U21S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 4-1 DERBY COUNTY

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Second-half goals edge Royals past young Clarets

2026-09-18T20:00+01:00

U21S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 4-1 DERBY COUNTY

Second-half goals edge Royals past young Clarets

2026-09-18T20:00+01:00

Johnson cele Derby

Burnley U21s earned their first Premier League 2 points of the season with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Derby County on Friday night.

Zach Johnson’s double was accompanied by further strikes from Brandon Pouani and Ellis Clark on a crisp evening at the County Ground in Leyland.

There was just a single change from the side that started Monday night’s trip to Nottingham Forest, with Connor Edwards replacing Lewis Forshaw in goal.

As such, Lluc Castell featured in an attacking midfield role once more, behind U18s striker Destiny Okonkwo.

It took just two minutes for Johnson to open the scoring, when he curled beautifully into the top left corner from the right edge of the penalty area.

Zach Johnson opens the scoring with a fine finish into the top left corner

Edwards made three strong saves in the first half, two of which were with his legs, before Derby equalised through Justin Oguntolu’s close-range header with 34 on the clock.

Parity lasted just three minutes, though, as Johnson produced an almost identical whipped finish to his first goal.

George Brierley replaced Delfim Luwawu at the interval but Derby re-merged with attack on their minds, and Edwards was forced into another smart stop from substitute Jaydan Davidson.

Troy Savage then made way for Corey King on the hour and the right-back had an immediate impact, standing up a cross that Okonkwo could only head over.

The result was put beyond any doubt 17 minutes from time, when good pressing won possession high and the ball eventually fell perfectly for Pouani to pick out the bottom right corner from 18 yards.

Brandon Pouani celebrates his second goal of the season

Our final three changes saw Braidin Derbyshire, Jiaming Zhang and Blayz Borgesson take the places of Pouani, Okonkwo and Johnson respectively in the 80th minute.

The final goal of the night was slightly fortuitous as Clark’s in-swinging corner was dropped over his own goal line by Nicholas Bilokapic.

There was still time for another showing of the young Clarets’ defensive prowess that had been on display all night, when Murray Campbell put his body on the line in a brave double block.

Having gained a valuable three league points, the U21s are next in action against Preston North End in the Premier League Cup on Friday 9th October.

Burnley: Edwards, Stanley, Scott, Savage (King 60), Campbell, Clark, Johnson (Borgesson80), Luwawu (Brierley HT), Okonkwo (Zhang 80), Castell, Pouani (Derbyshire 80)

Unused Substitutes: Robinson, Lewis

Derby County: Bilokapic, Gordon, Robinson, Canoville (Davidson HT), Osayande, Tola, Smith, Hodges (McAndrew 70), Oguntolu (Wren 80), Wilson (Osong 58), Jones

Unused Substitutes: Gordon, Halliwell, Banks

Goals: Johnson 2’, 37’, Oguntolu 34’, Pouani 73’, Clark 87’