Saints end cup journey with defeat

With several chances to their name in the opening stages, Saints will have felt hard done by when Callum Minkley put the hosts ahead in the 32^nd minute.

Things got worse for Saints after the break as Joshua Shonibare and Jahmal Hector-Ingram, the latter from the penalty spot, extended Derby’s lead.

The visitors got a goal they were more than worthy of in the 78^th minute; substitute Sean Brennan latching onto a Jake Vokins cross.

It was an opening 25 minutes in which both sides enjoyed spells of pressure, but Saints edged in terms of chances.

Kayne Ramsay had a notable chance to put the visitors ahead inside 9 minutes, meeting a corner at the back post but unable to turn it home.

Then, after 18 minutes, Kornelius Hansen found space in the box and fired an effort just wide of the far post with pace.

Seconds later Christian Norton will have felt he could have done better; hitting his effort just over from inside the penalty area.

Another chance fell to Saints after 23 minutes; the returning Will Smallbone firing a fine effort from outside the area which Derby’s Jonathan Mitchell did well to claim.

But for all the pressure Saints were pilling on it was Derby who took the lead with just over 10 minutes to go of the first half.

Derby’s number five Minkley was left unmarked following a corner routine, meaning he was able to slide in and put the hosts ahead.

Moments later it could have been two; Shonibare’s low cross finding Jayden Mitchell-Lawson who could only hit it over from inches out.

Saints continued to create chances; Vokins’s shot in the 39th minute finding an unmarked Harry Hamblin who could only header wide.

Despite a positive start to the second half from the visitors, Derby doubled their lead in the 49th minute; Shonibare hitting an effort past Kingsley Latham following a cut inside from the left flank.

Saints looked to respond once more; Hamblin coming agonisingly close to reaching a deep free-kick in the 53rd minute.

A minute later Hansen beat two men and hit the post, with Derby well and truly pegged back.

Saints had another good chance just past the hour mark; Vokins producing a superb delivery not for the first time on the night, only for Christoph Klarer to hit over after doing well to latch on.

But Derby continued to make the most of their time on the ball when they had it; a threaded pass found Mitchell-Lawson who was deemed to be fouled by Vokins in the box.

Hector-Ingram stepped up from the spot and made it 3-0 to the hosts inside the 70th minute.

Eight minutes later Saints got the goal many felt they deserved; Vokins involved again crossing towards the back post where substitute Brennan slotted home.

Southampton continued to dominate possession during the closing stages, but were unable to add to their goal despite the pressure on the Derby goal.

The hosts saw out the game, meaning Saints bowed out of the Premier League International Cup.

Their next fixture is a return to Derby and the Loughborough University Stadium on Monday 16th December, this time in Premier League 2 action.