Aston Villa stun Derby with scintillating second-half salvo

Posted Sunday, November 11, 2018 by PA

Aston Villa produced a superb second-half performance to blow away Derby 3-0 at Pride Park as John Terry put one over on his former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard.

Terry celebrated in the Villa dug-out as three goals in 11 minutes from John McGinn, Tammy Abraham and Conor Hourihane sent Derby crashing to a first home defeat since August 11.

Derby had brought Fikayo Tomori back into central defence but Villa looked dangerous from the start with Albert Adomah whipping in a cross which Jonathan Kodjia headed over from six yards.

Kodjia should have done better when some casual defending at the other end allowed Tom Lawrence to fire just over from the edge of the box before Abraham volleyed wide after some clever link-up play.

Tomori rescued Derby in the 23rd minute when Abraham spun away from him near the byline but the defender recovered to make a crucial tackle on his Chelsea team-mate as he was poised to pick out a claret shirt in the six-yard box.

Harry Wilson tested Orjan Nyland with a swerving shot from 25 yards before Adomah was tripped on the edge of the area but Villa could not make the free kick count.

Villa should have scored in the 33rd minute when Adomah crossed from the left and Abraham had a free header from eight yards which he put too close to Scott Carson, who pushed the ball behind.

Nyland saved Villa six minutes later when he first denied Jack Marriott and after James Chester blocked Wilson’s follow-up, the keeper tipped over the Wales forward’s drive.

The first half ended with chances missed at both ends as Kodjia bundled an Adomah cross wide before Lawrence lobbed over when clear from Carson’s long kick.

Villa had the ball in the net in the 53rd minute when Abraham volleyed past Carson after McGinn’s shot was blocked but it was ruled out for offside and the striker headed over from eight yards six minutes later.

The visitors wasted another chance on the hour when Kodjia’s low cross was met by McGinn but he touched the ball wide of the far post and Kodjia then fired wastefully over from Jack Grealish’s pass.

Villa’s second-half dominance finally paid off in the 74th minute when Yannick Bolasie got behind Derby on the left and crossed for McGinn to head in from six yards.

Derby were caught again four minutes later when McGinn played the ball in from the left and this time Abraham made no mistake from close range.

The game was over in the 84th minute when McGinn was fouled just outside the area and Hourihane curled the free-kick past Carson to put the seal on an impressive Villa display.