Luke Leahy denies Derby at the death

Posted Sunday, December 17, 2023 by PA

Luke Leahy’s stoppage-time penalty gave Wycombe a dramatic 1-1 draw at Derby to deny County a sixth straight League One victory.

Tom Barkhuizen thought he had bagged the winner for Derby seven minutes from time before Leahy struck at the death.

There were few openings in a scrappy first 30 minutes in which five players were booked by Rebecca Welch, who next Saturday will become the first woman to referee in the Premier League.

Derby had the bulk of the possession but Wycombe went close just before half-time when Garath McCleary shot wide from the edge of the box.

The home side almost broke through in the 64th minute from a Max Bird corner but Eiran Cashin’s powerful header was brilliantly saved on the line by Max Stryjek.

But Wycombe’s resistance was broken in the 83rd minute when Stryjek could only parry Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s cross-shot and Barkhuizen pounced to turn in the rebound.

Pride Park was stunned in the sixth minute of added time when Welch pointed to the spot after Joe Ward caught David Wheeler and Leahy sent Joe Wildsmith the wrong way with a clinical penalty.