Thursday 2 October 2014 11:04, UK
Derby head coach Steve McClaren believes patience brought its own reward as his team marked his first year in charge with a 2-0 victory over a Bournemouth side reduced to 10 men by goalkeeper Lee Camp's sending-off.
There was confusion over Camp's red card but there was no argument with the result as Derby deservedly took the points to go fourth in the table.
Bournemouth had worked hard at closing Derby down and had a good chance in the first half which Callum Wilson wasted when he scuffed a shot at Lee Grant from 12 yards but Camp's exit changed the game.
Referee Scott Mathieson dismissed Camp after the former Derby 'keeper clattered into Jamie Ward just outside the area, and awarded a free-kick even though the ball bounced into the net.
Martin rattled a post from the free-kick but Derby got the goal they merited when Chris Martin exchanged passes with Will Hughes in the 81st minute and the midfielder drilled a shot from 15 yards into the top left corner.
Bournemouth pushed for an equaliser but were caught on the break in the third minute of stoppage time when Johnny Russell whipped a cross in from the right and Martin pounced from close range.
"Bournemouth came and dropped deep and made it very compact but we kept our patience," McClaren said. "We said at half-time to keep our patience and concentration because we have players who will score and that's what happened.
"Some teams will press us and open the game up and some drop and make it difficult and when teams do that, we have to be patient and the crowd has to be patient.
"We score goals in the last 10 minutes of games and that's big advantage for us. Teams know that and we just have to keep knocking, knocking at the door and hopefully it will come down and it did tonight."
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe admitted Camp's red card changed the game.
"We frustrated Derby and made it difficult," he said. "I thought they shaded it in terms of possession but I thought we were comfortable and had some good counter-attack opportunities ourselves first half.
"But then bizarrely with one long ball down the pitch the game totally changes and from that point onwards it was always going to be difficult for us. I've not been told officially but I assume it was for handball.
"It was quite bizarre because I thought it was a goal and was preparing to be 1-0 down and adjust accordingly and would have preferred to be one down and keep 11 men on the pitch.
"We feel hard done by because the way Derby keep the ball it was going to be tough to hang on and although we battled on, they eventually got the goal with a great finish."
