SECOND HALF – DOUBLES ALL ROUND
Fletcher’s side managed to get a stranglehold on proceedings and it soon became a matter of how many goals the Reds could score.
Derby defended well for a spell, aside from allowing Jariyah Shah to fire over a decent opening, but the pressure began to tell. McEvoy tested Dzialuk before Gabriel was twice unable to supply the finish, on the back of lovely slaloming dribbles past opponents.
In the 66th minute, Yuel Helafu found Gabriel and, although Kacey Gill made a good tackle, Bradbury pounced on the loose ball to fire in a shot that entered the net, despite Dzialuk managing to get a hand to it.
The Rams’ response was gallant as, two minutes later, Zayne Blake was fouled by Byrne-Hughes as he made his way past the keeper. Our no.1 protested his innocence, and may have had a case, but dived to his left to clutch Green’s penalty anyway, to deflate the East Midlanders.
It did not take long for Gabriel to get his second, collecting Dan Armer’s skidding pass and, when the defence backed off, he did not need a second invitation to blast emphatically past Dzialuk.
Ajayi shot over the bar before making no mistake for number six, schoolboy substitute Rooney claiming the assist, but it was largely the winger’s work, as he dribbled goalwards, feinted inside Crolla magnificently and slipped in a calm finish.
Gabriel tried to tee up Rooney late on, but he was unable to meet the ball on the slide, as this was a polished performance by the young Reds.