Derby County 3-2 Bournemouth
JASON KNIGHT CAPPED his fine week with a goal as he set Derby on the way to a shock win against promotion-chasing Bournemouth.
Knight starred for the Republic of Ireland last Sunday as he won a penalty and had two assists when introduced off the bench against Luxembourg.
And he opened the scoring as Derby ended a seven-game winless run and prevented Bournemouth from returning to the top of the Championship table.
The 3-2 triumph also saw the Rams wipe out their 21-point deduction in full with a Tom Lawrence double sealing matters after Knight’s opener had been overturned by Jaidon Anthony and Dominic Solanke replies.
The home faithful were in full voice after 13 minutes when Bournemouth conceded their first goal in eight league contests on the road.
Knight won a corner after his shot was deflected behind by Leif Davis and, when Max Bird swung the ball in from the right, the 20-year-old midfielder rose highest to find the net from six yards.
🗣 "Amidst the gloom, a moment of joy!"
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Jason Knight gives Derby the lead against Bournemouth 🔥
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The Cherries’ first attempt of the match came after 18 minutes when Solanke collected a Lewis Cook pass but lifted an edge-of-the-box effort over.
Within seconds, though, the visitors had drawn level courtesy of horrendous play after Derby lost possession in their own box as goalkeeper Kelle Roos looked to play out short from a goal kick.
Roos then saved Ryan Christie’s shot with his outstretched right leg but Anthony fired in from 10 yards after his initial effort had been kicked off the line by Curtis Davies.
Scott Parker’s men subsequently went in front in the 38th minute when Solanke fired a 10-yard shot under the body of an advancing Roos after he had been slid in on goal by Jefferson Lerma.
The latter headed an easy chance wide before the break after Phil Billing had also won an aerial ball in the home box, while Derby went close in first-half stoppage time when Lawrence headed down a Festy Ebosele cross and Graeme Shinnie’s half-volley whistled over.
Just past the hour mark, however, the Rams were back on terms after Colin Kazim-Richards won possession in the away box and, when the ball broke to Lawrence 15 yards from goal, he curled a brilliant effort into Mark Travers’ top-left corner.
Lawrence then had Pride Park in raptures on 69 minutes when, after Shinnie had been nudged over inches inside the box by Jack Stacey following a rampaging run through the left channel, the 27-year-old midfielder drilled the resulting penalty down the middle of the goal as Travers dived to his right.
Scintillating footwork by Lawrence subsequently led to a Kazim-Richards diving header that he steered wide of goal.
Spotting Travers off his line, Lawrence also attempted an audacious 40-yard lob that sailed just over.
But Billing should have still earned the visitors a point when he headed wide from a yard at the far post at the death.
The Cherries’ faithful were left to reflect, however, on a ninth contest without a win against Derby, stretching back to a 1985 Baseball Ground clash.
