Goals by Robbie Savage and Paul Green lifted Derby into fourth place with a fine win against in-form Portsmouth.
The Rams started brightly and opened the scoring with a coolly-taken Robbie Savage penalty after Tomasz Cywka was hauled down by skipper Aaron Mokoena.
Shefki Kuqi, James Bailey and Cywka wasted chances for Derby before Green poked in after linking up with Cywka.
Pompey introduced Kanu late on who almost grabbed a consolation goal but fired wildly over with 10 minutes left.
Derby's third consecutive win in the league and fifth at home was rarely in doubt for Nigel Clough's high-flying side and it was a game they started in dominant fashion.
Keeper Jamie Ashdown pulled off a magnificent save on 11 minutes to keep out a stinging shot by Kris Commons from eight yards but they did not have to wait too long for the crucial opener.
Soon after Dave Kitson went close for the visitors, Polish star Cywka was fouled inside the box by Mokoena with Savage making no mistake from the spot.
After Cywka's strike doubled the lead, more chances followed as Kuqi nodded wide but back came Portsmouth who should have set up a dramatic finish with Kanu blazing over.
The game almost finished in a blaze of glory for Derby as keeper Ashdown had to scramble back brilliantly to save a long-range effort from Commons.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Derby
2-0
Portsmouth
FT
(HT 1-0)
Savage (pen) 23
Green 58
Derby
34 Fielding
02 Brayford
05 Barker
06 Leacock yellow card
21 Moxey
04 Green
08 Savage (Pearson 65)
16 Bailey
19 Cywka
09 Kuqi (Addison 81)
10 Commons (Doyle 90+2)
Substitutes
30 Atkins,
03 Roberts,
20 Addison,
11 Pearson,
15 Martin,
18 Pringle,
23 Doyle
Portsmouth
01 Ashdown
02 Halford
03 Dickinson
20 Ward (Kanu 61)
25 Sonko
04 Mokoena yellow card
07 Lawrence
08 Mullins yellow card
11 Brown (Hughes 75)
17 Utaka
18 Kitson
Substitutes
37 Flahavan,
06 Hreidarsson,
33 Rocha,
22 Hughes,
24 Ciftci,
27 Kanu
Ref: WebsterAtt: 29,086
DERBY
PORTSMOUTH
Possession
Derby52%
Portsmouth48%
Attempts on target
Derby8
Portsmouth0
Attempts off target
Derby6
Portsmouth7
Corners
Derby1
Portsmouth3
Fouls
Derby16
Portsmouth14
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+6:26 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
90:00+5:45 Header on goal by Nwankwo Kanu from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.
90:00+1:29 Substitution Kris Commons goes off and Conor Doyle comes on.
90:00+1:00 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Green on Richard Hughes. Direct free kick taken by Jamie Ashdown.
90:00+0:19 Shot from deep inside the area by Carl Dickinson clears the bar.
88:55 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on James Bailey by Hayden Mullins. Dean Leacock takes the direct free kick.
88:55 Booking The referee shows Hayden Mullins a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
83:46 The ball is sent over by Liam Lawrence, clearance by Shaun Barker.
83:11 Kris Commons takes a shot. Save made by Jamie Ashdown.
81:24 Tomasz Cywka concedes a free kick for a foul on Greg Halford. Aaron Mokoena takes the free kick.
80:21 Substitution Miles Addison replaces Shefki Kuqi.
80:07 Shot by Nwankwo Kanu from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.
79:10 Nwankwo Kanu gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shaun Barker. Frank Fielding takes the direct free kick.
74:20 Foul by Dean Leacock on Dave Kitson, free kick awarded. Liam Lawrence restarts play with the free kick.
74:20 Substitution Richard Hughes on for Michael Brown.
73:09 The ball is swung over by Carl Dickinson, Shefki Kuqi manages to make a clearance.
72:33 Nwankwo Kanu fouled by James Bailey, the ref awards a free kick. Liam Lawrence delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel.
71:29 Unfair challenge on Hayden Mullins by Stephen Pearson results in a free kick. Hayden Mullins takes the free kick.
70:44 The offside flag is raised against Liam Lawrence. Indirect free kick taken by Frank Fielding.
66:57 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Tomasz Cywka, Header by Shefki Kuqi from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.
66:45 The ball is sent over by Stephen Pearson, blocked by Ibrahima Sonko.
66:04 Free kick awarded for a foul by Carl Dickinson on Tomasz Cywka. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Kris Commons from right wing.
65:40 The ball is swung over by Tomasz Cywka, clearance made by Ibrahima Sonko.
64:43 Substitution Stephen Pearson replaces Robbie Savage.
63:52 Robbie Savage gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nwankwo Kanu. Aaron Mokoena restarts play with the free kick.
62:43 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Aaron Mokoena by Kris Commons. Jamie Ashdown restarts play with the free kick.
61:46 Effort from the edge of the area by John Brayford goes wide of the right-hand post.
60:43 Substitution Nwankwo Kanu joins the action as a substitute, replacing Joel Ward.
59:02 Greg Halford produces a cross.
57:02 Assist on the goal came from Tomasz Cywka.
57:02 GOAL - Paul Green:Derby 2 - 0 Portsmouth Paul Green gets on the score sheet with a goal from close range to the bottom left corner of the goal. Derby 2-0 Portsmouth.
56:26 Shaun Barker takes a shot. Save made by Jamie Ashdown.
55:19 Carl Dickinson handles the ball and concedes a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Kris Commons.
50:44 Shot by Kris Commons. Save made by Jamie Ashdown.
50:07 Liam Lawrence produces a cross, Kris Commons makes a clearance.
49:39 Short corner taken by Liam Lawrence.
49:34 Centre by Liam Lawrence, clearance by Dean Leacock.
48:50 Headed effort from inside the box by Ibrahima Sonko misses to the right of the target.
48:12 Shaun Barker challenges Dave Kitson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Carl Dickinson takes the free kick.
47:53 Free kick awarded for a foul by Tomasz Cywka on Carl Dickinson. Direct free kick taken by Liam Lawrence.
47:28 Greg Halford challenges Dean Moxey unfairly and gives away a free kick. Frank Fielding restarts play with the free kick.
47:10 Free kick awarded for a foul by Shaun Barker on Dave Kitson. Liam Lawrence takes the free kick.
46:14 The ball is swung over by Carl Dickinson, clearance made by James Bailey.
45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.
Half Time
45:00+2:19 The match has reached half-time.
45:00+0:23 Dean Leacock gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Utaka. Direct free kick taken by Liam Lawrence.
45:00+0:23 Booking Dean Leacock goes into the referee's book.
44:39 Unfair challenge on Frank Fielding by Joel Ward results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Frank Fielding.
44:05 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Liam Lawrence, clearance by Shaun Barker.
43:59 The ball is crossed by Greg Halford, blocked by Dean Leacock.
40:28 Tomasz Cywka takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the bar.
39:33 John Brayford sends in a cross, Effort from inside the area by James Bailey misses to the right of the target.
38:27 The assistant referee signals for offside against John Utaka. Frank Fielding takes the indirect free kick.
37:29 Greg Halford gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on James Bailey. Dean Leacock takes the direct free kick.
36:52 Shot from inside the area by Shefki Kuqi clears the bar.
36:33 John Brayford crosses the ball, Shefki Kuqi takes a shot. Blocked by Aaron Mokoena.
34:39 The official flags John Utaka offside. Frank Fielding restarts play with the free kick.
33:02 Foul by Dean Moxey on Greg Halford, free kick awarded. Michael Brown takes the free kick.
32:04 Liam Lawrence has an effort at goal from outside the area which misses left.
30:52 Tomasz Cywka produces a volleyed right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the right-hand post.
29:23 John Utaka crosses the ball, save by Frank Fielding.
27:24 Short corner worked by Liam Lawrence.
27:15 Joel Ward delivers the ball, John Brayford gets a block in.
26:07 Joel Ward fouled by Kris Commons, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Joel Ward.
22:09 Aaron Mokoena challenges Tomasz Cywka unfairly and gives away a Penalty.
20:29 Centre by Dean Moxey, Carl Dickinson manages to make a clearance.
20:21 A cross is delivered by Dean Moxey, Aaron Mokoena manages to make a clearance.
20:05 The ball is crossed by Tomasz Cywka, Hayden Mullins makes a clearance.
19:47 Foul by Robbie Savage on Dave Kitson, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Dave Kitson.
19:32 The ball is delivered by Robbie Savage, clearance made by Aaron Mokoena.
18:24 Effort from the edge of the area by Dave Kitson goes wide of the right-hand upright.
17:55 Dave Kitson concedes a free kick for a foul on John Brayford. Robbie Savage takes the direct free kick.
17:13 Shot from just outside the box by Carl Dickinson goes over the bar.
16:49 The ball is swung over by Shefki Kuqi, Jamie Ashdown makes a comfortable save.
16:01 Shaun Barker delivers the ball, Dave Kitson gets a block in.
14:46 Greg Halford concedes a free kick for a foul on Kris Commons. Direct free kick taken by Kris Commons.
13:04 Free kick awarded for a foul by Dean Leacock on Dave Kitson. Aaron Mokoena takes the direct free kick.
12:26 Tomasz Cywka takes a shot. Comfortable save by Jamie Ashdown.
11:45 Kris Commons takes a shot. Save by Jamie Ashdown.
6:30 Aaron Mokoena challenges Kris Commons unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Robbie Savage.
6:30 Booking Aaron Mokoena booked.
4:35 Foul by Aaron Mokoena on Shefki Kuqi, free kick awarded. Dean Leacock takes the free kick.
4:06 The ball is crossed by John Brayford.
2:38 Hayden Mullins gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kris Commons. Kris Commons has a direct shot on goal from the free kick, save by Jamie Ashdown.
2:10 Unfair challenge on Robbie Savage by Michael Brown results in a free kick. Robbie Savage takes the direct free kick.
1:32 Carl Dickinson concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Green. Robbie Savage restarts play with the free kick.
0:14 Paul Green challenges Joel Ward unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Jamie Ashdown.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.
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