Ravel Morrison boosts Derby survival bid with late winner against Preston

Posted Sunday, April 03, 2022 by PA

Ravel Morrison’s late goal boosted Derby’s Sky Bet Championship survival bid as they beat Preston 1-0 at Pride Park.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men and the game looked to be heading towards stalemate when Morrison smashed home a loose ball 10 minutes from time.

Preston played for more than an hour a man down after Liam Lindsay was sent off for bringing down Tom Lawrence, but Derby had Max Bird dismissed early in the second half for a foul on Ben Whiteman.

But Morrison’s strike lifted the home fans and keeps Derby in with a chance of staying in the Championship.

It was a game Derby desperately needed to win but Preston started well and Cameron Archer should have done better with a 10th-minute header which he put tamely wide from eight yards.

Derby lifted their fans in the 19th minute when the ball broke to Jason Knight, who surged forward before unleashing a drive from 25 yards out that Daniel Iversen turned behind.

It was the start of a good period for Derby who should have gone ahead in the 23rd minute when Malcolm Ebiowei crossed from the right but Lawrence headed wide from six yards.

Derby were given a big boost in the 33rd minute when Lindsay tripped Lawrence on the edge of the box with the Welshman about to go through on goal and referee Geoff Eltringham produced a red card.

After Lawrence put the free-kick wide, Preston regrouped by bringing on defender Sepp Van Den Berg in place of top-scorer Emil Riis Jakobsen.

Derby started the second half strongly but they were reduced to 10 men in the 54th minute when Bird was shown a straight red for a challenge which left Whiteman needing treatment.

With emotions running high, the game was held up briefly when a spectator ran onto the pitch but he was quickly surrounded by stewards and escorted from the ground.

Derby were looking the more likely to score and, after Lawrence had a shot turned behind, they went ahead in the 80th minute.

Lawrence’s corner was met by Curtis Davies and although Iversen made a superb save and a second effort was blocked, the ball broke to Morrison who slammed a volley into the roof of the net.

Derby were close to a second five minutes later when Morrison played in Nathan Byrne but Iversen again kept his side in the game.

But the visitors hardly threatened as Derby held on for a vital victory to climb off the foot of the table.