Commons fires Derby to surprise victory over United
Ferguson was not pleased with the performance of his side
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Wednesday, 07, Jan 2009 10:47
Derby County have beaten Manchester United 1-0 at Pride Park to take a narrow lead into the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.
Kris Commons scored the winner for the home side as they out-played a below-par United side.
The home fans were already buoyed by the news of Nigel Clough's appointment as manager and the former Burton Albion boss was in the stands watching before starting his new job tomorrow.
He will have been impressed with what he saw from the Championship side who matched the current English, European and World Champions – albeit that Alex Ferguson fielded a much-changed team.
The Rams went close twice early on as they lay siege to the United goal but some last-ditch defending from the visitors kept them in it.
Goalkeeper Tomas Kuszczak made a good block to stop Steve Davies' shot but the rebound fell to the Rams midfielder and Nemanja Vidic was forced to make a diving effort to block the follow up.
Two minutes later United were on the defensive again when a corner broke to Mile Sterjovski. But United survived once more as his goal-bound effort was cleared off the line by Jonny Evans.
The Rams took as deserved lead after 30 minutes when Commons unleashed a fierce shot that gave Kuszczak no chance.
Sterjovski picked out the Scotland international with a good cross-field ball before Commons ran at the United defence at pace. They backed off allowing Commons time and space to pick his spot and beat the goalkeeper from 25 yards out.
Paul Scholes attempted some long-range efforts before the break but neither tested Roy Carroll in the Derby goal.
Ferguson grew increasingly frustrated with his team in the second half before sending on Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to try and give the visitors a lift.
It worked and United gained a series of set-plays as Derby were forced to do more defending than they had in the first half.
However, United fail to capitalise on these moments. The closest they came to scoring was a Ronaldo effort that fizzed past Carroll's post.
But it was the Rams who perhaps should have added to the scoreline before the end.
Commons beat Evans and fired in a low shot which Kuszczak failed to hold. The rebound fell at the feet of striker Rob Hulse but he blazed over the bar from eight yards out with the goal at his mercy.
United will hope for a much better performance if they are to overcome the 1-0 deficit when the second leg is played at Old Trafford on January 20th.