KURT ZOUMA IS BACK

Kurt Zouma continued his return from a serious knee injury to feature for the first time in almost nine months as our development squad drew at home this evening (Monday).
Despite a positive start, the hosts were behind late in the first half as Callum Guy converted the rebound following a penalty save from goalkeeper Bradley Collins. The Blues turned it around in two minutes after the restart, with Jay Dasilva netting from the spot and then Ike Ugbo firing into the back of the net.
However, Derby were level again instantly as Farrend Rawson headed in a left-sided corner. Dasilva then saw red for a second bookable offence, forcing Adi Viveash’s side to play the final 20 minutes with 10 men. Despite chances to steal all three points late on, both sides were forced into sharing the spoils after an eventful contest.
Zouma featured from the start alongside Fikayo Tomori and Trevoh Chalobah in a back three in front of goalkeeper Collins. Fankaty Dabo and Dasilva started at right wing-back and left wing-back respectively, while Kyle Scott, Mukhtar Ali, Ruben Sammut and Isaac Christie-Davies lined up in midfield. Ugbo netted a brace last time out at Exeter City in the Checkatrade Trophy and he led the line up front.
Kurt Zouma rises high to head clear as he makes a first competitive appearances in almost nine months.
Viveash reverted to a 3-4-2-1 system with
Zouma on the right side of the back three and the wing-backs providing the width in attack. Yet the young Blues were rarely troubled at the back in the opening exchanges as they probed to find an early breakthrough.
Ugbo headed over after a neat short corner routine from Dasilva and Scott but it took until the 12 minute for the hosts to register a shot on target, Christie-Davies’s low drive gathered comfortably by Rams keeper Jonathan Mitchell.
Derby were almost the architects of their own downfall as Jamie Hanson played his goalkeeper into trouble with a short pass back. Ugbo was alive to the opportunity but Mitchell raced off his line and just about won the race to the loose ball. Down the other end, Zouma was required to cover at the back and timed a perfect sliding challenge to thwart Mason Bennett’s progress into the box.
Ali fired narrowly wide and Ugbo saw a deflected shot pushed behind by Mitchell before the game burst into life eight minutes before the interval. Charles Vernam advanced down the left channel and into the penalty area before drawing a foul from Zouma , who was fractionally late with his challenge. Vernam stepped up but saw his stop-kick expertly saved by Collins, although Guy was on hand to poke in the rebound.
Bradley Collins makes a penalty save but cannot prevent the rebound ending up in the back of his net.
Viveash made a change at the break, introducing Dujon Sterling in place of Zouma after the defender’s prescribed 45 minutes of action. Sterling had a positive early impact on the right, with Dabo dropping back to centre-half. His delivery was almost turned in by defender Josh Lelan before Rawson denied him with a well-timed challenge.
On his 17 birthday, it was Sterling who made the telling contribution for our leveller on the hour mark. His clever run in behind had Calum MacDonald struggling to get back goal-side and the defender clipped his heels inside the box, prompting the referee to point to the spot for the second time. Dasilva stepped up and confidently dispatched his effort into the bottom corner.
Jay Dasilva makes no mistakes with his penalty effort - Picture courtesy of Mark Sandom.
It was 2-1 to the Blues a minute later. Dasilva this time turned provider down the left and supplied for Ugbo, who rifled his finish beyond Mitchell for his third goal in two games. However, in keeping with the topsy-turvy nature of the contest, our advantage lasted just two minutes as Rawson found space in the box from a corner and beat Collins from close range.
Our hopes of finding a late winner were dealt a blow after 70 minutes after Dasilva was dismissed for a foul on Kellan Gordon down the left. Despite the numerical disadvantage, there were opportunities for Viveash’s side to find a third goal late on. The most notable fell to Ali, whose precise drive looked destined for the bottom corner before Mitchell pushed the ball round the post.
Substitute Mason Mount saw a deflected shot loop narrowly over the crossbar and Sterling was denied by Rawson again as the hosts drew for the second time in a row at home. They return to action in Premier League 2 next Monday 31 October with a trip to Everton.