David McGoldrick’s 34th minute penalty saw Town to a final-day 1-0 away win at Derby County. The striker slotted home from the spot after Teddy Bishop had been upended by Richard Keogh.

Boss Mick McCarthy made three changes to the side which beat the MK Dons last week with midfielder Adam McDonnell handed his league debut, skipper Luke Chambers returning at right-back and Bartosz Bialkowski back in goal. Kevin Bru and Josh Emmanuel dropped out of the squad, while Dean Gerken moved to the bench.

Irish U18 international McDonnell lined up alongside Cole Skuse in one of the two deeper midfield roles with Bishop starting his second game of the season ahead of them.

Myles Kenlock was again at left-back with Jonas Knudsen still out with a knee injury. McGoldrick started as the central striker with Liam Feeney and Freddie Sears to the right and left respectively.

Derby, who had already confirmed their place in the play-offs, named an unchanged team.

The Rams threatened for the first time within the opening minute, Craig Bryson getting away from Kenlock on the right of the area before hitting a shot which Bialkowski saved. Christophe Berra cleared the loose ball.

McGoldrick struck Town’s first shot against a defender in the fifth minute with the Rams having had the better of the opening minutes. On seven, Thomas Ince shot over from distance.

A minute later, McGoldrick poked a ball through to Sears on the left of the area and the striker hit a shot which Derby keeper Scott Carson palmed past his post.

George Thorne headed wide from a corner on 18 then, following a Blues freekick won when Will Hughes fouled Bishop, McGoldrick hit a powerful volley from just outside the area which caught a defender on its way wide.

Town weren’t far away from going in front in the 28th minute when McGoldrick fed Feeney wide on the right and the on-loan Bolton man sent over a low cross, which Carson mishandled to Bishop, who tried to stab towards goal but Shackell was able to block.

Just after the half hour skipper Chambers was booked for arguing with the referee about the positioning of a Derby freekick, which Chris Martin eventually sent the wrong side of the post.

But, despite the Rams having had opportunities, the Blues had looked more threatening the longer the half had gone on and in the 34th minute they went in front from the penalty spot.

Bishop skipped into the area on the left and Keogh sent the midfielder flying with a wild challenge.

Referee Tim Robinson after some deliberation eventually pointed to the spot and was perhaps somewhat lenient in not showing Keogh, a one-time Town academy schoolboy and ballboy, a card of either colour with a red certainly not having been out of the question.

Ex-Nottingham Forest man McGoldrick stepped up and stroked his fifth goal of the season to Carson’s left to give the Blues the lead.

As Derby went about getting on terms McDonnell was booked for a late tackle on Thorne, although it was somewhat less of a foul than an earlier challenge the former Peterborough loanee had made on Bishop which had gone unpunished. Ince took the freekick, but Bialkowski was able to punch away to his left.

Russell shot over, then the Scotland international claimed a penalty when tackled by Kenlock but the Town youngster looked to have won the ball.

Keogh picked up card he really ought to have been shown earlier in the final scheduled minute of the half when he was booked for a foul on McGoldrick as his Republic of Ireland team-mate broke away from him midway inside the Derby half.

Moments before the whistle, a loose ball fell to Martin following a Rams freekick but as Skuse closed him down, the former Norwich striker blazed over.

Having weathered some early pressure from the home side, the Blues had got a foothold in the game, playing some decent stuff at times and were creating as many opportunities as the Rams by the time McGoldrick netted his penalty.

Bishop had made the type of break from midfield that the Blues have missed so much this season, although Keogh’s challenge was rash at best.

Debutant McDonnell hadn’t looked overawed, having made one or two solid tackles early on and passing neatly for the most part.

Ahead of the second half, the Blues switched Skuse for Luke Hyam, while Keogh - probably wisely ahead of the Rams’ play-off semi-final with Hull City - was swapped for Jake Buxton.

The Rams were first to seriously threaten after the restart. On 52 Martin teed-up Bryson on the edge of the box and the midfielder hit a shot which Bialkowski saved down to his right.

Soon after the resultant corner, the ball whipped in from the right and Martin flicked a header inches wide of the far post. Three minutes later, Jonathan Douglas replaced McDonnell.

The Blues were largely happy to sit back on their lead and look to catch Derby on the break, while the Rams struggled to find away through a Town backline now augmented by the additions of Hyam and Douglas.

But on 63 Martin played Russell in on goal on the left of the area but the winger shot over from a tight angle.

Three minutes later, ex-Canary Martin was yellow-carded for shoving Hyam off the ball, then on 68 the Rams striker was switched for ex-Blues frontman Darren Bent. A minute later, Bishop was replaced by Brett Pitman.

In the 71st minute Kenlock won two tackles midway inside the Town half on the left before bringing the ball forward and finding McGoldrick, who cut in from the flank and hit a shot which Carson spilled before claiming at the second attempt.

With 15 minutes left on the clock Bent sent in a dangerous ball from the right but too far in front of Bryson, then on 76 Ince shot well over from distance. Soon after, the Rams switched Hughes for Nick Blackman.

As the game moved into its final 10 minutes Derby’s Thorne required lengthy treatment for what looked a serious injury.

Players from both sides immediately screamed for medical staff to come on to the pitch, the 23-year-old appearing to have suffered a broken leg as he caught Douglas’s leg as the Town midfielder challenged as he looked to shoot.

Thorne was applauded off on a stretcher by both sets of fans and Derby ended the game with 10 men. Soon after the game restarted, the fourth official indicated eight additional minutes due the late stoppage.

Chances were rare during injury time, McGoldrick hitting a deflected effort through to Carson moments before the final whistle.

Having established their lead in the first half, the Blues allowed Derby to take the game to them after the break but were rarely in any serious trouble in the second half with the Rams’ best opportunities Bryson’s shot which Bialkowski saved, Martin’s header wide and Russell’s effort over.

The Blues occasionally threatened on the break but Carson was only really tested by McGoldrick’s strike 19 minutes from the end.

Kenlock, who had created that opportunity, put in another impressive display after a tough start, while McDonnell will be pleased with his debut.

McGoldrick continued his gradual progress towards full match fitness with another performance which promises much for next season, and perhaps for Ireland at the Euros.

Overall, a positive end to what was ultimately a disappointing season overall, a result which saw the Blues move up to seventh ahead of Cardiff, five points short of the August target of reaching the play-offs.

Derby County: Carson, Christie, Keogh (c) (Buxton 46), Shackell, Olsson, Thorne, Bryson, Hughes (Blackman 76), Ince, Russell, Martin (Bent 68). Unused: Mitchell, Hendrick, Bent, Butterfield, Weimann.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Kenlock, Skuse (Hyam 46), McDonnell (Douglas 55), Bishop (Pitman 69), Feeney, Sears, McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Digby, Foley, Varney. Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex). Att: 29,854 (Town: 1,036).

Photo: Action Images

ChestnutSe added 21:06 - May 8 Good result and a good end position given the injuries we had. The goal difference between the top 6 teams and the rest says it all really. A huge goals gap needs filling if we are to make top 6 next season. Hopefully with everyone fit we will be better equipped. I am sure Mick will fix it. COYB
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hkbluey added 07:52 - May 13 Our season was cast in stone after Day 1. . 2-0 up away at Brentford with a minute to play . . . .. Drew, . . . typical Bloos over the past 3-4 years that. .. . May have done ok for the first 2 months of the campaign but lets face it everyone knew there would be a disastrous run or two to follow. .. With sod all cash being spent, we overachieved again coming 7th i believe. . .

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