Derby 0 West Brom 1: Baggies claim brilliant win with 10 men

Few results can get Albion supporters believing something special might be brewing than winning at Derby.

Not least when it is achieved like this.

Just Albion’s second league win away to the Rams in 107 years was secured despite playing more than half the match with 10 men and losing both right-backs in the course of 90 minutes.

After Brayann Pereira was sent-off 34 minutes into his Baggies debut at Pride Park, Nolan Galves departed through injury early in the second half.

And yet despite history and the odds being stacked against them, Albion prevailed thanks to a performance of grit and determination which spoke volumes of their character.

Aune Heggebo’s 16th minute goal, which came from their only shot on target, earned a victory which, albeit at an early stage of the season, sent them top of the Championship table.

It was also the first time Derby boss John Eustace had lost to the Baggies in eight matches as a manager.

Truly, this was a special night.

It had been clear from the opening minutes Pereira, one of three changes to the team which started Saturday’s win over Watford, would not be in for a quiet night as Derby targeted Albion’s right-hand side.

His first contribution was a good one, cutting out a low cross which looked like presenting Mo Fuseini with a tap-in at the far post.

The Baggies were being pushed back but scored the first time they attacked with purpose. An Isaac Price pass was cut out, Callum Styles pounded on the bouncing ball and raced past Sondre Langas.

The visiting player appeared to be pulled back but there wasn’t enough time for referee James Bell to decide whether it was a foul before Morgan crossed low and Heggebo finished first time past Jacob Zetterstrom.

Heggebo sent a header off target soon after but while the Baggies were never ahead, you never quite felt they had control and the complexion of the match then changed completely with Pereira’s dismissal.

The right-back, already on a booking for pulling back Fuseini, had been told to calm down by Morrison after giving away a needless foul in the Derby half.

But the advice was not heeded. Having miscontrolled Max O’Leary’s pass, he lunged in as Charlie Taylor went to win the ball, bringing the former Albion loanee crashing to the ground.

Pereira was himself hurt as Taylor went over the top of him but the defender knew what was coming as soon as he regained his feet, referee James Bell brandished a second yellow and then the red card.

Morrison brought on Galves for Harry Whitwell but with seven minutes of the second half the former had also left the pitch, hurt after fouling Fuseini.

That prompted another reshuffle, Callum Styles switching to right-back and Conor Townsend moving to the left as the home side ramped up the pressure. Substitute Lars-Jorgen Salvesen sent a good headed chance too close to O’Leary.

It was backs to the wall stuff for the Baggies but they were not afraid to put their bodies on the line, Ousmane Diakite prompting a loud roar from the away end when he threw himself in the way of the shot.

When Derby did get a good sight of goal, they couldn’t get their efforts on target. Salvesen should have done better than head an inviting Joe Ward cross over the bar.

Confidence in the away end was growing but a nervy moment arrived when O’Leary and Townsend both left the ball for each other, before it was hacked clear.

In the final seconds Derby then looked certain to score when O’Leary was beaten to a through ball by Henrik Meister but a mixture of Styles and Nat Phillips somehow kept the ball out of the net, as the Baggies held on to claim a famous win.

Derby (4-2-3-1): Zetterstrom, Langas, Sanderson (Salvesen HT), Cashin (Blackett-Taylor 84), Taylor, Ozoh (Meister 63), Mowatt, Clark, Szmodics, Hedges (Ward HT), Fuseini Subs not used: Johnston, Nyambe, Fraulo, Offor, Vickers (gk).

Albion (4-4-2): O’Leary, Pereira, Phillips, Campbell, Styles, Whitwell (Galves 37 (Townsend 52)), Molumby, Diakite, Price, Morgan, Heggebo (Nzingoula HT) Subs: Mepham, Collyer, Tunde, Horn Myhre, Stewart, Cisse (gk).