Derby 1-0 Norwich: Bradley Johnson gives Rams victory

The pressure on Norwich manager Alex Neil increased further as his team crashed to a fifth consecutive defeat at Derby.

Former Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson settled a tight game in front of 29,000 fans with a sweet second-half strike from 20 yards as a 1-0 win earned the hosts their fourth straight victory.

Derby went into the game full of confidence, but Norwich had a chance to lift theirs in the second minute when Johnson gave the ball away cheaply to his former club. Steven Naismith set Wes Hoolahan up, but he hesitated and the danger was cleared.

Hoolahan did not pass up an invitation in the 10th minute when Derby backed off him and his shot from just outside the area went narrowly over.

But Derby had the first effort on target in the 16th minute when Darren Bent's clever pass gave Tom Ince a chance from 20 yards, but his drive was straight at John Ruddy.

Derby were struggling to establish any measure of control, but they nearly profited from a loose pass in the 29th minute that allowed Jacob Butterfield to fire in a shot that took a deflection and almost wrong-footed Ruddy.

Norwich had a good chance in the 50th minute when Naismith got in down the right and his low drive was turned behind by Scott Carson.

Ruddy made an even better save at the other end six minutes later to keep out a low shot from Bent after an excellent cross-field pass from Johnson.

Sebastien Bassong got a vital touch on a low shot from Butterfield to put the ball behind, but Derby made the breakthrough in the 65th minute when Will Hughes set up Johnson, whose precise strike from 20 yards arrowed into the bottom left corner.

Johnson's celebrations were muted, but it was a goal that could have serious consequences for Neil. His side could not respond and it was Derby who almost scored again on the break when Ruddy just beat Ince to the ball.

Derby manager Steve McClaren:

"It's a big win for us, a big step forward. Could we beat a top-six team in that manner and we've done that. We had to dig in at times, but that's a good team we've kept a clean sheet against.

"We controlled the game when we had the ball or didn't have the ball and that's important if you want to be a top team. Now we need to show consistency because this league is strange and if you're not right you come a cropper.

"We talked a lot about this game and can we compete with the top six, so this is a big win in showing that yes we can."

Norwich boss Alex Neil:

"I've just seen the owner and she literally said to me, 'Keep going, we keep fighting'. She and Jez Moxey (the chief executive) come down regularly after games and they know how hard I'm trying and how hard the players are trying.

"All you can do is stick together and keep together and we'll get through it. The one thing I have never been is someone who is going to give up. I think you only ever fail when you stop trying."