Davies Doubles Up

Steve Davies was the hero as Derby County came from behind for the second game in a row to claim the points with a 2-1 victory over Blackpool at Pride Park. An early goal from Thomas Ince after a mistake by Gareth Roberts gave the visitors the lead but The Rams eased their way back into the match with Theo Robinson missing a great chance to level the scores from close range in the first half. After the break Derby came out quickly and Davies` deflected freekick put his side back on level terms before he glanced home from a Ben Davies freekick with fifteen minutes to go to complete the come back. Robinson twice came close during the half and Nathan Tyson had a chance to seal the points late on but Derby saw out the closing stages for a well deserved victory.

Ben Davies came into the side after making an impact from the bench on Saturday in Nigel Clough`s only change to the side who claimed a point at St Andrews. Derby got off to the worst possible start as they fell behind inside the first two minutes, Stephen Crainey broke down the left-hand side of the pitch and, when his cutback wasn`t cleared by Gareth Roberts, Thomas Ince fired into the bottom corner of the net from 12 yards to give his side the lead. Steve Davies` quickly taken freekick was just ahead of Theo Robinson as The Rams looked to get back into the match immediately and Robinson himself then came close when escaping down the right but he dragged his effort across the face of the goal.

Ince cut in from the left and made room for himself before curling a low right footed effort towards goal but Frank Fielding palmed his effort out and Roberts completed the clearance before Blackpool could take advantage. Robinson then had a glorious chance to level the scores, Jeff Hendrick`s lofted ball picked out Paul Green and he hooked the ball across goal but Robinson somehow put the ball wide from close range with the goal at his mercy. Kevin Phillips had a shot deflected wide at the other end and Davies then glanced a header wide from a Craig Bryson cross as both sides looked to add to the scoring before the break.

The Rams came out of the traps quickly at the start of the second half and Steve Davies cut in from the left before firing a right footed effort that Matt Gilks pushed away to safety and Bryson then had a half-volley well blocked as the pressure continued. The momentum generated by the bright start paid off six minutes into the half when Steve Davies thumped in an effort from a freekick twenty-five yards from goal and the ball took a deflection sending Gilks the wrong way to level the scores.

Derby were well on top and Davies released Robinson to run at goal with a neat ball and his effort beat Gilks as he came out to meet him but the keeper got enough on the With fifteen minutes to go Derby took the lead when a Ben Davies freekick from the left picked out an unmarked Steve Davies and he flicked home from close range without a Blackpool defender within yards of him. The away side tried to up their game in the closing minutes to get back into the match but they couldn`t find a way through a well marshalled Derby defence and substitute Nathan Tyson had a chance to net a third but snatched at his effort from the edge of the area sending his shot over the top.

Derby County: Fielding; Green, Barker, Shackell, Roberts; Hendrick, Carroll (Tyson 69), Bryson, B. Davies; Robinson, S. Davies (Buxton 89).

Subs not used: Legzdins, Ball, Doyle.

Blackpool: Gilks; Eardley, Baptiste, Wilson, Crainey; Ince, Ferguson, Southern; Bednar (Taylor-Fletcher 59), Ormerod (M.Phillips 54), K. Phillips (LuaLua 88).

Subs not used: Sylvestre, Cathcart

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