Derby County are still looking for their first victory away from Pride Park after a 1-0 defeat at Ipswich Town this afternoon.

David Wright scored the only goal of the game just after the hour with a powerful header to secure Ipswich's first victory of the season.

Asmir Begovic in the Ipswich goal was in top form to deny Dean Moxey, Bryan Hughes and Gary Teale as the Rams dominated for long spells.

The Rams were without joint leading goalscorer Rob Hulse due to illness with a stomach illness and despite giving last season's Player of the Season until the last possible minute to prove his fitness, doctors said he was unable to feature.

Also, Dean Leacock did not recover sufficiently from his case of the mumps and missed out, as did Lee Hendrie who strained a hamstring in training yesterday.

Paul Dickov operated as the lone striker, so Jake Livermore was handed a recall in place of Hulse slotting into midfield while there was a starting berth for Stephen Pearson for the first time since mid-September and he came into the side at the expense of Lee Croft.

Derby were only able to name five substitutes for the game, with Jake Buxton agreeing to be in the squad despite not being match fit. Young professional Mark Dudley was one of those five, having been recalled from his loan at Alfreton Town yesterday.

Ipswich, still looking for their first victory of the campaign, got the game underway in their traditional blue and white colours and made a nervy start to the game as Derby settled the quicker.

On three minutes Livermore drifted a deep cross towards Dickov at the far post but he could only hit the side netting at an angle four yards out.

Derby continued to press and enjoyed the better of the early possession, and there were murmurs of discontent on the home terraces as Ipswich struggled to find their feet.

Jon Stead tried to change that on ten minutes with a low drive, but he failed to test Bywater.

Ipswich appealed for a penalty two minutes later as Quinn went to ground when challenged by Hughes, but the Referee waved play on.

Stoor delivered a fine cross on seventeen minutes into the Ipswich box which looked to have picked out Pearson's run from midfield, but Bruce headed clear with Pearson looking odds on to at least hit the target.

The Rams put another good move together at the midway point of the half with Stoor again delivering well from the right but this time Livermore was denied by a last-gasp clearance from Delaney.

Derby were dominating and using the ball effectively to work their way through the Ipswich defence, who looked nervy as the Rams attacked in numbers.

Walters registered a rare attempt for the home side just after the half-hour with a looping header from Stead's cross which floated over Bywater's crossbar.

Teale dragged a shot wide for Derby in the closing stages of the half, cutting inside from the left to get a shot away which didn't bring Begovic into action.

From an Ipswich corner two minutes before the break Alex Bruce's downward header was saved by Bywater on his line while Savage tried his luck with a thunderous long-range shot which Begovic tipped away.

It was a lively end to the half, but neither side broke the deadlock before Referee Mr Taylor brought the first period to an end.

Ipswich carved out the first opportunity of the second half from a corner but Bywater was in top form to turn away Bruce's header at point-blank range with a superb stop.

At the other end Moxey's low cross towards Dickov saw the striker guide the ball towards goal but Begovic turned the ball away, although had the ball hit the net it wouldn't have counted as Dickov was adjudged to have been offside.

The on-loan Portsmouth goalkeeper then produced a fine save from Gary Teale's right-foot stinger from just inside the box at the expense of a corner from which Derby came even closer to breaking the deadlock.

Hughes' floated cross looked to have deceived Begovic and drifted into the back of the net, but a last-gasp finger-tip save by the Town custodian turned the ball away.

Derby were dominated by this point and Moxey's mazy run and shot caused more problems, but Ipswich got bodies in the way and cleared.

Roy Keane made a double change by introducing strike duo Pablo Counago and Tamas Priskin in place if Trotter and Stead.

The home side made the long-awaited breakthrough in the sixty-sixth minute through defender David Wright after the Rams failed to clear their lines.

A deep cross in from the right was met by Wright's towering header and despite getting a hand to the ball Bywater was powerless to stop the ball finding the back of the net, and Portman Road erupted .

Priskin almost added a quickfire second with a long-range shot which whistled just past the far post as the Ipswich played with new-found confidence and their crowd in full voice.

Derby looked to a response and Savage's neat ball to Hughes at the far post almost provided an equaliser but the on-loan Hull midfielder's shot was straight at Begovic and he turned the ball behind for a corner.

After Stoor closed down a clearance from Wright the ball fell kindly to Dickov with fifteen minutes to go but the striker couldn't keep his shot down and the ball sailed over the bar.

Moxey was next to try his luck with a fierce drive from thirty yards, but again Begovic turned the ball over.

Teale then delivered a pin-point cross to the far post which was headed inches wide by Shaun Barker.

Lee Croft was introduced into the game with eleven minutes left, replacing Livermore in midfield while Greg Mills replaced Stephen Pearson soon afterwards.

Pearson was at the heart of all things good for Derby today and his return was a timely reminder of the key role he can play for the Rams.

Priskin could have put the game to bed with two minutes left when he burst clean through on goal, but Bywater stood tall and made an outstanding stop to deny the striker and Connolly got the ball clear.

Four minutes of time were added on at the end, but Derby couldn't find an equaliser and Ipswich were able to taste their first League victory of the campaign - but it wasn't without a late scare as Bryan Hughes volleyed over in the last minute of injury time inside the box.

Ipswich Town: Begovic, Wright, Delaney, Bruce, Leadbitter, Stead (Priskin 59), Walters, Rosenior, Edwards (Peters 74) , Quinn, Trotter (Counago 59)
Subs: R Wright, Colback, Healy, Brown
Goals: Wright (66)
Booked: Walters

Derby County: Bywater, Stoor, Connolly, Barker, Moxey, Teale, Savage, Livermore (Croft 79), Pearson (Mills 84), Hughes, Dickov
Subs: Deeney, Buxton, Dudley
Booked: Savage, Moxey

Referee: Mr A Taylor

Attendance: 20,299