Sheffield Wednesday).
Booking
Kieran Lee (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Tom Ince (Derby County) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Kieran Lee (Sheffield Wednesday).
Goal!
Goal! Derby County 3, Sheffield Wednesday 2. Darren Bent (Derby County) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Chris Kirkland replaces Sam Hutchinson.
