West Brom celebrated a memorable 1-0 victory over Derby at Pride Park after playing for more than an hour with 10 men. The visitors went in front through Aune Heggebo only to have Brayann Pereira sent off on his debut for a second yellow card. Pereira could have no complaints about the decision but his side showed determination and character to hold on despite almost constant second-half pressure.
Derby had their moments but created few clear-cut chances with the best falling to striker Lars-Jorgen Salvesen who headed over from eight yards. There was one nervous moment deep in added time when the visitors survived a huge scramble on the edge of the six-yard box but they held on for a win that takes them top of the Championship table. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Derby made a confident start with Sam Szmodics causing problems but it was West Brom who took the lead in the 16th minute against the run of play.
A fast counter opened Derby up and Jimmy-Jay Morgan whipped in a low cross from the left which Heggebo finished at the near post. After Derby's previous home game ended in defeat to Swansea, it was important they did not concede again and Heggebo headed a decent chance over from eight yards in the 25th minute. But the visitors were rocked by the dismissal of Pereira in the 34th minute after he was shown a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Charlie Taylor.
Pereira knew it was reckless given the earlier booking and pulled his shirt over his head as he left the pitch. It opened the door for Derby, who went close in the 43rd minute when David Ozoh flashed a low ball across the six-yard box with no white shirt able to turn it in. The start of the second half brought more problems for West Brom after Nolan Galves was injured in a challenge and had to be helped off the pitch.
Derby were turning up the heat and should have equalised in the 68th minute but Salvesen headed over from Joe Ward's cross. That was the best chance Derby had created since the break, which was a testament to the way West Brom had defended under sustained pressure. There was one last chance for Derby right at the end when Henrik Meister knocked the ball past Max O'Leary but Nat Phillips made a great clearance to sum up a performance full of grit and resolve.
Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k! "Obviously frustrated but I thought we started the game really well and even when we went a goal down I thought the whole of the first half was a real positive from my point of view. "The lads did exactly what I wanted them to do and we had a couple of chances first half which we couldn't put away.
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