Lewis Dobbin scored his first ever senior goal in league competition as Derby County beat Cambridge United 1-0 on Friday evening.
The result means the Rams close out 2022 14 games unbeaten in all competitions and the three points sees them move up to fifth in Sky Bet League One.
Derby started the game dominating possession and it was evident early doors that the visitors were content with a night sitting behind the ball and trying to catch the Rams on the break.
The first attempt on target came after 10 minutes with Louie Sibley cutting inside and firing a tame effort at the Cambridge keeper from 20-yards out.
James Collins spun and hit a nice half-volley from the edge of the area that was well dealt with by Will Mannion whilst Dobbin also tested the U's keeper in the opening 20.
Korey Smith, the man who hasn't scored for five years, had the best opportunity to open the scoring after half-an-hour. The midfielder ghosted in between the two Cambridge central defenders and got on the end of a Nathaniel Mendez-Laing cross but his header was well held by Mannion.
Dobbin and Mendez-Laing both fizzed a dangerous balls across the box just prior to the break but with the net gaping, nobody was able to connect with either.
David McGoldrick was the first to go close after the restart when he hooked Dobbin's cross towards goal but it was well blocked by a defender.
The Rams finally broke the deadlock before the hour mark and it was that man Dobbin who scored his first senior goal in league competition. Mendez-Laing did brilliantly to stand up a cross for the striker who timed his run perfectly and fired an unstoppable header past Mannion to put Paul Warne's side in front.
It looked like it was going to be two soon after when those two again burst through on the Cambridge defence but with a two on one situation developing, the U's defender did brilliantly to get back and deny the Rams from doubling their lead.
The visitors fired a warning to Derby when Sam Smith forced Joe Wildsmith into his first save of the night with a little under 20 minutes remaining but the Rams stopper got down well to hold the well struck shot.
Eiran Cashin who was dominant at the back all night nearly delivered up the other end when his first-time volley cannoned off of the post.
With five minutes additional time signalled there could have been time for some jitters from Warne's men but they didn't show and the Rams saw the game out in a comfortable and professional manner.
Three points for Derby County sees them leap frog Bolton Wanderers into fifth in Sky Bet League One and move to 14 games unbeaten in all competitions.
Attendance: 26,954 (1,172 Cambridge United fans)
Derby County: Wildsmith (GK), Forsyth, Hourihane (68' Knight), Cashin, Bird (C), Collins, McGoldrick (90' Davies), Mendez-Laing, Smith, Sibley, Dobbin (73' Barkhuizen)
Substitutes not used: Loach (GK), Roberts, Thompson, Osula
Cambridge United: Mannion (GK), Williams, Digby, Taylor (C), Brophy, Smith, Lankester (74' Ironside), Okedina, Tracey (74' Janneh), Knibbs, Worman (77' Simper)
Substitutes not used: Holden (GK), Hoddle
The Rams return to Pride Park in just a few days when they kick off 2023 at home against Accrington Stanley on Monday (3pm kick-off).
