Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Derby County: Colin Kazim-Richards earns Rams win
- Published
QPR striker Charlie Austin was denied a 50th QPR goal by Derby keeper Kelle Roos' fine first-half save
Derby County top scorer Colin Kazim-Richards struck to earn victory over Queens Park Rangers and secure a second consecutive win under new boss Wayne Rooney.
Kazim-Richards followed up to tap in his fourth goal of the season after a swift second-half counter-attack to take the Rams five points clear of the Championship relegation zone.
QPR, who have now not scored in four home league games and stay 17th, rarely threatened to level with their best chance seeing Yoann Barbet's acrobatic overhead kick superbly saved by keeper Kelle Roos.
The Rams remain 21st in the Championship, but are level on points and goal difference with fierce rivals Nottingham Forest and have moved five points clear of third-from-bottom Rotherham United - albeit having played three games more than the Millers.
The visitors' sixth league win of a miserable season to date provides a welcome boost while delays and uncertainty continue to surround a proposed takeover.
Kazim-Richards' timely winner means he now has a quarter of Derby's 16 Championship goals this season and deservedly rewarded a disciplined performance.
The striker should have opened the scoring in a dour first half when he completely missed the ball from six yards from Nathan Byrne's right-wing cross.
QPR, who were seeking a third successive win, twice came close through Charlie Austin, who headed narrowly wide from Todd Kane's cross to the back post and then saw a first-time strike superbly pushed away by Roos - the only effort on target in a cautious first half.
Kazim-Richards was on hand to put Derby ahead 11 minutes after the break when Rangers keeper Seny Dieng could only parry Kamil Jozwiak's low shot.
QPR saw plenty of the ball thereafter but, aside from the Roos save from Barbet and some lively penalty appeals for a handball by Kazim-Richards, they lacked a threat and Derby saw out victory with little fuss.
QPR manager Mark Warburton:
"I don't think we did enough to win the game, but I don't think we deserved to lose it.
"That was the most blatant handball [for the penalty claim] you're going to see. The players' reaction tells you that's an obvious handball. I'm not sure how that's been missed.
"When you're having a bad day and not at your best - and we were below our best for much of the game - you need those calls to go right.
"But we didn't do enough in the first half especially. We gave the ball away cheaply and were not on the front foot.
"We lost silly duels and gave the ball away loosely. We gave away a sloppy goal and gave them something to hang onto."
Derby boss Wayne Rooney:
"We started very well and then let the game slip and lost a bit of control.
"We made a tactical change and it was about determination not to concede as we knew we'd have chances on the break. Fortunately we scored with one of those chances.
"George Evans coming off was not because of his performance but to get another midfielder in there to get control of the game.
"I've always been someone who can read the game. And it's not just me - it's the coaches and we're talking constantly about whether we need to make a change or not.
"There will be games when I have to hold my hands up and admit I got it wrong.
"I can't think I'm some genius and come up with crazy tactics. We'll keep giving the players the messages we need to and keep it simple for them."
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