U23 Report: Derby 2-0 Saints

First-half goals from Andreas Weimann and Timi-Max Elsnik did the damage, as Saints’ youngsters suffered consecutive Premier League 2 defeats for the first time this season.

Florin Gardos played the full 90 minutes for the first time since he stepped up his comeback from injury with Saints’ development side, while Jack Stephens and Harrison Reed also started – the latter though suffering an early injury which disrupted Saints.

The visitors started brightly against the Rams, who went into the game bottom of the Premier League 2 table, and should have been ahead inside the opening five minutes.

Jake Vokins broke clear down the left and crossed for Callum Slattery, but the midfielder’s header grazed the top of the crossbar on its way over Jon Mitchell’s goal.

The visitors were then forced into an early change, as captain Reed departed on a stretcher, before a fine stop from Harry Lewis prevented Mason Bennett from opening the scoring with a low drive from the edge of the box.

The deadlock was broken in disappointing fashion from a Saints perspective, as Weimann blocked Lewis’s clearance, with the ball ricocheting into the empty net.

After Lewis had made an excellent stop to deny Bennett, the hosts doubled their advantage, as Elsnik latched onto a clever pass in behind the defence and finished confidently from 12 yards.

Saints were brighter at the start of the second half, but it took until the 65-minute mark for them to go close. It came from a free-kick, as Thomas O’Connor curled an effort from 25-yards narrowly over.

The Rams tested Lewis soon after, as he blocked well from Kellan Gordon, while defender Jason Shackell also headed over from close range for the hosts.

Saints pressed, but found it tough to create any clear-cut chances, as the Rams held on to take all three points.