Development Squad Held To Derby Stalemate

Leicester City's Development Squad stretched their unbeaten run to three matches with a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Derby County in Premier League 2 on Monday night.

On the back of a brilliant 2-1 success over Arsenal at Holmes Park and a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League Cup, the Foxes travelled to St George's Park in a buoyant mood and with a desire to continue their recent upturn in fortunes.

A tentative first half reaped few chances for either side in Burton-Upon-Trent, however, with goalkeepers Kelle Roos and Daniel Iversen enduring 45 minutes of relative confinement in their respective penalty areas with space at a premium in the final third.

The hosts were keen to avenge a chastening 5-0 defeat in the corresponding fixture at Belvoir Drive back in November but it was Steve Beaglehole’s visitors, buoyed by their performances on several fronts of late, who carved out the first real opportunity of the match.

Layton Ndukwu, City’s chief architect on the right flank, ghosted into space inside the Derby penalty area, side-stepping two defenders, before arrowing an effort towards Roos’ bottom corner. Saved.

Both sides emerged from the dressing room after the interval intent on breaking the deadlock and the Rams, playing an attacking 4-4-3 formation in possession, very nearly did just that after 55 minutes when Kellan Gordon stung Iversen’s gloves from the edge of the area.

Just after the hour-mark, it fell kindly for Lamine Kaba Sherif but the impressive Leicester midfielder, a constant thorn for his Derby counterparts, couldn’t get enough power on his effort to worry Roos. It was proving to be a frustrating night for the attackers.

The guests were showing more attacking prowess, though, as the clock ticked away. Ndukwu and Admiral Muskwe - who scored twice at West Ham United last month - continued to pose a threat late on but the Derby defence stood tall to deny them at every turn.

The Rams grew into the match in the latter stages but Josh Knight and Elliott Moore, City's central defensive pairing, delivered a stubborn display to keep them out at the death. City looked to have secured a thrilling late winner when Kairo Mitchell nodded it towards goal.

But referee Steven Rushton and his linesman on the far side ruled that it had not crossed the line. In all, Beaglehole and assistant Ben Petty will look back at this clash as one their side could have won but will be pleased with the determined nature of City's performance against tough opposition.

Who impressed? 

With City needing battlers in midfield, Lamine Kaba Sherif stepped forward to give them some well-needed steel in the middle against a well-drilled, dogged Derby side. 

What’s next? 

With City’s journeys in the Premier League Cup and UEFA Youth League now complete, Steve Beaglehole’s men can focus fully on their exploits in Premier League 2 between now and May. 

A long trip to Sunderland is next up on Sunday afternoon before Manchester United visit the East Midlands in April. The Foxes know victories in either game will pull them away from danger. 

City stay bottom of the league standings but, with a game in hand, they could climb to seventh, level on points with United, if results go their way over the coming weeks and months. 

DERBY: Roos, Santos, Karic, Bird, Bateman, Macdonald, Gordon, Elnsik (c), Jakobsen, Babos, Walker (Cresswell 68). 

SUBS NOT USED: Cover, Ravas, Edwards, Mitchell-Lawson. 

CITY: Iversen, Johnson, Knight, Moore (c), Pascanu, Ndukwu, Kaba Sherif, Hammond, Debayo (Watts 15), Muskwe, Gordon (Mitchell 67).

SUBS NOT USED: Wood, Bramley, Dewsbury-Hall. 

REFEREE: Steven Rushton.