Late Derby winner 'a dream' for fit-again Salvesen

Lars-Jorgen Salvesen scored within a minute of coming off the bench for Derby against Hull

Derby County's Lars-Jorgen Salvesen says his match-winning first goal of the season against Hull City on Tuesday was a moment he obsessed over while recovering from knee surgery.

The striker came off the bench and pounced on a goalkeeping error by Ivor Pandur to score with his first touch and earn the Rams a 2-1 victory at Pride Park.

It was not only the 29-year-old's first goal of the campaign, but his first since a knee injury limited him to just eight games last season after arriving in January from Norwegian top-flight side Viking.

"This is what I've worked for every day," Salvesen told BBC Radio Derby.

"And after my injury, being out for six months, that's the only thing you think about, dream about and work for. It makes it all worth it."

Salvesen said the injury that kept him out of Derby's battle to avoid relegation last term, and the six months it took to recover, had been "tough".

When he arrived last winter, Salvesen was heralded by then Rams boss Paul Warne as the hulking goal threat the Rams had desperately been lacking on their return to the second tier.

He managed to score in just his second appearance in January, but failed to add to his tally as the club flirted with relegation before his injury in March.

But Derby managed six wins and three draws from their final 11 league games to survive under boss John Eustace, the head coach who replaced Warne in February.

A summer refresh followed with a focus on firepower.

United States international Patrick Agyemang arrived in a deal that could rise to £7.3m, while Carlton Morris was a surprise pick-up after the forward decided to leave Luton Town after back-to-back relegations had seen them drop from the Premier League to League One.

Morris has been an early scoring sensation for Derby, with his goal against Hull his fifth in three games, including a career-first hat-trick in Saturday's win at Sheffield United.

With nine goals in 14 Championship games, Morris has contributed exactly half of Derby's league goals this season.

Since Salvesen's return from injury, the form of the summer arrivals has limited the Norwegian to substitute appearances.

"My role is a bit different now, that's just how it is," Salvesen added.

"I want to play as much as I can, but also in the role now I have to support the boys and do my best when I come in.

"Honestly, after Carlton came here, it's been fantastic and he is an inspiration for me with the way he works off the pitch and the way he has played since he has come here. He has been unbelievable.

"I will work hard every day and do my best to get better."