Derby County (U21s) 3-1 Mansfield Town (U21s)

Derby County (U21s) 3-1 Mansfield Town (U21s)

Central League

Tuesday 22nd August 2023

A first ever visit to Derby’s Moor Farm training ground and a strong performance by the Rams as they were well-deserved winners over Mansfield Town in the opening fixture of the new Central League season.

The Stags have returned to this division this term - something which I think is massively beneficial for the development of their young players, albeit this game was a rude-awakening because they were second-best to a very good Derby team who’ve recruited well, were dominant, and played some good football.

Having not seen the Rams previously at U21s level - and unable to get to the 1-1 draw with Liverpool last week, I was intrigued to learn what they’re all about. 

There was some strong performances across the pitch; Owen Oseni was a menace and deserved his goals (more on him further down), Tony Weston showed his class at times, Max Bardell certainly got better as the game progressed, gets into good areas and has a good delivery and almost even scored himself, Jack Bates had some tidy touches in midfield and looked decent in parts - didn’t mind him, Carlos Richards got into clever areas and deserved his assist for the third goal, whilst Louie Sibley (who went off at the break) was probably the most well-known player in their line-up.

However, on a day of learning about many new faces, it was a player who I really enjoyed watching last season who claimed the opening goal as Ben Radcliffe thumped home a volley inside 70 seconds despite Finn Flanagan (I think) having done well initially to head the ball away on the post following a corner that was turned goalwards. But Radders’ effort was powerful, venomous and needless to say, he was beaming at the finish as the ball flew past Louie Turner who couldn’t do anything about it.

Derby then looked really good and keen to add more goals after their early opener.

Their quality showed. They were sharp and creative whenever they got into the Stags’ half - both through the middle and especially out wide where they posed a big threat from wide areas. They had much more possession as their game-plan was imposed to strong effect and soon enough they went close again - this time hitting the post before Carlos Richards had a chance after he cut inside, whilst another move culminated in Ben Radcliffe flashing a header inches wide of the target from a corner where he was left loose, albeit if it had gone in the flag was up for offside anyway.

Mansfield got the ball forward a few times in the first half but didn’t offer too much which was largely down to how good Ben Radcliffe (solid at centre-back) and Dan Cox applied themselves, dealt with things and defended solidly.

McKeal Abdullah couldn’t get much out of them albeit he did get one shot on target on 19 minutes which was saved but, that aside, Derby ‘keeper Lewis Ridd was pretty much untroubled and untested as Mansfield were largely left frustrated. On the few times they did get the ball forward, Taylor Anderson couldn’t quite find the right quality with his deliveries (one of them days), Ronnie Kokkinos was twice flagged offside (once correctly, once very wrongly - which was pointed out to the linesman) and when they did piece together a short corner routine that worked its way back to Ollie Clarke on the edge of the box, he couldn’t keep his effort down as the ball sailed over the bar.

Soon after that chance - and about five minutes before the break, Derby made it 2-0. 

A ball from deep was sent over the top down the Rams’ right side and although Owen Oseni was a few yards behind his man when he started his run, his sharp pace saw him burst away, get goal-side and then into a one-on-one and bearing down on goal, he showed brilliant composure to slot home past Louie Turner. A very well-taken goal under pressure and with time to think about the outcome before he shot. Clinical and composed - and the two-goal cushion that Derby now held was reflective of things overall at the break.

Such is the scale of Derby’s training complex, this game was played on Pitch 12 (and unbelievably there’s a few more pitches than just a dozen at Moor Farm too) so that meant it was a long trek to and from the dressing rooms at half-time - and as a consequence the interval lasted for a whopping 24 minutes overall.

Something clearly got said in the Mansfield dressing room at half-time which triggered a response because after coming out about five minutes after Derby, the Stags played with a much better intensity for the first five minutes after the re-start and twice went close to pulling a goal back - firstly as McKeal Abdullah got in-behind and flashed an effort across goal which unluckily for him came back off the post and then as Finn Flanagan also got high up the pitch and had an effort that was on target and needed a save. 

It was good play; much better than anything they’d showed in the first 45 minutes and the response now couldn’t be faulted, but to use a football cliche ‘fine margins’ soon came to the fore because Derby went down the other and scored with their first serious move of the second half as Carlos Richards did well to get to the byline, used his strength to cut the ball back to Owen Oseni who was waiting unmarked about eight yards out in a great position and his shot hit the post and just crept over the line; the linesman on the dugout side doing well to spot it and flag that it was a goal. 

At 3-0 the game was now ‘dead and buried’ as a contest. 

Mansfield definitely weren’t staging a comeback and just past the hour mark, Louie Turner came into his own and showed exactly why he’s a good goalkeeper and why I’ve rated him highly ever since I saw him play in the U18s, by producing three good saves to prevent further damage to the scoreline. He got fingertips to one of those awkward cross-shot type efforts from Max Bardell which (although not probably intended as a shot) was creeping in without Turner’s intervention, spring and agility. Then, a couple of minutes later, he got an even slighter touch to tip over a powerful strike by Adebayo Fapetu, and when Derby’s No.9 - Owen Oseni - got into a shooting position with the ball at his feet inside the box and had only one thing in his mind, LT got down low and was equal to that effort too. A better option for Oseni might have been to slip a pass across to one of his team-mates and in a more central position to score but given the circumstances - and especially the fact he was on a hat-trick, you can understand why he had the shot. 

Derby had other chances in the closing stages - including a couple that went over and one by Charlie Lindsay that got blocked (I think by Darien Wauchope), before Mansfield did salvage a consolation right at the end when Abdullah hooked one in at the back-post, via a little deflection, after a cross in from a set-play from the left-hand side. 

Overall, nobody can have too many complaints about the result - not that it’s the most important thing in the world. Had McKeal Abdullah made it 2-1 then it might have changed the momentum; instead the third goal soon afterwards ‘killed it’ and Derby ran out very deserved winners. Their quality shone and amongst the stand-out performers were Owen Oseni who’ll be delighted with his two goals and what he showed; using his pace well, producing the end product and generally being a real nuisance for the Mansfield defence all afternoon, plus Max Bardell who had a very good second half where his quality from high areas and crosses were solid. On another day, he’d have scored but he certainly showed what he can do well.

And then there’s also Ben Radcliffe. I’ve written an article on him before and love him to bits because he’s a class act anyway, but playing at centre-back (new position for me as I prefer him out at RB/RWB - or even CDM) he basically made the game comfortable for himself. Dan Cox complimented him and looked good on the ball too and they worked well together. He got the goal (great finish - just pure venom as he smashed it in on the volley) but Radders best contribution were two sublime 50-yard passes straight to feet (one out to the left, then one out to the right) in the space of about 10-15 seconds midway through the first half. Both superb, another element to his game that underlines his class - not to mention all the other stuff, and if I live to be 100, I’ll never be able to figure out why Burton released him. Madness! But brilliant now to see him absolutely thriving in what seems like a really good environment. Top class!

Despite the scoreline, I think Mansfield will have learned so much from how the game panned out - particularly the out-of-possession stuff and dealing with not having the ball for long spells and I thoroughly expect them to get better in the Central League as the season progresses. 

They did show small snippets of what they’re about. Charlie Carter never wastes a pass (that was spotted - even in this game), in McKeal Abdullah he’ll always get goals and although there’s still loads for him to learn physically (that will come by getting battered about by grizzly defenders in men’s football), his tidy footwork and little bits of link-up stuff to his feet was good. He's got good tendancies that he'll just do within a game - and the way he dropped back at times to help keep the play moving reminded me slightly of Aiden Marsh at Barnsley (another good player).

Finn Flanagan was involved a lot; Darien Wauchope made a good block and a couple of other good contributions in the second half, Tyler Whyle will benefit massively from this game, and when you consider some of the other lads Mansfield have got in and around this level - whether it be Louie Turner, Ronnie Kokkinos, Jakub Kruszynski, Taylor Anderson, George Cooper (albeit with him being older I expect he'll either play first team or, probably, go out on loan again), then the crux of a half-decent team is there already - and as I’ve said I totally expect they’ll get better as the season progresses and the speed/intensity of how Derby played in this game will stand them in good stead when they go on to face Huddersfield, Notts County, Lincoln and Sunderland, who are also in this group.

I think the fact Mansfield have rejoined the Central League in an era when so many Category 3 clubs always cite cost issues as a reason not to do so, is brilliant. It gives the lads a platform to show what they’re about to a wider audience than anything they’ll get at U18s level - the quality goes up a few notches, and in Charlie McParland I think they’ve also got a top coach who’ll bring good characteristics to the fore. It was probably his influence and words that triggered a response at half-time. If there’s something to be said then he’ll say it - that element of the game is needed massively in football, and I’d expect a lot of lads to feel the benefit of his influence and coaching the longer they’re with him. 

So, lots to learn from a Mansfield perspective and a massively beneficial game in their development, but a very good Derby display and a pleasure to watch it.

Derby: Lewis Ridd, Max Bardell, Harry Hawkins, Darren Robinson, Ben Radcliffe, Dan Cox, Tony Weston, Jack Bates, Owen Oseni, Louie Sibley, Carlos Richards. Subs: Keilan Robinson, Harry Evans, Adebayo Fapetu, Rashawn Scott, Charlie Lindsay.

Mansfield: Louie Turner, Taylor Anderson, Darien Wauchope, Finn Flanagan, Tyler Whyle, George Cooper, Charlie Carter, Ollie Clarke, McKeal Abdullah, Jakub Kruszynski, Ronnie Kokkinos. Subs: Louis Bonser, Harrison Leech, Cody Collins, Lewis Warnaby, Cormac Maher.