Derby County faced yet another disappointment at home as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Millwall, with Josh Coburn sealing the victory in stoppage time. The match unfolded at Pride Park, where Millwall's persistence paid off, keeping them firmly in the Championship play-off race. Meanwhile, Derby remains entrenched in the bottom three, struggling to find their form and failing to score at home this year.
The game started with a flurry of activity, but it was Millwall who appeared more threatening. Within the first 15 minutes, Millwall had penalty claims waved away by the referee. Joe Bryan came close to putting Millwall ahead with a powerful shot from 20 yards that narrowly missed its target. In contrast, Derby needed significant improvement in their attacking efforts as they struggled in the final third.
Despite a few promising moments, Derby's offensive struggles persisted. Lars-Jorgen Salvesen's heavy touch saw a promising move break down for Derby. On the other hand, Millwall's Bryan found himself in the referee's book after being caught by Ryan Nyambe in the 58th minute.
As the game progressed, Millwall continued to press forward. The match was largely devoid of quality, but Millwall created a golden opportunity to secure the win in the 84th minute. Josh Coburn went down under Sondre Langas' challenge, prompting referee Elliot Bell to award Millwall a penalty. Coburn stepped up to take the spot-kick but was denied by Derby's goalkeeper, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. However, Coburn quickly capitalized on the rebound, tapping in after Zetterstrom parried George Saville's effort.
"I thought it was no more than we deserved. I thought with 10 minutes to go we were the team pushing to try and get the goal." – Alex Neil
Millwall manager Alex Neil expressed satisfaction with his team's perseverance and felt that their late goal was just reward for their efforts.
Derby County manager John Eustace shared his disappointment with the result but acknowledged that his team did not do enough to secure a victory.
"I'm really disappointed to lose the game, I didn't think we deserved to lose, although we probably didn't do enough to win the game either." – John Eustace
The defeat leaves Derby County without a home win or goal this year, intensifying their relegation fears as they remain rooted in the Championship's bottom three. Conversely, Millwall's victory strengthens their position in the play-off contention, providing them with a crucial boost in their campaign.
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