Championship
DerbyDerby County2BrentfordBrentford0

Derby County 2-0 Brentford

Chris Martin
Chris Martin was Derby's top goal scorer last season

Derby County extended their unbeaten league run to five games as they comfortably beat struggling Brentford.

The Rams started well and took the lead when Chris Martin poked home Cyrus Christie's precise cross.

Tom Ince's neat finish doubled the lead shortly before half-time following good play from Jeff Hendrick.

Brentford's best chance fell to Philipp Hofmann, whose shot was cleared off the line by Christie as Derby claimed their fourth win in five games.

They move up to seventh in the Championship, while Brentford, who have lost both matches since Lee Carsley took over and four of their past five, drop to 20th.

100 up for Russell
Derby midfielder Johnny Russell made his 100th appearance for the Rams since joining from Scottish Premiership side Dundee United in June 2013.

After a scrappy first 20 minutes, Derby took the lead when Christie's brilliant first-time cross found the in-form Martin, who tapped in for his fifth league goal of the season.

The Rams went close to doubling their lead through Ince's curling effort, before Bradley Johnson's shot was brilliantly saved by Brentford goalkeeper David Button.

Ince finished off an excellent team move following good link-up play by George Thorne and Hendrick.

After the break, Johnson's header from Ince's corner was superbly saved by Button.

Brentford, who offered little throughout, almost reduced the deficit late on when Christie got back well to clear Hofmann's shot off the line.

Derby head coach Paul Clement told BBC Radio Derby:

"We all felt that pressure of needing to win at home and it's pleasing that it has come on the back of some really good results away from home.

"It was maybe the best we've played this season in the first half because I thought it showed all the qualities we have, that we can defend, pressurise, get the tactics right, create and take opportunities.

"It was not so good at the end, a team in slightly better form could have hurt us, but we'll take the positives out of it.

"I'm much more encouraged, we've shown we can beat some good teams, win while not playing well and win while playing well. We're not there though, we've got to keep improving.

[Darren Bent's omission) "It was unfortunate, it can happen, he arrived late and I needed to name the team. Anyone can get stuck in traffic but I couldn't be totally sure what time he would arrive."

Brentford boss Lee Carsley:

"We did okay in the first half but didn't really carry much threat. There's a lack of confidence and that's the hardest thing in football.

"We have players here who are new to the English game and we need to give them a bit of time.

"I would rather lose 2-0 trying to get something out of the game, so if Alan Judge's shot goes in off the bar then it's a different story.

"I was disappointed that we went a little ragged after they scored but we have some good players here and they will go on to have a great season."

Line-ups

Derby

Formation 4-3-3

  • 17Carson
  • 2Christie
  • 6Keogh
  • 14ShackellSubstituted forShottonat 55'minutes
  • 3Forsyth
  • 8Hendrick
  • 34ThorneBooked at 28minsSubstituted forHansonat 73'minutes
  • 15JohnsonSubstituted forWeimannat 80'minutes
  • 23InceBooked at 88mins
  • 9Martin
  • 11RussellBooked at 43mins

Substitutes

  • 1Grant
  • 12Baird
  • 18Butterfield
  • 24Weimann
  • 26Hanson
  • 32Shotton
  • 37Warnock

Brentford

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 27Button
  • 28YennarisBooked at 63mins
  • 6Dean
  • 26TarkowskiBooked at 55mins
  • 3Bidwell
  • 15WoodsBooked at 58mins
  • 20DiagouragaSubstituted forSwiftat 70'minutes
  • 21VibeSubstituted forHofmannat 63'minutes
  • 24GogiaSubstituted forCanosat 45'minutes
  • 18Judge
  • 8Djuricin

Substitutes

  • 11Hofmann
  • 16Bonham
  • 17Kerschbaumer
  • 19Swift
  • 22O'Connell
  • 29Barbet
  • 47Canos
Referee:
Jeremy Simpson
Attendance:
29,467

Match Stats

Home TeamDerbyAway TeamBrentford
Possession
Home53%
Away47%
Shots
Home23
Away11
Shots on Target
Home6
Away5
Corners
Home12
Away3
Fouls
Home11
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Derby County 2, Brentford 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Derby County 2, Brentford 0.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Andreas Weimann (Derby County).

  4. Post update

    John Swift (Brentford) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  5. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Alan Judge (Brentford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by John Swift with a headed pass.

  6. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jamie Hanson (Derby County) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

  7. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Andreas Weimann (Derby County) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jeff Hendrick.

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Andreas Weimann (Derby County) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Tom Ince with a cross.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Philipp Hofmann (Brentford) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

  10. Booking

    Tom Ince (Derby County) is shown the yellow card.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Tom Ince (Derby County).

  12. Post update

    Ryan Woods (Brentford) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  13. Post update

    Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Ryan Shotton.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Jeff Hendrick (Derby County).

  15. Post update

    Philipp Hofmann (Brentford) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  16. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Tom Ince (Derby County) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Andreas Weimann.

  17. Post update

    Attempt saved. Marco Djuricin (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ryan Woods.

  18. Post update

    Attempt missed. Johnny Russell (Derby County) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Andreas Weimann.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Derby County. Andreas Weimann replaces Bradley Johnson because of an injury.

  20. Post update

    Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Cyrus Christie.