MATLOCK, England (Interstat) — Visiting Norwich U21 scored four goals, including Finlay Corke’s 87th-minute winner, and survived a Derby County U21 rally for a 4-3 victory on Monday at The Proctor Cars Stadium in Matlock, Derbyshire. Derby County U21, the home side, trailed 3-0 by the 40th minute, pulled level in the 81st, then conceded the decisive goal six minutes later. The first half ended with Norwich ahead 3-0, and Derby had one yellow card. Norwich improved to 2 wins, 0 losses in the competition and 4 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw across all competitions. Derby County is 1 win, 1 loss in the competition and 1 win, 3 losses overall.

Norwich opened the scoring in the 34th minute through Luke Towler. Reuben Cooper doubled the lead in the 36th, and Jake Glossop made it 3-0 in the 40th. Norwich’s three-goal burst began with Towler’s finish, continued when Cooper scored two minutes later, and ended with Glossop’s goal four minutes after Cooper’s strike. Cooper played 62 minutes and finished with one goal and one assist. Botan Ameen played 83 minutes and recorded an assist, while Toby Chilvers supplied an assist in 28 minutes. Abam Domeracki played 90 minutes, had one assist and was shown a yellow card in the 90th minute. Norwich also received a yellow card from V. Leonard in the 57th minute.

Derby answered after halftime. Adisa Osayande scored in the 59th minute, Raymond Offor added another in the 64th, and Charlie Smith pulled Derby level in the 81st. Derby’s comeback started when Osayande scored in the 59th, and Offor made it 3-2 five minutes later. Smith then equalized with nine minutes of regulation remaining. Smith played 90 minutes and finished with one goal and two assists. Osayande and Offor each played 90 minutes and scored once. Derby also got yellow cards from F. Jones in the 38th minute and I. Gordon in the 75th minute. Norwich’s response came quickly when Corke scored in the 87th minute. Corke played 90 minutes and scored once. Towler also played 90 minutes and scored once. Glossop played 82 minutes and scored once. Domeracki’s yellow card came in the final minute, after Norwich had moved back in front. The second half produced four goals and three yellow cards. The match produced seven goals and four yellow cards overall.

Derby made four substitutions at the start of the second half, bringing on Z. Marsh, C. Wilson, M. Mintus and K. Robinson. Norwich made a halftime change with T. Adelusi, replaced Cooper in the 62nd minute, brought on E. Myles and removed Glossop in the 82nd, and replaced Ameen in the 83rd. Derby’s D. Hodges entered in the 77th minute. Norwich made five substitutions in all, and Derby used five. The changes did not produce another equalizer after Smith’s goal, and Norwich held on through the closing minutes.

Norwich entered the match after a 1-1 draw with Bristol City U21, a 4-2 win over West Ham U21, a 5-3 loss at Aldershot, a 3-2 win at Reading U21 and a 3-1 win at Exeter U21. Derby County entered after a 4-0 win at Birmingham U21, a 3-2 loss at Scunthorpe and a 4-2 loss at Brentford U21. Norwich had won three of its previous five matches, while Derby had lost three of its previous four. Norwich is next scheduled to host Exeter U21 in the Premier League Cup.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Norwich U21 3, Derby County U21 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Norwich U21 with a 63.3 percent probability to win. Norwich U21 had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 7 went under the over/under line of 3.5.