Premiership: Derby ahead at half-time

Blackburn 0, Derby 1 (half-time)

Malcolm Christie’s clinical finish gave Derby the advantage at half-time at Blackburn.

Rovers had dominated the half without scoring, highlighting the deficiency which manager Graeme Souness hopes to eliminate by signing Andy Cole from Manchester United.

Carbone floated a header from Christie’s cross which almost caught out Brad Friedel, Rovers’ keeper relieved to see it drop the other side of his left-hand post.

Blackburn wasted another free-kick, Jansen again striking the wall, before the striker crossed to the far post where Garry Flitcroft won a header only for Chris Riggott to clear off the line.

With so much domination without scoring, it could perhaps have been predicted that Rovers would go behind and so it proved with five minutes of the half remaining.

Carbone found Christie in space in the middle of the Blackburn half of the pitch and he raced forward, sent Henning Berg the wrong way, then cut into the box to finish low to Friedel’s left for his fourth goal of the season.