Gunned Down

If last week's match was about sharpening up the skills and match fitness of Mo Konjic and Junior then this game was intended to provide similar practice for Paul Peschisolido.

By his own admission the Canadian striker had been given very few opportunities to impress this term and the only senior start for him was in the collective disaster that was Lincoln in the Carling Cup.

With no further reserve fixtures for a month because of postponements the game would be his best chance for some considerable time.

Even without taking the quality of opponents Arsenal int account Barnet's Underhill Ground is a difficult place to play football having, as it does a considerable slope from one end of the ground to the other.

Peschisolido seemed constantly in the wars during the opening 45 having to call on the services of the physio on no less than 3 occasions.

Things were no less painful for the team as a whole who were a goal down within 15 minutes when Arturo Lupoli sprung the offside trap thanks to a through ball from Sebastian Larsson.

Although seemingly taking the ball too wide he cut inside and fired across Lee Grant into the far corner of the net.

The Rams had a couple of opportunity with both Nathan Doyle and Dan Martin going close, but they were undone again on the stroke of half-time by Lupoli who pounced on a Martin error in the area to double his tally.

Derby offered little, apart from a David Cassidy free kick in the second period before Sebastian Larsson made it 3 on 63 minutes converting a cross from right back Kerrea Gilbert.

The closing stages were played almost entirely in and around the Derby box as Lee Grant fought a one man war against the Arsenal forwards.

Arsenal Res: Taylor, Gilbert, Karbassiyoon, Skulason, Senderos, Simek, Larsson, Cregg, Stokes (Bendnter 73), Lupoli (O'Donnell 65), Fowler (Shimmin 80).
Subs:- Howard,

Rams res:- Grant, Turner (Wilkinson 51), Nyatanga, Doyle, Mills, Martin, Cassidy, Bolder, Peschisolido, Labarthe Tome (Barnes 70), Holmes
Subs:- Richardson, Booth, Ainsworth.

Referee S D Tomlinson
Attendance not given