Derby County 0-1 Middlesbrough
Bottom club Derby County suffered their seventh successive Barclays Premier League defeat and are now six points adrift of the team above them.In Paul Jewell’s first home match in charge, it took a third goal in successive matches from Turkey International Tuncay Sanli to give Middlesbrough victory.The goal came against the run of the play at the time, and it was totally out of keeping with what had gone before. Tuncay’s 38th-minute strike oozed quality as he stroked a sidefoot volley beyond Stephen Bywater from 15 yards in meeting a first-time cross from left winger Stewart Downing.
The goal stood out like a beacon, and after a run of 11 successive matches without a win for the visitors, it is now two on the trot for manager Gareth Southgate’s side to lift them clear of the relegation zone.
Teenage star Giles Barnes, Matt Oakley and substitute Jay McEveley - who had replaced the injured Andy Griffin in the 29th minute - all tried their luck from distance.
Mark Schwarzer, returning in goal after missing the last two matches with a broken thumb, was smartly down on each occasion to smother the respective shots on his goal-line.
Derby’s best effort in the opening 45 minutes came within a minute of Tuncay’s sweet strike, with Kenny Miller clipping the outside of the right-hand post with a shot on the turn from the edge of the area.
The only other moment of quality had earlier arrived in the fourth minute. Taking advantage of the open space at left-back, Tuncay played an inch-perfect ball into the feet of Gary O’Neil, resulting in a searing angled drive that was superbly saved by Bywater.
The Rams goalkeeper then kept his side in the match eight minutes into the second half as Boro should have killed it off.
But Bywater produced a stunning fingertip stop to turn a first-time drive from Downing inches past the left-hand post following an electrifying break to Tuncay to tee up the England winger.
Moments later, and with Derby’s defence rocking, Boro captain George Boateng then planted a header against the left-hand post after diving onto a cross inside the area from Fabio Rochemback.
It prompted Jewell into a positive change as he brought on last week’s goalscorer in the 4-1 defeat at Manchester United in striker Steve Howard for Gary Teale in the 56th minute.
With the Rams playing 4-4-2, and with Barnes switched to his more natural right-wing position, it offered Derby greater stability.
It was Barnes who had Derby’s best two chances in a closing 30 minutes they primarily dominated as Boro were forced to defend in numbers.
But one 20-yard effort was dragged wide, while another from just inside the area was coolly plucked out of the air by Schwarzer.
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