Derby County 1 Bristol City 0

Bristol City could not survive the final 35 minutes with ten men as Gary Teale's fabulous strike earned Derby the points.

Jamie McCombe's sending off for two fouls on Rob Hulse proved the turning point as the hosts dominated thereafter and only poor finishing denied them a better win.

City had enjoyed the better of the first half but could not convert any of four decent chances before the break.

And Teale shrugged off the Pride Park boo boys to cut inside from the left and bend a low shot inside Adriano Basso's near post.

City boss Gary Johnson named an unchanged side from the 1-1 draw with Scunthorpe last week.

However, club captain Louis Carey and striker Danny Haynes were back on the bench.

The visitors had the first chance when Bradley Orr crossed from the right and Alvaro Saborio's unmarked header was saved on the line at the second attempt by keeper Stephen Bywater.

Marvin Elliott then blazed over from 25 yards while Derby's one shot in the first 20 minutes saw Gary Croft hit his effort even higher.

But Derby should have been ahead on 23 minutes when McCombe lost the ball badly to James Vaughan on the edge of his own box. A quick one-two with Robbie Savage gave the on-loan Everton striker a clear sight of goal but he sliced his shot horribly wide from ten yards.

Evander Sno was booked on 27 minutes for a foul on Dean Moxey. Not surprisingly Savage thought it was worthy of a red but referee Mick Russell did not agree.

City were undeterred and Orr played a neat one-two with Saborio but his left-footed curler did not curl enough.

The away side threatened again on a counter-attack when Sno cut inside and hit a left-footer just wide of the near post.

Savage was having an increasing influence and he teed up Rob Hulse to turn and shoot just over.

But at the other end Sno sent Saborio clean through with only Bywater to beat. However the Costa Rican delayed his shot and Shaun Barker pulled off a terrific sliding tackle.

Derby started the better after the break and Vaughan in particular had two shots in the first five minutes that Basso and Liam Fontaine dealt with.

City were sweating again moments later when McCombe hauled Hulse down on the byline. Hulse responded by throwing the ball at McCombe who went chest to chest with the striker and then fell down intimating he had been headbutted.

Referee Russell was having none of it and booked McCombe for the incident and sent the defender off moments later when his poor tackle sent Hulse flying.

The dismissal necessitated the withdrawal of saborio for former Derby defender Lewin Nyatanga.

Ironically the next shot came from City's other centre half, Fontaine, but Bywater saved comfortably before Lee Johnson was replaced by Danny Haynes.

Basso then fluffed a goalkick to Hulse who teed up Croft but with an open goal to aim at 30 yards out he blazed high and wide.

Shots were raining in on City's goal at this stage and Livermore then crossed for sub Paul Dickov but he screwed his effort just wide.

And then Teale's overhead kick missed by inches after City were outfoxed on a short corner.

Dickov's next effort was even more laughable as he managed to shoot over from the six-yard line but it was Teale who had the final word.

Derby County (4-4-2): Bywater; Connolly, Leacock, Barker, Moxey; Croft (Addison 90) Savage, Livermore (Hendrie 79), Teale; Hulse, Vaughan (Dickov 64). Subs: Deeney, McEveley, Pringle, Stoor.

Bristol City (4-3-2-1): Basso; Orr, McCombe, Fontaine, McAllister; Johnson (Haynes 64), Hartley, Elliott; Sno (Sproule 82), Maynard; Saborio (Nyatanga 56). Subs: Henderson, Carey, Clarkson, Williams.