Derby County slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Northampton Town this afternoon as Sonny Bradley was sent off for a ridiculous headbutt.
Derby County missed the chance to pull seven points clear of Bolton Wanderers before they next play by losing 1-0 against Northampton Town.
A Sam Hoskins strike in the 23rd minute proved to be the difference between the two sides as the Rams put in a bitterly disappointing performance.
After winning four consecutive games on the bounce, the inconsistencies of Paul Warne‘s men showed once more as the manager made some questionable decisions.
One of those was to play Liam Thompson as an attacking midfielder, with the Derby academy graduate better used in a deep-lying midfield role.
As a result, Ebou Adams and Conor Hourihane lost the battle in the engine room and struggled to take control of the match despite recording 62% possession and firing 14 shots on goal.
Derby ultimately didn’t move the ball quickly enough or create enough chances to win the match.
Their disappointing day was then compounded by Sonny Bradley’s red card late on.
Sonny Bradley had an afternoon to forget against Northampton
Bradley more alongside Eiran Cashin and Curtis Nelson once more.
The veteran defender has looked solid since returning to the side, but today was a bad day at the office.
Not only was he sent off for a petulant headbutt, described by journalist Leigh Curtis as “moment of headloss”, he was also at fault for the first goal as he lost his marker too easily.
Writing in his post-match player ratings for the Derby Telegraph, Curtis said: “Should have done better for the first goal as it seemed too easy for Appere to find space and put over a cross for Hoskins. Sent off in stoppage time in for an apparent headbutt. Ridiculous and stupid moment of headloss. 3”
That moment of madness cost Derby in the game late on, and he will now serve a three-match ban as his headbutt was viewed as violent conduct.
The games Sonny Bradley will miss in the promotion run-in
After losing his head in the match, Bradley will now miss a large portion of Derby’s remaining six games.
He’ll be suspended for the Good Friday home clash against Blackpool (March 29), the promotion showdown against Portsmouth at Fratton Park (April 2) and the away trip to Wycombe Wanderers (April 10).
With Derby still sat in second, four points above Bolton, there is little reason to panic just yet, but the actions of Bradley in that match could yet have a bearing on how the rest of their season plans out.
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