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Leicester City 0 Derby 3

Last updated : 23 February 2002 By Our man at the match

Derby County travelled to Filbert Street knowing a point was not good enough to extricate them from their relegation worries.

Leicester City where in the same boat and the tension showed in a lively but most uneventful first 45 minutes. Both teams did have the ball in their opponents net, but neither counted.

The Rams where the first to score (or not) in the 26th minute. The ball was slammed into the Fox's net by returning striker Branko Strupar but the Leicester Keeper Ian Walker was adjudged to have been fouled just prior to the ball going into the net.

Andy Oakes
Andy Oakes taken to hospital
Just 4 minutes later Leicester where sure they had scored when the ball fell loose after Rams keeper Andy Oakes had been fouled when going for a high ball into the box. Oakes fell to the ground as the Foxes thought they had scored, but the goal was disallowed and Oakes lay unconscious on the ground. After several minutes of treatment the Rams keeper was carried off on a stretcher complete with neck brace. There was no news from the Hospital as this report was being written.

Nil, nil at half time and Leicester just about shaded the half with their attacking, as you would expect being the home team. The Rams however did look dangerous on the break and the second half was eagerly awaited by both sets of fans.

Kinky and Lilly Savage
Kinky shows Savage how to play football
The second half was all about the Rams, after an initial couple of minute's pressure from Leicester, Derby took control. The half was only in it's 7th minute when Malcolm Christie fed Giorgi Kinkladze and from just outside the box the little Georgian let fly with a left foot drive. The shot deflected off a Fox's defender and beat Walkers outstretched right hand to put the Rams 1-0 up.

Derby began to look the better side and just after the hour mark it was Branko Strupar, starting his first Premiership match for 11 months, that put the Rams securely in the driving seat. Another left foot shot beat Walker in the Leicester goal down to his right and nestled in the corner of the net.

Branko Strupar
Strupar scores on his comeback

With the clock running out it was clear the Rams had done enough to win the game and the crucial 3 points but it was left to substitute Lee Morris to put the icing on the cake in the 89th minute. A cross from Malcolm Christie fell invitingly for Morris who tried to get a touch on the ball, but falls with a Leicester defender. As the ball breaks loose Morris is the first to react and scores with a shot that appeared to hit the underside of the bar before going in.

The Derby fans went wild, not only at Filbert Street but the 2000 fans watching the beam-back at Pride Park. As chorus's of "Savage, Savage what's the score" rang out, the Filbert Street faithful knew this game and perhaps the Premiership was now up for them.

Derby County are by no means safe themselves but now there is a real belief that John Gregory and his backroom staff can perform a miracle at Pride Park. Lets hope it continues next Sunday when the Rams take on a team by the name of Manchester United… "Who are they?"