DERBY COUNTY 1
NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
Premier League
Pride Park
Monday, September 17, 2007
Kick-off 8pm

Craig Hope reports from Pride Park ...

MATCH REPORT

NEWCASTLE United went down to their first defeat of the season as Premiership newcomers Derby County got their first three points of the campaign thanks to a goal from debutant Kenny Miller.

The Scottish international, a £3m summer arrival from Celtic, fired a delightful effort from 25 yards which flew above and beyond Harper in the 38th minute.

That was not before Rozehnal had gone close to opening the score, the Czech star side-footing narrowly wide from Owen's pull-back after the England striker had rounded keeper Bywater - to be fair to the United defender it was a difficult chance with two Derby players back on the line.

Sam Allardyce's men had to come out fighting after the break but it was the hosts who could came closest to doubling their lead.

Steve Howard had two excellent headers after twice being picked out by winger Gary Teale inside the area, the first in the 67th minute clearing Harper's post by a matter of inches before the second in the 81st minute again flew wide of the United upright.

The Magpies tried to rally late on but rarely threatened the Derby goal, Taylor coming closest with a snap shot inside the area which flew above Bywater's crossbar.

SECOND HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

90+3min - This could be the last chance for United as Milner whips over from the left, but, once again, it's Bywater who is there first to punch clear as ref Walton blows for full-time!

90+1min - Griffin comes over the top of Milner and the Magpies have a free-kick bang on the right-hand touchline. Again, it's a poor delivery from N'Zogbia and Oakley hacks clear.

The fourth official announces four minutes added time.

90min - Andy Griffin makes a late surge into the penalty area before fires well wide from a narrow angle - the ball running away for a throw-in.

88min - McEveley is in the thick of it again on the left and wins a corner from the shins of Rozehnal. Derby work it short and play for time next to the left-hand corner flag.

86min - N'Zogbia is next in the book for a foul on Mears right by the right-hand corner flag. Jay McEveley replaces Eddie Lewis before the free-kick is taken. It is the sub who sends over a wicked set-piece which Harper fists away inside his six-yard area.

83min - N'Zogbia tries to get things going for United on the left and darts infield before crossing, but Davis is on hand for the hosts to head behind for a corner. Milner whips in at the near post looking for Beye but Bywater again comes from his line to punch away. N'Zogbia retrieves and is scythed down by Oakley on the left touchline. The Derby skipper enters the book before Milner crosses into a crowded penalty area, it's headed out before Butt hooks back in, the ball bounces inside the area but ends up back in the arms of Bywater.

81min - Pearson sends a lovely pass into the path of Teale breaking ahead of N'Zogbia on the right, Howard has peeled away from Cacapa inside the area and is found by the Derby winger, it should be two for the hosts but again the striker powers his header wide of Harper's goal with the home crowd on their feet.

79min - Goalscorer Kenny Miller is replaced by Benny Feilhaber.

76min - Habib Beyre replaces Steven Taylor for what is his United bow.

75min - Mears brings down Martins 20 yards out and is shown yellow by Peter Walton. Milner looks for goal from the deadball but sees his right-footed effort clip off the wall and bounce away for a corner. His deep delivery is challenged for by Faye and Ameobi at the far post but it's Bywater's out-stretched arm which gets there first to fist away.

73min - Rozehnal is caught in possession by Miller midway inside the United half and he tries to spring Howard clear, Howard reacts quickly to the throughball and races from his line to collect at the feet of the striker.

72min - Howard is late on Faye on the right and United have a free-kick. Rozehnal delivers but Davis is first to it and heads clear. Griffin collects and sneds a lovely weighted pass up the line for Pearson to chase, Butt is back-tracking and brings down the Rams midfielder - the home fans are calling for a red card but with other United players back in attendance it's just yellow. Lewis delivers and Howard heads over put the linesman spots a foul and it's a free-kick for the Magpies.

67min - Taylor has a throw on the right and finds Rozehnal, the Czech works the ball infield to N'Zogbia and he decides to lash at goal, it's a poor effort however and sails above the crossbar and into the Toon Army behind the goal.

66min - Gary Teale does very well to work an angle for the cross on the right and picks out Howard unmarked eight yards out, the centre-forward should score but directs his header wide of Harper's post much to the relief of the Geordies.

64min - Martins and Griffin clash on the right and United have a free-kick. N'Zogbia comes across to send over a curling delivery, Bywater races from his line to fist clear for the Rams with Ameobi challenging at the far post.

62min - Griffin is invited to shoot by the Magpies from all of 30 yards out, the former Toon defender takes the invitation and strikes goalwards, the ball deflects off Cacapa and skids wide but ref Walton misses the Brazilian's touch and it's a goal-kick.

61min - Taylor wins in the area Rozehnal's hoist into the area, it drops for Ameobi who in turn lays back for Taylor, he smashes goalwards but the ball is rising and flies above Bywater's crossbar.

59min - Abdoulaye Faye comes on for Geremi to make his United debut with Smith taking over the armband from the Cameroon star. United revert to a 4-3-3 formation with Faye in front of the back four, Butt and Smith in midfield, with Milner on the left, Martins on the right and Ameobi through the middle.

57min - Miller hassles Cacapa as the Brazilian tries to watch the ball out for a corner and wins a flag-kick for the hosts from the defender's heels. Lewis takes left-footed but the Magpies clear at the far post.

55min - Michael Owen makes way for Oba Martins.

51min - Butt gets the wrong side of Teale on the right and fouls the Derby wide-man. Oakley whips in and it's missed by Davis on the penalty spot,  Leacock retrieves and returns but the referee spots an infringement and the Magpies have a free-kick.

49min - Milner gets the return off Ameobi from his own throw-in and crosses first time, it's too close to Bywater and the Rams keeper collects inside his six-yard box. Derby break down the right and Smith slides to tackle Pearson, the challenge is late and he clatters into Pearson's ankle before being shown a yellow card by Peter Walton.

46min - Miller latches onto Teale's flick deep in the United half, Rozehnal in close attendance and manages to toe behind for a corner. Lewis floats over and Howard gets above Rozehnal to head for the far corner, it looks in from our angle but luckily for United clears the upright by a matter of inches.

The Magpies kick-off for the second period with no subs for either side.

FIRST HALF ACTION

It's half-time at Pride Park and it's been disappointing for the Magpies as they trail by a goal to nil.

The fourth official announces one minute added time.

44min - It's another poor delivery from the Magpies as N'Zogbia whips over from the right, the cross is too low however and the Rams hack clear.

41min - United go searching for an equaliser and Smith slips a pass infield to Milner 20 yards from goal, his clever first time throughball frees Ameobi, the Toon striker has Davis challenging from behind and elects to shoot early but his right-footed strike goes wide of Bywater's near post.

38min - DERBY GOAL (1-0): Bywater pumps long upfield and the ball drops for debutant KENNY MILLER off the feet of strike partner Steve Howard 25 yards from goal, he looks up and sends a delightful strike above a helpless Steve Harper and into the top corner to hand the Rams the lead.

36min - Smith and Owen exchange passes 25 yards from goal and the Magpies midfielder is body-checked as he nicked the ball by Davis. It's a free-kick in a dangerous position. Geremi steps up and curls right-footed over the wall, the ball looks destined for the bottom corner but Bywater is at full-stretch to divert around the post. Geremi takes the flag-kick and the ball drops amid a crowd of bodies, Smith hooks goalwards but it's always rising and clears the crossbar.

34min - Geremi's long throw looks for Ameobi but Griffin gets there first and heads away, Milner returns the loose ball but Bywater is first to it and clutches from the air.

30min - Oakley returns Cacapa's clearance into the penalty area and it looks straightforward for N'Zogbia to clear, he takes a touch and slips on the wet surface, the Frenchman just about regains control but Miller nicks in to steal before being felled by the United full-back on the right touchline. Oakley's free-kick is headed clear by Cacapa at the far post.

27min - Miller feeds off Howard's knock-down and surges into the United penalty area, he twists one way then the other and tries to go by Rozehnal, the Czech is equal to it however and makes a timely block before N'Zogbia completes the clearance.

24min - Leacock comes right through the back of Owen on halfway and is lucky to escape yellow. Harper's long free-kick into the opposing penalty area comes to nothing.

17min - In Derby's next attack Mears crosses from the right into the penalty area, Howard flicks a header aiming for the far post but it drops into the arms of a grateful Harper.

16min - Griffin challenges with Taylor on the left-wing and gets the run of the ball, he elects to cross first time but Rozehnal is there to concede the corner at the near post. Teale's delivery flicked on at the near post by Kenny Miller, it comes off NIcky Butt and Derby appeal for handball before it is gathered by Harper at the near post who immediately springs Milner clear on the right, he searches for Owen with a quick ball over the top, Bywater rushes from his line but Owen gets there first and rounds the keeper, the angle is too narrow to shoot and he pulls back for the on-coming Rozehnal, it's a difficult chance for the Czech star with two players back on the line and in looking for the bottom corner he sends his side-foot effort wide of goal.

15min - Harper pumps upfield and Smith wins in the air for Ameobi, the United striker tries to get to the by-lin e and sees his low cross forced behind by Leacock. N'Zogbia's right-wing delivery is poor and Derby clear at the near post.

13min - Smith is late on Eddie Lewis on the right and is lucky to escape a booking.  Griffin floats over and Howard tries to get ahead of Nicky Butt in the air 14 yards out, the ball drops clear of the pair and United are able to clear.

10min - Geremi delivers a long throw into the area, Mears tries to head clear but mis-directs and United have a corner on the left. Geremi's low cross is cleared at the near post, it falls to N'Zogbia, he takes a touch before blazing into the stands from 20 yards.

9min - Tyrone Mears receives from Oakley on the right and cuts infield, it opens right up for the Derby full-back but his left-footed shot from 20 yards out is straight at Harper and he is able to gather.

6min - Claude Davis looks for Miller with a long pump upfield, but there's too much on it and the ball skids through to Harper.

3min - Pearson trips Smith 30 yards from goal on the right. It's a similar position to the free-kick at Bolton from which N'Zogbia scored on the opening day and again he has a go, this time Bywater is equal to it however and saves comfortably.

1min - It's an early corner for the Rams as they are straight on the attack down the left hand side, Lewis works the ball to Howard on the edge of the area and his snap shot is deflected behind off Rozehnal. Teale takes on the left and Howard climbs highest on the penalty spot but heads over Harper's crossbar.

Derby get the game underway attacking the end where the strong contingent of Newcastle United fans are housed.

TEAM NEWS

SAM Allardyce makes one change from the team which beat Wigan over two weeks ago as Shola Ameobi replaces hamstring victim Mark Viduka.

That means Oba Martins again starts from the bench where he is joined by Toon new boys Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye.

Big Sam keeps faith with Steve Harper in goal, while Steven Taylor will again slot in at right back.

Geremi skippers the side and is joined in midfield by Nicky Butt, Alan Smith and James Milner.

Both Milner and Charles N'Zogbia will also be making their 50th Premiership start for the club.

Michael Owen will be looking for his third goal in as many starts for the Magpies following strikes against Barnsley and Wigan.

For Derby, United fan Steve Howard starts in attack and faces his former Hartlepool team-mate Harper in the black and white goal.

While Andy Griffin lines up against his former club.

TEAMS

DCFC: Stephen Bywater, Tyrone Mears, Dean Leacock, Claude Davis, Andy Griffin, Gary Teale, Stephen Pearson, Eddie Lewis (Jay McEveley, 87m), Kenny Miller (Benny Feilhaber 80m), Steve Howard, Matt Oakley
Subs: David Jones, Robert Earnshaw, Andy Todd,

NUFC: Steve Harper, Steven Taylor (Habib Beye, 75m), Cacapa, David Rozehnal, Charles N'Zogbia, Alan Smith, Nicky Butt, Geremi (Abdoulaye Faye, 60m), James MIlner, Shola Ameobi, Michael Owen (Oba Martins, 55m)
Subs not used: Matty Pattison, Shay Given

Referee: Peter Walton
Attendance: 33, 016

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FACTS AND FIGURES

Derby are the only side without a win in the Premier league meet Newcastle, yet to lose, for the first time in six seasons.

Bottom place Derby are battling to avoid a fifth successive Premier League defeat.

Billy Davies' side have conceded 12 goals in three games, culminating in that 6-0 drubbing at Liverpool a fortnight ago.

Newcastle beat Wigan last time out, but have not registered back-to-back victories in 23 league matches.

For Newcastle:

1. One of four clubs still holding an unbeaten Premier League record. The others are Arsenal, Blackburn and Liverpool.

2. Unbeaten in five league games. Won two and drawn three since losing 0-2, home to Blackburn on 5 May 2007.

3. Have made their best start in six seasons.

4. Have not recorded successive Premier League victories since 23 December 2006, when a 3-1 home triumph over Tottenham immediately followed a 2-1 home win over Watford.

5. Seeking their fourth away league win of 2007.

6. Defending an undefeated away league record; won 1-3 at Bolton and drew 2-2 at Middlesbrough.

7. Holding the highest scoring average away from home in the Premier League of 2.5 goals per game.

For Derby:

1. Lost the last five in all competitions; 1-0 away to Manchester City, 4-0 away to Spurs, 1-2 home to Birmingham (PL), on penalties home to Blackpool (Carling Cup), and 6-0 away to Liverpool (PL).

2. Conceded more Premier League goals than any other club - 15; one every 30 minutes on average.

3. This is their seventh Premier League campaign, and their worst ever start.

4. One of three clubs to have failed to score in three Premier League matches; the others are Reading and Sunderland.

5. Their five league games have produced 18 goals (three for, 15 against). At 3.6, it's the highest goals-per-game ratio in the Premier League.

6. On their longest losing run in the Premier League since suffering seven in a row near the end of the relegation campaign six seasons ago. That run included an odd goal in five reverse, home to Newcastle.