Peschisolido to Derby's rescue
By Longsider
February 24 2005
Press reports of our 1-1 draw at Derby last night. We have reports from the Guardian, Sporting Life and the Daily Telegraph.
Peschisolido gets Derby out of jail George Burley, their manager, insists that if they remain in the top six - they are in a solid fourth spot - it will be a minor miracle for a team who just avoided being relegated last season. But even turnarounds do not come without the odd hitch and Derby's centre on what they do here at Pride Park.
Despite their run of results, they have won at home in the league only once since mid-December and not until the arrival of Paul Peschisolido did they increase their tempo last night. Peschisolido was brought on in the 57th minute, with Derby trailing. Within 10 minutes he was involved in three chances and in the 70th minute he equalised, scrambling the ball home after Adam Bolder's shot had deflected off the goalkeeper Brian Jensen.
"As soon as Pesch came on you knew they had a chance of nicking a goal," said Burnley's manager Steve Cotterill.
His speed, even at the age of 33, meant he was able to find his way into the corners of Burnley's defence that until then had not been much troubled. "Pesch is a great asset to us," said Burley. "He has not been in the team because of the system we play, but he will score goals."
Burnley may have the FA Cup on their minds but Derby, despite a snappy start in which Morten Bisgaard saw a lot of the ball on the right flank, had nothing to show for it. Inigo Idiakez curled in a free-kick from 30 yards but Jensen saved brilliantly and from the following throw-in he did well to keep out a header from Marco Reich. But Burnley, who face Blackburn in their fifth-round Cup replay next week, went ahead as Jean-Louis Valois struck a superb free-kick from the edge of the Derby box, curling it over the wall and in off the right-hand post via the hand of the goalkeeper Lee Camp. Cotterill was happy and today he hopes to sign the Stoke striker Ade Akinbiyi for a team not out of the play-offs themselves.
The Guardian
Derby are the form side of the Championship. They have lost only once in seven matches, five of which have been wins, and each week they strengthen their position in the play-off picture.
Sporting Life
Derby substitute Paul Peschisolido came off the bench to rescue a point for his side but the Rams' hopes of automatic promotion faded further as dogged Burnley held on for a deserved point.
Clarets winger Jean-Louis Valois struck a splendid free-kick after 34 minutes to hand the visitors an interval lead before Peschisolido struck with 20 minutes remaining.
After four Championship victories in a row, this draw destroyed Derby's hopes of recording five consecutive league wins for the first time since 1995-96.
Derby manager George Burley made one enforced change from the side which won 3-1 at Rotherham on Saturday, with German winger Marco Reich replacing hip injury victim Tommy Smith.
Burnley were dealt a massive blow prior to kick-off by the loss through injury of defenders Frank Sinclair and John McGreal, who have this season helped the Clarets to establish one of the best defensive records in the division.
John Oster and Lee Roche were drafted into the starting XI by Steve Cotterill for the only two changes from the side which drew with Blackburn in the FA Cup.
Derby began brightly and took just three minutes to find the net.
Inigo Idiakez's left-wing corner was cleared by the Burnley defence and when Morten Bisgaard knocked the ball back into the Clarets' danger zone, Marcus Tudgay was on hand to rifle the ball home only for the strike to be disallowed for a marginal offside call.
Idiakez then forced Brian Jensen into action with a delightful 30-yard free-kick which was destined for the top corner before the Burnley goalkeeper's timely intervention.
Derby's 13-goal Poland international striker Grzegorz Rasiak then saw his header blocked on the line, but Burnley slowly gained a foothold on the game.
Lone striker Ian Moore threatened to gallop through the Derby defence before Tom Huddlestone demonstrated why he will be playing in the Premiership with Tottenham next season by sticking out a leg to collect the ball before strolling calmly out of defence in possession.
But Burnley began to grow in confidence and Micah Hyde's goalbound header from Oster's corner forced Adam Bolder into a block on the line.
Shortly after the half-hour mark, the visitors drew first blood, with the impish Moore proving a crucial presence.
Huddlestone clumsily fouled the livewire striker 25 yards from goal to earn himself a booking and allow Valois to step up and curl the subsequent free-kick into the top right-hand corner.
With Derby still struggling to penetrate the visitors after the restart, Burley replaced Pablo Mills and Reich with Mo Konjic and Peschisolido.
Shortly after the hour mark, Idiakez embarked on a strong run which saw him head goalwards before firing a fierce 25-yard effort against the post, with Peschisolido inches away from connecting with the rebound as Burnley began to ride their luck.
But with 20 minutes remaining, however, their luck was finally out as Peschisolido grabbed a precious equaliser for his side when he fired home the rebound after Jensen parried Bolder's initial effort.
Derby continued to up the pressure thereafter, but Rasiak, with his side's best chance, could not hand the Rams a priceless winner.
Teams:
Derby Camp, Kenna, Mills (Konjic 58), Huddlestone, Makin, Bisgaard, Idiakez, Bolder, Reich (Peschisolido 58), Tudgay, Rasiak.
Subs Not Used: Grant, Junior, Doyle.
Booked: Huddlestone, Konjic.
Goals: Peschisolido 70.
Burnley Jensen, Roche, Cahill, Duff, Camara, Oster, Grant, Hyde, Whittingham, Valois, Moore (Branch 84).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Pilkington, Scott, Yates.
Booked: Grant, Valois.
Goals: Valois 34.
Att: 23,701
Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
Peschisolido to Derby's rescue
Daily Telegraph
How this sleek and stylish Derby side were denied victory is a puzzle.
Playing with a verve rarely seen in this division, they created chance after chance and dominated possession. But in the end they needed that old stager Paul Peschisolido to come off the bench and help them salvage a point.
With three minutes played a vibrant Derby were only denied a goal when Marcus Tudgay was flagged offside after tucking away a low shot. The same player's effort drifted just wide of the far post four minutes later.
The home team were rampant, with their two outstanding imports to the fore. First Spanish midfield anchorman Inigo Idiakez had an excellent free-kick palmed round the post by Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen.
Burnley are not a submissive team, though, and after 23 minutes Micah Hyde nodded a John Oster corner against the far post. The ball ricocheted on to Adam Bolder and stopped dead, allowing Lee Camp to pounce on to it.
But on 33 minutes Derby's England U21 keeper was beaten, Jean-Louis Valois curving a fine free kick over the Derby wall with his left boot and in off the near post.
The second-half introduction of Peschisolido changed the tempo of the game. The diminutive veteran striker had a close-range shot saved by Jensen before finding the equaliser. With 20 minutes to go, Rasiak pinged a driven pass to Adam Bolder in the box and after the midfielder's shot was blocked, Peschisolido was on hand to score.
Derby (4-4-2): Camp; Kenna, Huddlestone, Mills (Konjic 57), Makin; Bisgaard, Bolder, Idiakez, Reich (Peschisolido 57); Tudgay, Rasiak.
Subs: L Grant (g), Junior, Doyle.
Booked: Huddlestone, Konjic.
Burnley (4-5-1): Jensen; Roche, Duff, Cahill, Camara; Oster, T Grant, Hyde, Whittingham, Valois; Moore (Branch 84).
Subs: Coyne (g), Pilkington, Scott, Yates.
Booked: T Grant.
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).