Deon Burton made a heroic return for Derby County, scoring the winning goal as the Rams came from behind to beat Sheffield United at Pride Park.

Making his first outing for the Rams following a loan spell with Portsmouth, substitute Burton pounced in the 84th minute to claim the points John Gregory's side.

Michael Boulding had the game's first chance just before the quarter-hour mark, but was denied in a one-on-one situation by goalkeeper Mart Poom.

Rob Lee then fired a free-kick well wide of the target as the Rams looked to bounce back, but lacking any creativity they never really looked like troubling the Blades.

The crowd then saw the best and worst of Warren Barton as the skipper first made a superb last-ditch tackle on Boulding on the edge of his own area, but then made a mistake which led to the visitors taking the lead.

Under no pressure in the 22nd minute, he slipped in his own half and the alert Michael Tonge picked up the loose ball and fed Boulding again.

Although Poom tipped his shot wide, from the resultant corner Blades defender Shaun Murphy prodded home at the second attempt to give the away side a deserved lead.

With Boulding taken off injured and replaced by Peter Ndlovu, the Blades looked a lot less threatening.

After seeing Paddy Kenny deny one of his efforts, Izale McLeod claimed his first goal for the club in the 35th minute.

Taking a terrific Lee Morris pass in his stride he coolly slotted the ball past the helpless Kenny to put the hosts on level terms.

The Rams made a rampant start to the second-half with McLeod running the Blades' defence ragged.

In the 74th minute, Deon Burton was given his first taste of action in a Rams shirt this season, at the expense of former Blades striker Lee Morris.

Then with just six minutes remaining, Burton grabbed the winner with a quality strike, pouncing on a knockdown to lash the ball into the back of the net.

Derby: Poom, Barton, Evatt, Higginbotham, Hunt, Boertien, Bolder, Lee, Kinkladze, Morris, McLeod. Subs: Grant, Elliott, Burton, Twigg, Huddlestone

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Kozluk, Murphy, Page, Yates, Tonge, McCall, Brown, Jagielka, Boulding, Asaba. Subs: Ten Heuvel, Montgomery, Ndlovu, McGovern, Harley.

Referee: D Elleray (Middlesex)