Derby County took all three points in a battling 1-0 win over Middlesbrough as Sky Bet Championship football returned to Pride Park Stadium on Saturday.
A first half goal from Kayden Jackson saw Derby take a lead that they refused to yield against heavy pressure from a dangerous-looking Middlesbrough team.
Derby came into the game looking to register their first league points of the season but feeling positive after securing qualification to Round Two of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 home win against Chesterfield on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough also came into the contest confident off the back of an impressive 3-0 away win against Leeds United in Round One of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and a 1-0 season success at home to Swansea in their season opener.
Middlesbrough mounted a warning in the eighth minute when Isiah Jones nearly found Emmanuel Latte Lath at the back post, but his outstretched leg only met the ball to send it wide.
Jackson responded with Derby's first opportunity after some good pressure and hassling by the winger alongside Nathaniel Mendez-Laing won him the ball back inside the box. But the shot was dealt with, albeit awkwardly, by Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng.
Jackson netted Derby’s first home Championship goal in over two years after he pounced on a communication error by the Middlesbrough defence on the halfway line. Jackson ran the length of the pitch and held his nerve in a one-on-one with Dieng - who he manoeuvred around and tapped the ball into the back of the net.
Boro’s attempt to mount an immediate response was thwarted by defending from Callum Elder and Eiran Cashin, but in the process, the Rams’ centre-back sustained an injury that saw him dismissed from the field with Sonny Bradley coming on to replace him.
Josh Vickers leapt into action in the 22nd minute as Finn Azaz spun the ball towards the bottom left corner of the goal, but the Derby shot-stopper dived to get his hand to the ball and strongly parried it wide.
Warne was forced into his second substitution after the resulting corner, as Kane Wilson took a knock that saw him replaced by Ryan Nyambe.
Azaz took another swing at the ball in the 27th minute as he was neatly teed up by Latte Lath to shoot, but the Boro attacking midfielder drove the ball spinning wide of the post.
As the visitors ramped up the pressure toward the half-hour mark, they saw several chances thwarted by the Rams’ defence, as Bradley and Vickers were both equal to shots from Morris and Azaz.
But the Rams held firm when under the cosh, as they held firm in defence and utilised Jackson and Mendez-Laing to drive them forward, but they couldn’t find an opening.
Just before the half time whistle Mendez-Laing picked the pocket of Luke Ayling to run in behind, but Boro defender Rav Van Den Burg intercepted his pass to an onrushing James Collins to deny the Rams the opportunity to double their lead.
Derby looked lively coming out of the blocks in the second period, as a burst of chances came their way, with Collins’ attempt to find Kenzo Goudmijn at the far post nearly seeing the midfielder in open space to shoot. Moments later Ben Osborn’s shot fired towards a crowded box and was blocked by Boro’s charging defence.
Azaz again looked to be the visitors’ goal threat in the 55th minute as he directed the ball low towards the bottom corner and forced it just beyond the post.
Derby braved a ten-minute spell from Middlesbrough as they came onto the Rams and forced them back into their own half, and created chances with Lukas Engles, Delano Burgzorg combining with Latte Lath and Azaz – but nothing came of it.
Ebou Adams looked to stem the tide as Warne brought him onto the field of play to replace Goudmijn.
Hackney forced a superb stop from Vickers in the 65th minute as the Derby goalkeeper jumped to claw the long-range effort away from goal. Burgzorg put the ball into the back of the net from the resulting set-piece but was found to be in an offside position when he headed the ball into the goal.
Boro came close again in the 69th minute as Burgzorg also fancied his chances from range, but the shot ricocheted off the upright of the goal post.
A triple change from Warne saw Craig Forsyth, Tom Barkhuizen and Liam Thompson introduced to the action, with David Ozoh, Collins and Mendez-Laing making way as the Rams looked to secure their lead
The final knockings of the game, which went into five minutes of added time, saw Derby hold Middlesbrough as the visitors kept pushing for the equaliser, but Warne's men remained stubborn.
Derby County Starting XI: Vickers (GK), Wilson (Nyambe 24), Nelson, Cashin (Bradley 20), Elder, Ozoh (Forsyth 74), Goudmijn (Adams 61), Osborn, Jackson, Collins (Thompson 74), Mendez-Laing (C) (Barkhuizen 74).
On The Bench: Zetterström (GK), Ward, Brown.
Middlesbrough Starting XI: Dieng (GK), Ayling (C), Hackney (Coburn 90), Clarke, Van Den Berg, Morris (Barlaser 68), Jones (Hamilton 68), Engel, Azaz (Conway 77), Burgzorg, Latte Lath.
On The Bench: Brynn, Djiksteel, Gilbert, McCormick, Hunt.
Referee: Robert Madley
Assistant Referees: Blake Antrobus, Darren Williams
Fourth Official: Sebastian Stockbridge
29,443.
Derby head back out on the road in the Sky Bet Championship with a clash against Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday 24th August (3pm kick-off).
