Derbyshire the difference against Lancashire’s ‘Dale.

Matt Derbyshire

Matt Derbyshire proved to be the difference in this televised Carling Cup ties as little Rochdale embarrassed Blues though much of this rain swept contest. Whenever a Manager of a senior club trots out the old adage about players being given the opportunity to show why they should be in the team you can guarantee the players don’t. Matt Derbyshire however played his way into the starting line up for Sunday with an hour of class and scored what proved to be the winning goal. It was the new guy’s first start and while the others muddled around like strangers Derbyshire kept Dale at full stretch.

Blues played pretty pretty football and got nowhere while Dale played positively and with no little authority.  They went ahead on 25 minutes when a poor Michel pass aimed for a badly positioned David Murphy was cut out. The impressive O’Grady was free and his cross was volleyed by Elding and although Maik Taylor saved well Jones was on the spot to finish.

That was a wakeup call and Derbyshire, after getting the better of Marcus Holness was floored by the visiting defender. For some reason the decision took an age to make but eventually the ref pointed to the spot. McFadden who has missed his last two spot kick stepped up and scored well.

Two minutes after the break a Larsson corner found the head of Johnson and Murphy was on hand to volley home.  Larsson was on for an injured McFadden and he latched on to a superb pass from Bowyer fired in a great low cross that Derbyshire forced home.

That should have been it but Blues without a recognised full back on the right found Dale annoyingly difficult to finish off. O’Grady completely bamboozled the hapless Fahey and picked out Jones who scored with ease.

The full back area desperately needs looking at as Fahey has no clue how to play the position and Murphy is so long out of the game and appears to have lost what little pace he had.

Blues introduced Zigic (who I promise will not be referred to as ‘giant’ again) and the second youngest player in a Blues first team, Nathan Redmond. While Zigic did some good and some bad the youngster certainly took the eye with plenty of pace and trickery.

Zigic needs a goal and should have opened his account with a couple of chances. The worst of these was when another Larsson cross fizzed across the goal und under the Serb’s long legs.

Blues won and are in the draw on Saturday but McLeish will not be any the wiser about these fringe player’s.

Blues (4-4-2): Maik Taylor; Keith Fahey, David Murphy, Scott Dann, Roger Johnson; Enric Valles (Nathan Redmond 76), Lee Bowyer, Michel, James McFadden (Seb Larsson 46); Matt Derbyshire (Nikola Zigic 65), Garry O’Connor.

Subs (not used): Ben Foster, Craig Gardner, Cameron Jerome, Barry Ferguson.

Goals: McFadden (28 pen), Murphy (48), Derbyshire (53)

Dale; (4-4-2): Josh Lillis, Scott Wiseman, Joe Widdowson, Marcus Holness (Josh Thompson 63), Brian Barry-Murphy, Jason Kennedy, Gary Jones, Anthony Elding (Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro 63), Andrew Tutte (Matt Done 63), Chris O’Grady, Craig Dawson.

Subs (from): Matt Edwards, Jack Redshaw, Alan Goodall, Helio Andre.

Goal: Jones (24, 75)

Ref Mike Russell (Apart from the delay with the penalty this bloke was OK)

Attendance: 6,431 (Good crowd considering the TV and the rain)

By Alan Watton

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