A second-half Darren Ambrose winner helped Crystal Palace consign struggling Derby to a fourth successive Championship defeat.
Ambrose strike fires Palace to first Championship home win of the campaign
A second-half Darren Ambrose winner helped Crystal Palace to a first home success of the Championship campaign at the expense of Derby.
The striker netted the all-important goal in the 55th minute to consign the struggling Rams to a fourth successive Championship defeat.
The Eagles then hit the bar via Johannes Ertl as they held on to win and leap-frog Nigel Clough's side.
Palace were without on-loan West Ham striker Freddie Sears, who was struggling with an ankle injury, as well as ex-Rams defender Claude Davis, who was out with a hamstring problem.
Rams boss Clough threw James Vaughan straight into his starting line-up after securing the striker on a three-month loan from Everton on Friday.
Quiet start
In a quiet start to the game, Ertl, in his first start of the season, produced an early strike, firing wide of Derby's goal from outside the area.
Vaughan had the first real chance in the 10th minute but the 21-year-old failed to keep his strike from 12 yards down.
Palace keeper Julian Speroni found himself in trouble in the 20th minute when he was booked after handling outside the box, but the Argentinean was able to deal with the free-kick.
The goalkeeper was in action again five minutes later as he did well to deny Tottenham loanee Jake Livermore from close range.
The hosts resorted to a string of long-range efforts just after the half-hour mark with Neil Danns firing wide before Derby keeper Stephen Bywater collected efforts from Ertl and Danns.
Bywater then produced a spectacular save to deny Ambrose, who did well to hit the target with an overhead kick.
Second half
Derby Gary Teale produced the first strike of the second half, firing wide from 18 yards.
But it was Palace who broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break when Sean Scannell headed the ball on for Ambrose to find the bottom-right corner from the edge of the area.
The former England Under-21 midfielder's strike was Palace's first goal at Selhurst Park in four games.
A quiet spell proceeded the goal but Palace came agonisingly close to doubling their lead in the 69th minute when Ertl headed against the bar after latching onto an Ambrose free-kick.
Striker Rob Hulse had the chance to pull Derby level shortly after but he failed to hit the target from 12 yards before Bywater did well to deny Ambrose and Palace their second.
Derby's troubles were added to when Miles Addison was forced off due to injury with 10 minutes remaining, prompting the introduction of Kris Commons.
Both sides had late chances with Ertl striking wide while Danns was denied by Bywater before Speroni denied Commons.
