‘Dream start’ for Miller as debut goal seals points

Derby County 1 Newcastle 0

The Scot scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute to sink Newcastle and move Billy Davies’ team above Bolton.

Afterwards he said: “It’s a dream start – it’s great to get our first win and I think we deserve it.

“The lads worked hard and it was a massive team effort.”

“We had to defend well and nick a goal – the lads at the back were fantastic tonight.”

Not surprisingly Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce saw things differently describing Miller’s winner as ‘‘a sickener’’.

He said: “In the end we were beaten by a wonder goal. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up, there was very little anybody could have done with what the strike was about. Probably 49 times out of 50 it would go over the bar. Tonight it went into the back of net. It was great for Derby, and a bit of a sickener for us.’’

The home side got off to a positive start, Howard lining up a shot and seeing his effort pushed out for a corner after just 30 seconds.

Newcastle served notice of their attacking threat when a quick pass to James Milner down the left caught the Derby defence cold, but when the ball came to Rozehnal 12 yards out – and with Bywater nowhere – he powered the ball wide of the left-hand post.

Then Geremi hit a fine free-kick as the game continued to open up but it was Derby, and Miller, who broke the deadlock. The 27-year-old was 35 yards out when he spotted Harper out of his goal and took an instant to release a stunning piledriver into the roof of the net.

Sam Allardyce took off Owen, unable to repeat his England heroics against the basement club, for Martins after 55 minutes as United desperately sought a cutting edge.

Oakley, comfortably winning his battle with Smith in the middle then found some space before firing high over the crossbar as he looked for a third goal of the season. While none of Newcastle strikers were able to find an opening as inviting as Rozehnal’s in the first half, fellow defender Steven Taylor did after an hour, snatching at his finish and failing to force a save.

The hosts continued to make the most of their possession but, with 22 minutes remaining, Howard was beginning to frustrate with his accuracy.

His best chance of the match found him climbing highest six yards from goal but he missed once more with the full net to aim at.

Teale produced a pinpoint cross with nine minutes remaining but again Howard’s finishing let him down as his diving header flashed wide with Harper static.

Derby: Bywater, Mears, Leacock, Davis, Griffin, Teale, Oakley, Pearson, Lewis (McEveley 87), Howard, Miller (Feilhaber 80).

Newcastle: Harper, Taylor (Beye 75), Cacapa, Rozehnal, N’Zogbia, Smith, Geremi (Faye 60), Butt, Milner, Owen (Martins 55), Ameobi.

Referee: Peter Walton