Derby County 4-0 Portsmouth: Paul Warne’s males earn key win in Championship relegation battle as they break winless run with riotous efficiency at Pride Park

Derby satiated their hunger for a win with a voracious first half as they dealt Championship strugglers Portsmouth a masterclass in finishing their dinner.

The Rams were winless in six and had only scored four goals in that period but first-time efforts from Kane Wilson, Eiran Cashin, and Ebou Adams in the opening 30 minutes left the visitors dumbfounded – before Marlon Pack later prodded the ball into his own net.

If Arsenal’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover is worthy of a mural then whoever is concocting Derby’s deadball tactics could demand a castle be built in his name. Or at least a pay rise.

Derby have now hit 12 goals from set plays after Cashin’s header added to their fearsome reputation. Last season they totalled 25. So, who is behind this?

‘I can’t give you names because I’d have to shoot you,’ says manager Paul Warne. ‘We have five or six favourite corners but it depends on how the opposition marks, so if we think there’s a vulnerability in the front zone or whatever then we’ll earmark that. 

‘We’re not cleverer than anyone else but it’s always about the delivery and the desire to get on it and the timing.’ No mural, then? ‘No, we’re definitely not into that.’

Kane Wilson opened the scoring after eight minutes thanks to a Nathaniel Mendez-Laing assist

Eiran Cashin headed in Derby’s second – already their 12th set-piece goal of the campaign 

Ebou Adams made it 3-0 inside half an hour after his first-time shot deflected off Tom McIntyre

‘Cashin’s leap to get above everybody and head it is credit to him and his determination.’

Kane Wilson had given the Rams a deserved lead after eight minutes with a finish inside the box following delicate work on the left by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who was a force all evening until he came off. 

Paul Warne’s men got their customary set-piece goal with 23 minutes gone, as Cashin rose to nod home a corner, his effort bouncing cruelly over the jumping Callum Lang’s head.

And the Rams were in dreamland 29 minutes in as Adams scraped them 3-0 up, his close-range effort deflecting in off Tom McIntyre after Craig Forsyth had overlapped Mendez-Laing to drive in the cross.

To add insult to injury, former Pompey man Marcus Harness forced an own goal after 65 minutes as his cross was prodded in by a hapless Marlon Pack.

Pompey didn’t play awfully but lacked inspiration. Josh Murphy peppered Derby’s box with crosses but Jacob Widell Zetterstrom was equal to the challenge off his line every time. Portsmouth’s creative spark was dim, as they had just three shots to the hosts’ 17. 

Paul Warne’s side go 14th in the table but Portsmouth risk falling back into the drop zone this weekend after their run of four games unbeaten was pulverised at Pride Park. They had only escaped it for the first time since August in midweek with a 0-0 draw against Norwich. 

The last time Derby beat Portsmouth was back in April 2012 and that was to relegate Pompey from the Championship. John Mousinho has a job on his hands as his side struggle to acclimatise after promotion. 

Paul Warne refused to reveals who is behind their set-piece specialism and credited his players’ desire 

‘We deserved to have confidence coming into the game but something has gone wrong and we haven’t performed,’ said gaffer John Mousinho.

‘We haven’t built up enough credit in the bank to put in a performance and a result like that but we’re in a much, much better position now than we were previously and I think the acid test is going to be next week when we play Coventry at home.’