Derby County 0-4 Blackburn Rovers: Bradley Johnson shines as Rams slip to third loss

Blackburn Rovers scored three targets in five first-half of minutes in an emphatic steal over a Derby County facet who lost a third consecutive league sport on the birth of a season for the first time in 28 years.

Blackburn, resounding 5-0 winners over Wycombe Wanderers in their final sport, had 13 efforts heading within the correct course in a one-sided first half of and could well perchance with out peril had added to their lead.

They lastly did so against the terminate of a more even 2nd period when Derby got in a extensive quantity enjoying out from the support and a slick switch ended with striker Adam Armstrong netting his fourth purpose in two video games with a straightforward some distance-put up enact.

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For all their impressive attacking play, Rovers could well perchance with out peril possess trailed sooner than Derby’s first-half of capitulation, defender Darragh Lenihan making a really perfect block on the road from Max Chicken’s strike.

Nonetheless from the 2nd Dolan followed up Ben Brereton’s strike to set apart it 1-0, the guests dominated.

Johnson doubled the lead, discovering the bottom nook from 25 yards and one other shot from distance a minute later, this time by process of a deflection, brought a 3-purpose interval lead.

Wayne Rooney curled an effort extensive as he tried to encourage Derby’s younger people.

Nonetheless the hosts, already crushed by Finding out and Luton within the Championship moreover by one other 2nd-tier facet within the create of Preston within the Carabao Cup, never appeared love staging a comeback.

Armstrong’s strike, the fifth Championship sport in a row he has stumbled on the on-line, achieved the scoring and took Blackburn’s tally to 11 in three league video games to make certain they moved up to fourth within the desk on purpose distinction.

The Rams, who had no longer lost their first three league video games in a season since 1992-93, creep to third from bottom.

Derby head coach Phillip Cocu told BBC Radio Derby:

“Our perspective was no longer correct ample.

“We concede a purpose after which we possess a rule within the group – defend within the sport. In four minutes we conceded three targets, and the sport was nearly over.

“The 2nd half of was unprecedented better but when you’re losing 3-0 it is too gradual.

“Some players are underperforming. Whenever you don’t play neatly and possess a lack of perspective on the pitch, that will seemingly be a substantial articulate.”

Blackburn supervisor Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:

“We merely befriend doing what we enact. We’re going to have to possess got more from Bournemouth within the first sport, scored five final week and possess done stunning unprecedented recently.

“The players deserve extensive credit for their work-rate and the peril they are placing into video games.

“They are getting the rewards for the exhausting work we possess tried to enact over the last six months, and the benefits are there for us all to scrutinize.

“Now we possess labored loads on ending and picking the correct cross after we receive into necessary areas because it was something that was letting us down.”