Derby ease pressure on John Eustace with win over Bolton
The Rams came from 1-0 down at half-time to win 3-1.
Derby came from behind to pick up their first win in 11 matches with a much-needed 3-1 victory over Bolton at Pride Park.
Under-fire Rams boss John Eustace will breathe a huge sigh of relief after he saw his side win for the first time since beating Portsmouth on September 1 to ease pressure heading into the international break.
Bolton had let the hosts off the hook on a number of occasions but finally hit the front three minutes before the break courtesy of Ruben Rodrigues’ second goal of the season.
The Rams showed nothing in the first period but turned the game on its head within four minutes of the restart through Ryan Nyambe’s first career goal before Jack Robinson nudged them in front shortly afterwards.
The roof came off Pride Park when Rhian Brewster slammed into the top corner for his first goal of the campaign which sealed a first home win of the season.
Victory moved Derby to within four points of the dotted line while Bolton’s four-match unbeaten away run came to an end.
Derby have had a habit of conceding early recently and should have been one down again when Gaizka Larrazabal passed it into Xavier Simons into acres of space but the midfielder blazed over the bar.
Bolton were the ones trying to force the issue though, and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom was brought into action for the first time to stop Chris Forino’s header from going in at the far post from Rodrigues’ corner.
The Trotters began to sense blood in front of a Derby crowd that were beginning to lose patience in their out-of-form side, and Zetterstrom was required for a second time to punch Luca Stephenson’s effort away.
But they finally got their deserved opener in the 42nd minute. Larrazabal was proving to be a menace and he sent a ball into the path of Rodrigues who calmly slotted home.
The supporters inside Pride Park made their feelings known by booing the players off the field at the break before then booing them back on.
It clearly had an effect when Nyambe arrived at the far post to meet Mo Fuseini’s cross and get Derby level just 39 seconds after the restart. It was the ex-Blackburn defender’s first goal in more than 300 career appearances spent mostly at Championship level.
Derby had shown more in four minutes than they did in the whole of the first 45 and were ahead just three minutes later when Carlton Morris headed the ball on to Robinson who nodded beyond Bonham from close range.
The hosts could have had their third but for a magnificent stop from Bonham, who somehow fingertipped Fuseini’s effort around the post.
Derby had Zetterstrom to thank for keeping their lead intact when he brilliantly dived right to stop Sam Dalby’s header from going in.
The home side made the points safe in stoppage time when Brewster nicked the ball from Larrazabal and fired into the top corner.