Derby County were left stunned by a Josh Windass wondergoal as Sheffield Wednesday ensured the Rams made a miserable start to 2025 with a 4-2 win at Hillsborough.

Derby struggled to find their rhythm and range early on and it just took nine minutes for them to be punished as Djeidi Gassama beat Sonny Bradley for pace before prodding into the path of Shea Charles. He just managed to keep the ball in play and cut it back for Barry Bannan who slid in a simple finish. Derby summoned a response as they began to pose a threat from set-pieces.

Kane Wilson headed over from virtually underneath the crossbar before Nat Phillips saw James Beadle keep his header out on the line. The chances kept coming as Wilson lashed over the bar. But the best chance came before half-time when Kenzo Goudmijn whipped a cross to the back post for Jerry Yates who somehow hit the post from three yards.

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Warne made three changes at the break as Liam Thompson, Callum Elder and Dajaune Brown were all sent on to try to help the Rams find an equaliser. But Jacob Widell Zetterstrom had to be alert when he kept out a Shea Charles shot from distance before Brown saw a shot saved by Beadle. Gassama then hit the post for Wednesday before they made it 2-0 when substitute Josh Windass lobbed Zetterstrom from inside his own half.

Before Derby could gather their senses Gassama made it 3-0 as he showed too much pace for the defence before Yates made it 3-1 with a tap in from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's cross. Substitute Anthony Musaba made it 4-1 when he slotted in at the second attempt. Ebou Adams made it 4-2 at the death with a sweet strike on the volley.

Here are all the talking points from the game yesterday

A strange game

If we judge Derby County on their attacking performance here at Hillsborough, then it was comfortably their best of the season. They enjoyed 60 per cent possession, their highest of the campaign, and had 17 shots at goal, eight of which were on target. Of those chances created, several were gilt-edged, most notably Jerry Yates' before half-time, when he hit the post from about three yards out.

It feels like this Derby side has to create two or three chances to score one, while Wednesday's level of finishing from their eight shots on target carried a 50 per cent conversion rate.

While Derby's attack away from Pride Park was perhaps their most adventurous to date, defensively, it was also their most open. That was not helped by turning possession over in attack to be hit with pace on the counter for two of the goals. With a back three not particularly blessed with the speed of Billy Whizz, there would only be one winner in those footraces.

Back at Leeds a few weeks ago, Derby were criticised in some quarters for being too guarded. Here, they were much more threatening, but the trade-off was that they ended up shipping in the most goals they have all season — albeit one was an outrageous strike from Josh Windass.

It made it a hard game to judge in many respects. Were Derby worse than Wednesday? The stats certainly say they were superior. But the scoreline tells a different story. Going through both games against Danny Rohl's side, Derby deserved more than zero points based on chances created. The lesson here? Well, it's rather simple. They just aren't clinical enough.

Windass wondergoal

Unsurprisingly, all the media wanted a piece of Josh Windass after his extraordinary 70-yard lob commanded the headlines. Nine times out of 10, perhaps that effort sails into Leppings Lane or drifts wide of the target.

But this is Derby, a team that does not seem blessed with much fortune. Could Jacob Widell Zetterstrom have not been so far off his line? Possibly. But sometimes you just have to accept it was just a technically brilliant goal.

It felt like a hammer blow at a key time in the game and Warne said it felt like a dagger. It didn't puncture Derby's confidence going forward as they continued to create openings, but it proved too much of a mountain to climb.

Derby could and should have been level before Windass intervened. Had Yates struck before half-time with a shot that hit the post from three yards, perhaps the momentum would have shifted as Wednesday fans were getting a little edgy. As it transpired, they needed a slice of genius to give them some breathing space.

Help needed

The January transfer window is open for business although no signings are currently imminent. Warne admitted once again that he will look to strengthen and it's clear he does need some help, particularly at the top end of the pitch.

Wednesday's subs all made a difference just as they did at Pride Park a few weeks back. Apart from Dajaune Brown who had a good chance in the second half, nobody really made an impact.

Warne must cast envious glances at every bench he comes up against because at this level, teams carry genuine game-changers. Derby do not have that luxury. Of the subs that came on, all of them were part of last season's squad.

It will be a pivotal month because you can expect all the teams around them to strengthen. Hull will definitely back Ruben Selles, Stoke will do the same with Mark Robins. Plymouth will do business as will Portsmouth and so on and so on.

While Warne stopped short of naming the positions, a striker is definitely needed, and another winger would not go amiss, given Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's continued fluctuating form. What they do this month may well be the difference between a comfortable end to the season or a nervy one.

Kane Wilson continues to delight

There is something immensely lovable about the Derby full-back who is certainly in the best form of his career. He plays without fear, he always attacks the space and he carries some unpredictability which must make him a nightmare for defenders.

They nickname him the Buffalo for the way he charges forward, but there is a lot to like about his free-spirited nature. Wilson is out of contract in the summer, but if keeps this up he's going to make it very hard for Derby not to shove another one under his nose. He continues to be Derby's best-attacking outlet and this was a game he could have scored twice in - the first was a header he put over the bar from close range, the second a fierce drive that was diverted over the bar.

He makes Derby fun to watch and somebody who always tries to make things happen.

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