Derby County 2-1 Middlesbrough: Colin Kazim-Richards nets stunning goal as Rams beat out-of-form Boro
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Colin Kazim-Richards' stunning first-half strike was his sixth goal of the season
Colin Kazim-Richards scored a sensational goal as Derby County moved three points clear of the Championship relegation zone with victory over Middlesbrough who lost for the fourth time in a five-game winless run.
Kazim-Richards thumped the ball home from 25 yards for a 2-0 lead after being found by Lee Gregory, who had headed in the first Rams goal following a slick corner routine.
Boro, who drop to eighth in the table, six points off the play-off places, cut the deficit before the break when on-loan Fulham midfielder Neeskens Kebano struck.
But that remained one of only two shots on target for a lacklustre Boro, who are on their longest run without a victory since Neil Warnock took charge in June 2020.
Derby also rarely threatened after the interval, but were always in control and happy to protect their deserved lead.
The outstanding Gregory was the focal point in a dominant first-half display, scoring one and narrowly failing to add a second before a simple lay-off invited Kazim-Richards to try his luck for his wondrous strike.
On-loan Stoke striker Gregory nodded in the opener from Lee Buchanan's header back across goal after a powerful far-post corner and was a fraction away from doubling the lead when he missed the target from Nathan Byrne's right-wing cross.
Gregory will get an assist for Kazim-Richards' third goal in four games, but his input was minimal with the striker crashing the ball past keeper Marcus Bettinelli from 25 yards.
Boro's reply, their only effort on target in the first half, came as the Rams raced forward in search of a third goal.
A sloppy pass allowed Marc Bola to steam forward on the left and his half-blocked shot fell kindly to Kebano who fired in his first Boro goal.
Derby, who had won three in a row before a sobering 3-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Rotherham, were largely untroubled in an increasingly scrappy second half and remained the more likely scorers.
Kazim-Richards came closest for Wayne Rooney's team, but headed an effort over from a Gregory cross, while some strong Boro pressure in the closing stages came to nothing.
Derby manager Wayne Rooney:
"It was a big win. We felt it was better to go two strikers and go a bit more direct and we did that really well.
"Second half, certainly in the last 10 minutes, we gave away some sloppy free-kicks and we need to get better. It cost us against Sheffield Wednesday and cost us against Rotherham so our game management needs to be better.
"It's clear for everyone to see, the one thing this team has is character and great togetherness.
"After the Middlesbrough game away (in November), Neil Warnock said to one of our coaches we are good individuals but not a good team. The difference you see now is we have got good individuals and we are a fantastic team."
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock:
"Once again I didn't think we were a threat. Since I've been here, well in fact for the last few years really, there's not been enough threat up front.
"Last week if we'd had (Ivan) Toney we'd have won the game and I think if we'd had (Colin) Kazim-Richards today we would have won the game.
"I don't think there's much wrong that needs putting right but things aren't dropping for us either. We've got to come up with answers to score goals. I could have been in either goal today and I'd probably have got six out of 10."
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