City’s EDS side bounced back to winning ways with a deserved Premier League 2 success against Derby County.
Seeking a response after league losses at Brighton and Spurs, the Blues looked well set for victory after having raced into a 3-0 lead with 18 minutes left.
Felix Nmecha and Lorenzo Gonzales both found the target in the first 15 minutes with Benjamin Garre adding the third on 74 minutes.
However, we had to withstand a nervy finale after two late goals from the visitors before securing the three points.
What happened
City got off to the perfect start as we took a third minutes lead thanks to a wonderful curled shot from Felix Nmecha.
Felix turned inside the Derby defence before unleashing a wonderful right foot shot to stun the visitors.
Dominating the early proceedings, City then doubled the lead on 15 minutes and this time Nmecha was the provider.
He threaded a sublime through ball to Lorenzo Gonzalez who calmly slotted the ball past Derby keeper Josh Barnes.
City could and should have a third before the break with first skipper Claudio Gomes seeing his shot parried away before Gonzalez split the Derby defence only to shoot wide.
After the break the visitors upped their game and enjoyed lengthy spells of pressure.
But City still carried a threat every time we attacked and on 74 minutes that all-important third goal arrived.
Substitute Adrian Bernabe threaded a delightful long ball over to Garre who then ran in from the left flank before beating the keeper at the near post.
However, Derby then scored almost immediately from the restart with substitute Josh Shonibare heading in from the six-yard box.
And the Rams set up a tense finale on 83 minutes when Max Bird fired home from 20 yards out.
But despite a few late scares, the City players showed great character to dig deep and see out time to seal a welcome victory.
How we lined up
Tom Scott was in goal shielded by a back four of Alpha Diounkou, Colin Rosler, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Nathanael Ogbeta. In midfield were skipper Claudio Gomes and Iker Pozo with Ian Carlo Poveda and Benjamin Garre providing width down either flank.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo Gonzalez and Felix Nmecha were deployed up-front
Up next
City resume Checkatrade Trophy action away at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday in our second group game.
