Derby went one up just before the half-hour mark against the run of play, and Blackburn were looking doomed to another defeat when Ryan Nelsen conceded a penalty a few minutes later. Steve Howard stepped up but his sub-standard penalty was saved by Brad Friedel, and within 90 seconds Roque Santa Cruz had drawn Rovers level.
David Bentley (pictured) put in a Man of the Match performance, which was capped with the match-winning goal from 25 yards out just before the break. Derby fought admirably from then on, but were ultimately unable to break through Blackburn's defenses, with both sides having chances to kill the game in the second half.
First Half
The game began quietly, but Blackburn looked the stronger side, with David Bentley and Roque Santa Cruz posing the main threats.
The latter did well from a throw-in to nod the ball on to Benni McCarthy, whose tame shot was saved, as his goal drought now stretches to nine games.
On 20 minutes Blackburn had a goal ruled out, with David Bentley doing exceptionally well on the left to eventually cross in for Santa Cruz to head home, but the cross had unfortunately curled out of play while in the air before curling back in for the Paraguayan to knock in.
It was Derby who took a shock lead on 27 minutes when a ball skimmed into the area was touched on neatly by Giles Barnes for captain Matt Oakley to hammer home through the legs of Brad Friedel.
Derby sought to double their advantage, as they were now playing with a confidence not oft-associated with this season’s bottom club, and as Miller charged at Nelsen, the Blackburn man was booked for blocking him off.
A few minutes later Nelsen could have had his second yellow of the game and his third red of the season when his trailing leg took Miller down in the area. He avoided the booking but not the penalty, as Blackburn’s miserable run looked set to continue.
However, Brad Friedel guessed right and went low to his right as an average penalty from Steve Howard was crucially saved. Eddie Lewis was booked for an overzealous follow-up which saw him clash with Friedel, much to the disdain of the goalkeeper’s team-mates
That served as an omen, within 90 seconds Blackburn were level. David Bentley did brilliantly on the right hand side and his cross was brought down well by Benni McCarthy, his snap-shot was saved by Price, who could only watch as goal-machine Roque Santa Cruz tapped in the rebound.
Within three minutes Blackburn were in front, Tugay intercepting well, then McCarthy and Mokoena showing good strength to maintain possession and Bentley, from 25 yards out, only needed that little bit of space to drill it into the bottom corner.
Derby did have a chance to draw level before the interval, when a corner floated in was struck not once but twice by Matt Oakley – the second being well saved by Brad Friedel.
Second Half
Paul Jewell made a substation, with Leacock being substituted for Benny Feilhaber.
It was the substitute who fashioned the first chance of the second half as he ran at Blackburn and his long-range shot was well-saved by Friedel.
Morten-Gamst Pedersen found himself in space a few minutes later, but opted to go alone when a fuming Benni McCarthy had space in the middle.
It went straight back down the other end with Lewis threading an excellent through-ball to Kenny Miller, but his first touch wasn’t quite perfect and Emerton was in quickly to snuff out the danger.
The action continued with David Bentley breaking for Blackburn on 53 minutes, he laid it off for Benni McCarthy, who failed to get it out of his feet with his first touch and his shot was saved.
Amidst the end-to-end action Mokoena was lucky to avoid being sent off; he was booked for a high challenge and referee Peter Walton was lenient when a repeat offence occurred moments later.
The game slowed down, with both sides now looking to hit each other on the break, and both were found wanting with poor touches in the final third squandering many of the chances created.
Derby began pressing around 70 minutes but failed to pierce the Blackburn defense, and they broke excellently on 74 minutes, with Warnock delivering a ball across that went all the way to Bentley on the other side, whose cross was headed by Roque Santa Cruz and tipped over excellently by Price.
Santa Cruz had another weaker effort cleared off the line from the corner following a scrap for the ball, and Bentley then cut inside from the right to rifle a left-footed shot against the bottom of the near post as Derby could count themselves lucky to still be in the game at all.
Derby were the side pressing for the final 15 minutes but failed to fashion a genuine chance out of it, as Blackburn held on for a crucial victory.
Line-ups:
Derby County (4-1-3-2): Price – Mears, Davis, Johnson (Fagan, 59), McEveley – Leacock (Feilhaber, 46) – Barnes, Lewis, Lewis – Howard, Miller (Macken, 79)
Unused Substitutes: Hinchliffe, Teale
Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Friedel – Emerton, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Warnock – Bentley, Tugay (Dunn, 93), Mokoena, Pedersen (Olsson, 84) – McCarthy (Derbyshire, 87), Santa Cruz
Unused Substitutes: Brown, Berner
Goals
1-0 (Derby) Oakley, 271-1 (Blackburn) Santa Cruz, 391-2 (Blackburn) Bentley, 41
Missed Penalty: (Derby) Howard, 37
Bookings
(Blackburn) Nelsen, 32(Derby) Lewis, 37(Blackburn) Mokoena, 50(Blackburn) Warnock, 61
David Bentley (pictured) put in a Man of the Match performance, which was capped with the match-winning goal from 25 yards out just before the break. Derby fought admirably from then on, but were ultimately unable to break through Blackburn's defenses, with both sides having chances to kill the game in the second half.
First Half
The game began quietly, but Blackburn looked the stronger side, with David Bentley and Roque Santa Cruz posing the main threats.
The latter did well from a throw-in to nod the ball on to Benni McCarthy, whose tame shot was saved, as his goal drought now stretches to nine games.
On 20 minutes Blackburn had a goal ruled out, with David Bentley doing exceptionally well on the left to eventually cross in for Santa Cruz to head home, but the cross had unfortunately curled out of play while in the air before curling back in for the Paraguayan to knock in.
It was Derby who took a shock lead on 27 minutes when a ball skimmed into the area was touched on neatly by Giles Barnes for captain Matt Oakley to hammer home through the legs of Brad Friedel.
Derby sought to double their advantage, as they were now playing with a confidence not oft-associated with this season’s bottom club, and as Miller charged at Nelsen, the Blackburn man was booked for blocking him off.
A few minutes later Nelsen could have had his second yellow of the game and his third red of the season when his trailing leg took Miller down in the area. He avoided the booking but not the penalty, as Blackburn’s miserable run looked set to continue.
However, Brad Friedel guessed right and went low to his right as an average penalty from Steve Howard was crucially saved. Eddie Lewis was booked for an overzealous follow-up which saw him clash with Friedel, much to the disdain of the goalkeeper’s team-mates
That served as an omen, within 90 seconds Blackburn were level. David Bentley did brilliantly on the right hand side and his cross was brought down well by Benni McCarthy, his snap-shot was saved by Price, who could only watch as goal-machine Roque Santa Cruz tapped in the rebound.
Within three minutes Blackburn were in front, Tugay intercepting well, then McCarthy and Mokoena showing good strength to maintain possession and Bentley, from 25 yards out, only needed that little bit of space to drill it into the bottom corner.
Derby did have a chance to draw level before the interval, when a corner floated in was struck not once but twice by Matt Oakley – the second being well saved by Brad Friedel.
Second Half
Paul Jewell made a substation, with Leacock being substituted for Benny Feilhaber.
It was the substitute who fashioned the first chance of the second half as he ran at Blackburn and his long-range shot was well-saved by Friedel.
Morten-Gamst Pedersen found himself in space a few minutes later, but opted to go alone when a fuming Benni McCarthy had space in the middle.
It went straight back down the other end with Lewis threading an excellent through-ball to Kenny Miller, but his first touch wasn’t quite perfect and Emerton was in quickly to snuff out the danger.
The action continued with David Bentley breaking for Blackburn on 53 minutes, he laid it off for Benni McCarthy, who failed to get it out of his feet with his first touch and his shot was saved.
Amidst the end-to-end action Mokoena was lucky to avoid being sent off; he was booked for a high challenge and referee Peter Walton was lenient when a repeat offence occurred moments later.
The game slowed down, with both sides now looking to hit each other on the break, and both were found wanting with poor touches in the final third squandering many of the chances created.
Derby began pressing around 70 minutes but failed to pierce the Blackburn defense, and they broke excellently on 74 minutes, with Warnock delivering a ball across that went all the way to Bentley on the other side, whose cross was headed by Roque Santa Cruz and tipped over excellently by Price.
Santa Cruz had another weaker effort cleared off the line from the corner following a scrap for the ball, and Bentley then cut inside from the right to rifle a left-footed shot against the bottom of the near post as Derby could count themselves lucky to still be in the game at all.
Derby were the side pressing for the final 15 minutes but failed to fashion a genuine chance out of it, as Blackburn held on for a crucial victory.
Line-ups:
Derby County (4-1-3-2): Price – Mears, Davis, Johnson (Fagan, 59), McEveley – Leacock (Feilhaber, 46) – Barnes, Lewis, Lewis – Howard, Miller (Macken, 79)
Unused Substitutes: Hinchliffe, Teale
Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Friedel – Emerton, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Warnock – Bentley, Tugay (Dunn, 93), Mokoena, Pedersen (Olsson, 84) – McCarthy (Derbyshire, 87), Santa Cruz
Unused Substitutes: Brown, Berner
Goals
1-0 (Derby) Oakley, 271-1 (Blackburn) Santa Cruz, 391-2 (Blackburn) Bentley, 41
Missed Penalty: (Derby) Howard, 37
Bookings
(Blackburn) Nelsen, 32(Derby) Lewis, 37(Blackburn) Mokoena, 50(Blackburn) Warnock, 61
Referee: Peter Walton
Attendance: 30,048
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