Bristol City 1-0 Derby County: Alex Scott winner sinks rock-bottom Derby
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Alex Scott's second goal of the season was enough to earn Bristol City a third home win in four games
Alex Scott's first-half strike gave Bristol City a narrow Championship win and deepened the problems for rock-bottom Derby.
City hit the front with the game's first shot when teenager Scott lashed in a finish after the ball broke to him on the edge of the box.
Chris Martin and Antoine Semenyo wasted chances to double the lead as the Robins bossed the first half.
The Rams improved after the break, but Luke Plange's 87th-minute shot straight at Robins goalkeeper Daniel Bentley was their only attempt on target.
Having failed to win their opening seven league home matches of the season, City have now won three of their past four at Ashton Gate, and did so with few scares against a toothless Derby.
The match was preceded by a minute's applause for former Robins coach John Sillett, but there was little else for the supporters to clap in a cagey opening until 18-year-old Scott broke the deadlock.
The hosts had a big chance to double their lead midway through the first half when Callum O'Dowda beat the offside trap and squared for Martin who dragged his shot wide, while Semenyo's low drive forced Derby goalkeeper Ryan Allsop into action.
Wayne Rooney's side, who are without an away win since 18 August and have scored just five times on the road this season, bossed first-half possession, but failed to trouble home goalkeeper Bentley.
The visitors struggled to turn pressure into chances yet almost snatched a stoppage-time equaliser when Ravel Morrison steered a bouncing ball narrowly wide.
Derby have won just one of their past 11 games in the league and remain 20 points from safety, while City's third clean sheet of the season helped them climb to 17th.
Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol:
"We should really have scored more goals in the first half. They didn't really have any pressure on our goal throughout the whole of the game, but second half they had to take a few more chances and they did.
"We made some irritating mistakes in the second half which show that we're still learning how to dispatch teams and put games to bed.
"The most important thing is the result today and we are at least making life somewhat more difficult for teams that visit us.
"We've spent so long talking about not being able to win at home and we've now got 10 points out of 12, so it's not a bad return, but we have to learn to put teams to bed with a bit more efficiency."
Derby County manager Wayne Rooney told BBC Radio Derby:
"I'm disappointed. In the first half that was not the identity of my team. In possession, out of possession it was unrecognisable. If I had 11 changes I would have made 1 changes at half-time.
"It got better second half, we changed the shape, we played with more intensity and composure on the ball.
"We have to improve getting the ball out wide the ball into the box has to be better, because I felt if it had been better today we would at least have got a point out of the game."
"We're not a team who can afford to come off it by 1% - we have to be at it every game - and if we do, like today, we get punished."