This could prove to be the crucial victory in Derby County Under 23s’ season.

Alex Babos’ second half finish settled a tight meeting with Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium, as they secured possibly their biggest three points yet of their maiden Premier League 2 Division 1 campaign.The result on the south-coast moves Darren Wassall’s side out of the relegation zone with just one game remaining – a home clash with Chelsea on Friday 5th May at Pride Park Stadium.As big as the meeting was for Derby, it was equally so for Southampton, who started the night just three points off the bottom two themselves.With three points so important for both outfits, this was naturally a very tight game over the course of the 90 minutes.After a perfectly observed one minute silence, served in the memory of the sad passing Ugo Ehiogu, the Saints just about shaded what was largely an even first half on the south-coast.In terms of chances, the better ones fell Southampton’s way.Josh Sims tried his luck early doors, forcing Kelle Roos to palm away his 20-yard drive, whilst Sam McQueen registered a further two efforts.The left full back cleared the crossbar with both openings, shooting, awkwardly, first time from Callum Slattery’s lay-off, before the 22-year-old went closer with a free kick on the edge of the area.The best of the first half chances fell to Ryan Seager.The former Crewe Alexandra loanee was eagerly awaiting in the six-yard box as Armani Little, the substitute, got away down the right. The right back slid the ball into the path of Seager, who stuck a leg out to his cross, but could divert the ball wide of the far post.By this time, the Rams had only had tentative sightings of Mouez Hassen’s goal.Emil Riis Jakobsen, the in-form Danish forward, dragged one effort wide from range, whilst Mason Bennett had a similar chance after charging down the middle of the pitch.From the 30-minute mark until half-time, Wassall’s men enjoyed their strongest spell in possession, but failed to turn that into clear scoring opportunities as the contest entered the break goalless.Just as they did at the beginning of the first 45 minutes, the Saints started the second half strongly, dictating possession as they penned the visitors deep inside their own half.The opening 10 minutes had been relatively quiet until chances started to come with the control Southampton had.Harrison Reed sent a free kick over, whilst a vital challenge from Kyron Stabana, making his first start after three months out injured, prevented Sims a tap in as he turned behind Olufela Olomola’s teasing low cross from the right, before the forward could turn it past Roos.It had been all Southampton, but the crucial moment came 20 minutes into the second period as the Rams broke the deadlock.From a central position, Bennett played the ball into the feet of Babos, who in turn found Cameron Cresswell. The wideman, with two men around him, drove into the area and then showed great invention to back heel the ball back into the feet of the lurking Babos, who found the far bottom corner.The remainder of the contest opened up from that moment on – a clear indication of how important this game was.Saints reacted strongly, instantly introducing Nathan Tella, who had signed earlier in the day from Arsenal, but the Rams had two golden opportunities to add a crucial second goal.Babos had the first, breaking away from a Saints corner to find himself one-on-one with the hosts’ goalkeeper Hassen, but the Derby man was denied by the shot stopper, who stood up tall.Jakobsen had the second and, arguably, the clearer of the two after Max Bird pinched back possession deep inside the Saints territory and laid the ball on a platter for the forward, who placed his side footed effort agonisingly wide of the far post.Thankfully, the misses didn’t come back to haunt Wassall’s side.Naturally, Southampton piled the pressure on as the clock ticked down, but as was the case right from the very start, Alex Cover and Ethan Wassall got their heads on everything that came into the box as the Rams claimed a priceless victory on the south-coast that moved them out on the Premier League 2 Division 1 relegation zone with just one game remaining.Hassen, Valery (Little, 11, Afolabi, 75), Gardos, Martina, McQueen, Jones, Reed (C), Slattery, Sims, Olomola (Tella, 66), SeagerLewis, WoodRoos, Stabana, Cover, Wassall, Macdonald; Bird, Elsnik (Karic, 43), Babos; Cresswell (Bogle, 90), Bennett (Thomas, 78), JakobsenRavas, Mitchell-LawsonTweets by @ dcfcofficial