Conor Hourihane scored a 13-minute brace as Wycombe Wanderers lost 2-1 away at Derby County.
Prior to kick-off, both sets of fans observed a minute’s silence following Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s passing on September 8, before everyone inside Pride Park beautifully sang the National Anthem.
The opening stages of the contest saw Gareth Ainsworth’s men dominate the proceedings as Alfie Mawson was denied by Joe Wildsmith in the Derby goal.
The centre back also saw an attempt from 20-yards go wide whilst Sam Vokes headed over.
It didn’t take long for the away side to take the lead however, as Anis Mehmeti scored again for the club.
17 - This young Albanian is something else. The ball sticks to his feet like glue, he turned James Chester inside out on his Derby debut and he glides it past Wildsmith on his right foot. That's goal number five this season! It's been all Wanderers.#DCFC #Chairboys
— James Richings (@James_BFP) September 17, 2022
🐑 0-1 🪑
His fifth goal of the season was well taken as he turned Derby debutant James Chester inside out, before he clipped the ball passed Wildsmith on the near post.
It was the third away league match in a row he had scored in, and it was his fifth strike in nine League One games this season.
The match was also his 50th league start for the Chairboys.
60 - WHAT A SAVE, MAX STRYJEK! He claws Mendez-Laing's shot onto the crossbar, and everyone in front of us thought it had gone in. An unreal stop. He's also denied McGoldrick, AGAIN. #DCFC #Chairboys
— James Richings (@James_BFP) September 17, 2022
🐑 0-1 🪑
READ MORE: Former Wycombe youngster joins Non League club following summer release from Wanderers
This was the best it got for Wanderers as Derby started to take control.
Max Stryjek was called into action to deny David McGoldrick on two occasions, before the Polish keeper pushed away an Eiran Cashin strike from range.
Then, in an incredible spell of play, Derby had four shots on goal in as many seconds in what was a massive goal-mouth scramble just before the break.
Amazingly, every attempt was either blocked or saved by the flying bodies in the six-yard box as the Wycombe goal lived a charmed life.
The second period was a continuation of the first with Derby dominating the ball and if it wasn’t for the heroics of Stryjek in the Wanderers goal.
In all, he made over 10 saves during the contest as the Rams peppered the Wycombe goal.
70 - Goal. Conor Hourihane. All square. It's been coming. #DCFC #Chairboys
— James Richings (@James_BFP) September 17, 2022
🐑 1-1 🪑
His best stop of the day fell on the hour mark when he managed to claw Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s left-footed effort from just inside the Wanderers box.
Goal bound, the 26-year-old tipped the shot onto the crossbar to the disbelief of all of the Rams fans inside the ground, who thought they had scored.
85 - Hourihane gets a second. Derby lead.#DCFC #Chairboys
— James Richings (@James_BFP) September 17, 2022
🐑 2-1 🪑
The half continued to be played in the Chairboys and with 72 minutes on the clock, Derby finally got their goal which was richly deserved with Conor Hourihane smashing home the equaliser.
The 31-year-old, who signed from Aston Villa in the summer, took one touch and managed to put it into the top left-hand corner for his second goal of the season.
Wycombe nearly won it in the latter stages when Ali Al-Hamadi’s shot was saved by Wildsmith, as it finished all square in Derbyshire.
The Irishmen then scored his second of the match with a fierce left-foot finish with five minutes remaining.
FT: Derby County 2-1 Wycombe Wanderers.
— James Richings (@James_BFP) September 17, 2022
Conor Hourihane bags a second-half brace as Wycombe lose away at Pride Park. A Rams fan has just told me that if I wasn't working (we're in the home end), 'we'd be leaving injured' or something like that. You're hard mate 🙄 #Chairboys
It was Wycombe’s first league defeat in four games.
Up next for the Chairboys is Stevenage away in the Football League Trophy.
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