Finn Azaz scored for the second time in successive Middlesbrough matches - taking his tally to 10 goals for the season
Finn Azaz's late goal sent relegation-threatened Derby County bottom of the Championship as they lost 1-0 at Middlesbrough.
Azaz had the best first-half chance when he hit the post with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box shortly before half-time as the hosts struggled to break down a compact Rams side.
Boro's Morgan Whittaker forced a good save from Jacob Widell Zetterstrom midway through the second half.
But just as it seemed new Derby boss John Eustace would get his first point since taking over, Azaz fired in from 12 yards.
Boro's first back-to-back wins since November eased the pressure on boss Michael Carrick and saw them move up to eighth in the Championship, two points off the play-offs having slipped out of the top six after five successive losses last month.
Derby's winless run extended to 12 games and their third successive Championship defeat - coupled with Luton Town's win over Portsmouth - leaves them a point adrift at the bottom of the table and four points from safety.
The last time Derby had a longer spell without a win was in their disastrous Premier League campaign of 2007-08 when they went 36 games without a win from September 2007 until August the following year.
More of Saturday's Championship action
John Eustace made five changes as he tried to arrest a slump which had seen the Rams win just two points since 26 December and not score a goal in the three games since he took over from Paul Warne on 13 February.
One of those that kept their place - Ebou Adams - had a great fourth-minute effort as Boro failed to play out from the back and the ball fell to him 25 yards out, but Mark Travers was able to claw out his curling left-footed effort.
Boro had two of their best first-half chances in the space of a minute as Marcus Forss saw a shot saved and then his attempt from the rebound blocked, before Whittaker - who had set Forss up - curled a low, left-footed shot wide from the edge of the box.
But, despite having almost three-quarters of the first-half possession, Boro struggled to impose themselves against a side who had lost nine of their previous 11 games, until Azaz hit the post just before the break.
Azaz's former Plymouth team-mate Whittaker forced an excellent diving save from Widell Zetterstrom 20 minutes into the second half after Boro skipper Luke Ayling limped off with an ankle injury.
Eight minutes later Adams blazed an acrobatic effort over the bar in a rare Derby foray into the home box after the hosts had failed to deal with a cross.
But Boro finally broke through with 10 minutes left as Derby gave the ball away deep in their territory and, after Tommy Conway and substitute Kelechi Iheanacho had shots blocked, the ball fell to Azaz who fired home right-footed from 12 yards.
Boro substitute Delano Burgzorg hit the post in the fifth minute of stoppage time after breaking through, as Eustace still awaits his first win as Derby boss.
Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick told BBC Radio Tees:
"It was a tough game.
"I thought we played some good football, especially in the first half, we had some opportunities and they've got a lot to hold on to.
"They made it difficult for us and we had to find a way of getting over the line, which we haven't done enough this season, but it was a good step for us.
"Everyone played their part and it's just as good winning like that as any other way, to win late in and feel like we've earned it, so a good day."
Derby County head coach John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:
"I'm very disappointed. I felt, second half, Middlesbrough didn't cause us any problems, and the manner we conceded the goal wasn't good enough.
"It's tough job, it is what it is, but I'm here to help, I'm here to progress the club.
"I thought, first half, we had a couple of real good chances on the break and our final pass wasn't good enough.
"It's stuff that we've been working on in the last couple of weeks, so that will come, that will keep improving.
"I was really pleased with the group again, the attitude was fantastic and just very disappointed that we lost."
