Under-21s defeated in Derby

It was defeat for our Under-21s in their first league game of 2025 after a narrow 2-1 reverse at Derby County on Friday night.

Damola Ajayi fired us into the lead 16 minutes in, guiding home a ball which Rio Kyerematen had squared to him from Yusuf Akhamrich's low cross.

However, the Rams turned the tide throughout the first half drawing level through Niall McAndrew five minutes before the interval.

A recycled set piece then saw Emmanuel Ilesanmi fire his side into the lead on the hour mark and, despite a late push, Wayne Burnett's troops were unable to get back on level terms.

The result pushes us down to 22nd in the Premier League 2 table, five points behind the play-off places.

The game sprung into life five minutes in as Kyerematen turned his cross goalwards, only for it to nestle in the side netting. Two minutes later, Derby worked an opportunity inside our penalty area, but a wild effort from Adisa Osayande was lashed high and wide, before Luca Gunter was called into action for the first time, producing a double save to keep out efforts from Riley Moloney and Jaydan Davidson. The resulting corner then almost saw us take the lead as Tyrese Hall led the charge upfield before feeding Oliver Irow for a one-on-one opportunity, But Rams goalkeeper Harry Evans came out on top.

We didn't have to wait much longer for our opener though as after Akhamrich charged down the right and cut a ball back from the byline to Kyerematen, he dutifully squared it to Ajayi to guide home 16 minutes in.

Two minutes later and we came down the right again in a move started by full debutant Pele Arganese-McDermott. It was worked to Hall who was fouled but the referee played an excellent advantage to allow Akhamrich to fire an effort goalwards, but it curled just wide of the far post. Irow was lively again past the half-hour mark, darting down the left before cutting inside at the edge of the area but again saw his effort saved by Evans.

Frustratingly, the Rams levelled five minutes before the interval as McAndrew found space in the centre of the box and finished from close range in what proved to be the final chance of the half.

Few chances for either side followed after the restart, although one fell to Ajayi when he was picked out by substitute Ellis Lehane, but his effort was blocked.

We limited County to just three clear-cut chances in the second half, but only one was enough for them as they took the lead through Ilesanmi on the hour mark. A reworked set-piece found him on the right side of the penalty area before he fired across Gunter and into the back of the net.

We nearly drew level a minute later as substitute Tye Hall dragged a shot just wide from a neatly worked corner, while another chance fell to Ajayi who also fired wide 10 minutes later. We pushed for a leveller in the closing stages, as a formation change saw defender Archie Baptiste join the front line, and the chances again fell to Ajayi, who had two strong efforts blocked during additional time but the Rams held on to take the points.

Match data

Goals: Derby - McAndrew 40, Ilesamni 60; Spurs - Ajayi 16.

Yellow cards: Spurs - King 7, Akhamrich 23, Tye Hall 81.

Referee: Greg Rollason.

Venue: Derby County Football Academy, Derby.

Weather: Dry, -3 degrees.