Derby County's 2009/10 season ended today just how it started nine months go....with a victory.

Second-half goals from Jay McEveley and David Martin were enough to defeat promotion hopefuls Cardiff City 2-0 at Pride Park Stadium.

Injuries once again played part in Derby's team selection, with ten players ruled out of this game.

Therefore, there was a welcome return for Kris Commons after two months out injured and a first Championship start for Ben Pringle.

On the bench were Academy players Callum Ball, Jeff Hendrick, Mark O'Brien and Ryan Connolly.

Derby should have taken the lead inside the first minute when Savage intelligently played in Hunt down the right but his low cross was smashed wide by Commons twelve yards out.

It was a great chance for the returning Scottish international, but he just couldn't get his effort on target.

Cardiff tested Saul Deeney for the first time on the quarter hour mark as the Rams goalkeeper dived to his right to tip Ross McCormack's free-kick - arrowing towards the top corner - behind for a corner kick.

Tomasz Cywka has impressed Derby enough for Nigel Clough to try and bring the on-loan Polish youngster from Wigan Athletic back to Pride Park next season and he almost signed off for the season with his first Derby goal on the half hour with a stinging low drive which Enkleman turned away.

Cardiff had a chance to open the scoring five minutes from the break but Deeney saved Gyepes powerful header from a McCormack free-kick.

McCormack had a great opportunity to break the deadlock in the final minute of the half when he latched onto a long ball over the top and burst clear on goal, but under pressure from Barker he sliced wide.

The second half was only a few minutes old when Derby took the lead through defender Jay McEveley.

The makeshift centre-back got on the end of Commons' excellent free-kick from the right to guide the ball past Enkleman for his fourth goal of the season.

Derby kept the pressure on and could have had a second after fine work by Cywka but Enkleman did enough to deny Pringle and Commons at close range.

And that second goal came just after the hour from David Martin, who crashed a powerful low drive under the body of Enkleman to send Pride Park wild.

Cardiff were unable to get into their stride and Derby were in complete control.

With fifteen minutes left Gary Teale replaced Commons to a huge standing ovation after an impressive return from injury and youngster Callum Ball made his senior debut soon afterwards in place of Cywka.

Deeney preserved a deserved clean sheet late on by tipping McCormack's thunderous long-range effort onto the bar and over.

Ryan Connolly replaced Martin in the dying seconds to follow Ball in making his senior debut.

The win was enough to beat last year's points tally and see the Rams finish higher in the Championship standings, proof that Derby are progressing slowly forwards.

Given the injuries Nigel Clough has had to contend with, the mid-table finish is a huge positive as Derby prepare for next season.Derby County: Deeney, Hunt, Barker, McEveley, Moxey, Savage, Tonge, Martin (R Connolly 90), Commons (Teale 75), Pringle, Cywka (Ball 85)
Subs: Atkins, P Connolly, Hendrick, O'Brien
Booked: Hunt, Pringle, Moxey
Goals: McEveley (48), Martin (62)

Cardiff City: Enckleman, Quinn, Capaldi, Gyepes, Hudson, Taiwo (Morris 83), Wilding, Feeney (Magennis 55), McCormack, Etuhu, Burke
Subs: Marshall,, Matthews, Meades, Ledley, Jarvis
Booked: Etuhu, McCormack, Quinn

Referee: Mr C H Webster

Attendance: 31,102 (2,257 Cardiff City supporters)

Man of the Match, powered by Collstream: Ben Pringle