By Lloyd Webb at Meadow Park
Summary
Kaylen Hinds hit a brace and Stephy Mavididi scored as Arsenal Under-21s beat Derby County 3-2 on Friday night.
Hinds got off the mark nine minutes into the game when he found the bottom corner from inside the box.
Derby levelled when Callum Guy converted from the spot on the half-hour mark following a foul on former Gunner Alban Bunjaku.
Hinds had a goal disallowed in the second half, before Mavididi’s header put Arsenal in front for the second time late in the game.
Hinds rounded off his performance with an injury-time strike to make it 3-1, before Shaquille McDonald hit a late consolation for the visitors moments later.
Setting The Scene
Steve Gatting made two changes to the side that beat Fulham Under-21s 1-0 in their opening game of the season seven days earlier.
Ryan Huddart replaced Matt Macey in goal, while Hinds came in for last week’s matchwinner, Gedion Zelalem.
Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Alex Iwobi and Ben Sheaf all started for the Gunners, while former Arsenal player Bunjaku started for Derby in central midfield.
First Half
Derby had the first chance of the game three minutes in when Mason Bennett tried his luck from distance, but Huddart held his shot.
Hinds gave the hosts the advantage when he powered a half-volley into the bottom corner from inside the box following neat build-up play.
The goalscorer was then involved again two minutes later when he found Mavididi with cross, but his strike partner's header flashed wide.
On the half-hour mark Guy dispatched a penalty after Huddart had tripped Bunjaku in the area.
Second Half
Arsenal started strongly after the restart when Iwobi danced his way past a number of challenges to force a good save from Joshua Barnes. The ball fell to Hinds, but he was ruled offside when he touched the ball into the empty goal.
Zanzala found himself bearing down on goal in the 54th minute but Huddart spread himself well to to claw away the Derby player's lofted effort.
Zanzala then hit the bar from a corner in the 63rd minute before the Arsenal defence managed to scramble the ball clear.
Mavididi rose above the Derby defence to conevrt Aaron Eyoma's teasing cross in the 89th minute and the drama did not stop as Hinds added a third, smashing the ball past Barnes following a threaded Iwobi pass.
McDonald went right down the other end following the restart, rounding Huddart to score again, but the Gunners held on for the three points.
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