Sam Szmodics' 100th league goal kept Derby firmly in the Championship play-off hunt thanks to a narrow 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Portsmouth.

Ipswich loanee Szmodics, who has also played for Colchester, Blackburn, Peterborough and Bristol City, scored the only goal of the match in the eighth minute, after being gifted space in the penalty box.

It meant the Rams ended a three-match losing streak on the road and sit just three points outside the top six.

For Portsmouth, they lost a fourth-successive fixture at Fratton Park for the first time since the 2013/14 season, have not beaten Derby in 12 attempts and languish just a point above the drop zone.

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Derby scored with the first proper chance of the game when Szmodics smashed the ball home from the middle of the penalty box.

Derry Murkin's corner had been half-cleared by Jacob Brown but Szmodics controlled and fired in his second goal for the Rams - to the joy of Keith Downing, who replaced the suspended John Eustace on the touchline.

They almost doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Patrick Agyemang outpaced Regan Poole before slipping in Ben Brereton Diaz, who could not clip his effort over Nicholas Schmid.

Pompey, on the back of three home defeats, struggled to find a consistent rhythm in the match but dominated the shot count in the first half.

Millenic Alli's blast forced a near-post save, Zak Swanson and Gustavo Caballero were unsuccessful with long-range shots, before Swanson saw a deflected effort ripple the side netting.

Striker Brown gave Derby's third-choice goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell his most heart-in-mouth moment with a drilled effort, which he collected at the second attempt.

But the quality in the match belonged to the visitors and they should have doubled their advantage moments before the break.

The lively Agyemang tore down the left beat his man and thumped a shot on target. Schmid could only turn the ball onto the post, with Szmodics slipping as he tried to tap it in.

Caballero went straight up the other end and forced O'Donnell into a smart save but that did not stop the home fans booing at half-time.

The second half followed a similar pattern as Ebou Adams scuffed a shot wide against his former club and Swanson had a free-kick nodded off the line by Murkin.

But the most convincing chance again fell for Derby as Szmodics hit the crossbar with a sensational free-kick from 20 yards.

Brown had a header caught, Alli dragged an effort wide and then skidded towards the near post as Pompey continued to increase their shot count to no avail.

They ultimately had 27 shots - their most this season - but only managed nine on target.

The managers

Portsmouth's John Mousinho:

"I thought we controlled the game and got into some really good areas and we're going to look back on a lack of quality.

"We weren't quite there and maybe when we did get the ball in the box we kicked it into the keeper's hands or out for a goal-kick. Our night was pretty frustrating.

"I have to solve it. We have that quality across the front line but it isn't quite clicking.

"There is no need to panic, but at the moment we need to show a sense of urgency.

"One point in five games but we are out of the relegation zone with a game in hand. It is not terminal, we just have to find a way to win at the weekend.

"We have some huge games coming up. Something has to change and the main thing is putting the ball in the back of the net.

"Confidence could be low but I don't see that. We are doing the hard bits but I'm not sure why scoring is deserting us.

"Relegation is a worry shared between the fans and us. The message is to stick with us."

Derby's John Eustace:

"We fight for everything and sometimes it isn't pretty. You have to find a way to win.

"To come here on a Monday in tricky conditions and know what is coming from Portsmouth… to stand up to that and always look a threat on the turnover, I couldn't ask for any more effort from the boys.

"There are eight games to go and we are eighth. It is important to take each game as it comes. It is about building and growing as a club.

"I want to try and help this football get back to where it should be.

"We aren't worried about any other team, it is only about us and what we can control."

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