Derby County Under 23s' four-game unbeaten run in Premier League 2 Division 1 came to abrupt end as four second half goals saw them lose 5-0 to a strong Leicester City outfit.

That came after the Rams had been proven to be more than a match for the Foxes in the first half, but Farrend Rawson’s unfortunate own goal saw the hosts in front at the interval at Belvoir Drive.

Harvey Barnes’ low drive after the restart really saw Leicester grow in stature and confidence, before Bartosz Kapustka, a Poland international who featured in the UEFA Euro 2016 Finals in the summer, added a third with a deflected strike after the hour mark.

Layton Ndukwu scored the pick of the goals after that before Barnes added a second from the penalty spot as the hosts extended their own unbeaten league run to six games.

It would have been difficult to foresee this final result occurring, particularly after a first half in which Darren Wassall’s men were more than a match for their vastly more experienced opponents.

Both sides had a chance apiece before the Foxes opened the scoring as Connor Wood got away down the left and delivered an awkward cross into the penalty area that hit the outstretched shin of Rawson and flicked beyond Henrich Ravas at his near post.

That aside, the Rams dominated possession, but lacked any cutting edge in the final third against a Leicester backline marshalled by Yohan Benalouane.

Alex Babos, returning to the side after a minor injury, glanced two headers well wide from deep left wing crosses, whilst on the cusp of half time he lashed a left foot shot straight into the arms of Daniel Iversen.

Before that, Kapustka also registered three chances of his own – with the foot of the post on 35 minutes denying him a goal earlier in the contest, whilst he forced a save out of Ravas at his near post with a header.

Derby entered the break still well in the game, but an early second half strike from Barnes – low across Ravas – extinguished that and from Leicester just got stronger.

The lively Ndukwu cracked a post with a vicious drive from the edge of the area on 63 minutes, but the Foxes were not to be denied as Kapustka collected possession on the left, switched the ball on to his right foot and saw his deflected effort beat Ravas.

A fourth came six minutes later as Ndukwu scored the pick of the goals with a sweet left foot curling effort that was just out of the reach of Ravas.

To their credit, Derby continued to push and probe the Leicester backline in search of a route on goal, but with five minutes remaining, the ball was moved from one end to the other in the blink of an eye and Barnes was through on goal.

Kyron Stabana rushed across to try and deny the forward, but clipped him on the way through – leaving Tom Nield, the referee, no choice but to award the penalty.

Barnes assumed control of the spot kick himself and planted it high into Ravas’ top left hand corner to cap off a hard afternoon at the Foxes’ training ground.

Leicester City U23s: Iversen, Pascanu, Wood, Miles (Rowe, 80), Benalouane, Johnson, Ndukwu, James, Mitchell, Barnes, Kapustka

Substitutes not used: Kipre, Bramley, Uche, Muskwe

Derby County U23s: Ravas, Stabana, Rawson, Lelan, Macdonald; Guy, Elsnik (Cresswell, 64), Babos (Mitchell-Lawson, 76), Vernam, Gordon; Walker (Jakobsen, 69)

Substitutes not used: Barnes, Cover

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