Derby County vs Ipswich Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Pride Park StadiumAttendance26,425.
Tuesday 13 September 2016 23:43, UK
Derby's miserable start to the Sky Bet Championship season continued as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Ipswich, whose unbeaten run at the iPro Stadium now stretches back to 2006.
A second-half goal from former Derby striker Luke Varney sentenced Nigel Pearson's team to a second home defeat in four days despite long periods of possession.
Both teams made two changes, with Alex Pearce replacing Jason Shackell for his first league start since he moved to Derby on a free transfer from Reading 14 months ago.
Derby had scored only once in six Championship games but they started brightly with James Wilson surging through the middle before his shot was blocked and Cyrus Christie whipping in a low cross that was cleared.
It was Christie who delivered the cross that almost saw Derby go ahead in the ninth minute when the ball fell to Matej Vydra 15 yards out and his low shot was parried by Bartosz Bialkowski before Luke Chambers slid the rebound away from Wilson.
Ipswich gradually settled and they worked a promising opening in the 19th minute only for Grant Ward to drag a shot wide from the left-hand edge of the box and Kevin Bru had a volley blocked by Will Hughes two minutes later.
Craig Bryson tested the Ipswich goalkeeper with a 25-yard shot in the 30th minute which was the start of a three-minute spell of pressure that ended with another strike from the midfielder skimming wide.
Cole Skuse was booked for a foul on Hughes as Derby started to rattle Ipswich and Christophe Berra was shown a yellow card when he tripped the midfielder to concede a 25-yard free-kick which Jacob Butterfield curled wide.
Derby finished the half strongly with Wilson firing in a low shot which Bialkowski pushed away but Ipswich survived and were grateful to go in level.
It was no surprise when Ipswich made two changes for the second half but it was Derby who went close again when Bryson was allowed to run to the edge of the box and shoot narrowly wide.
But Ipswich took the lead against the run of play when Varney span away from a white shirt to score with a 20-yard shot that Scott Carson could only push against the inside of his right-hand post.
Derby needed a moment of inspiration to get back in the game and Hughes almost provided it in the 75th minute when he slipped past two defenders and shot just wide from the edge of the box.
Butterfield was denied by a block from Teddy Bishop but Varney wasted a great chance in the 87th minute when he shot at Carson instead of passing to Grant Ward.
Nick Blackman should have rescued a point in the third minute of stoppage time but he shot straight at Bialkowski from six yards out.
