Derby County suffered their first Championship of the season with a 3-2 defeat at Scunthorpe United this afternoon.

Martyn Woolford grabbed the winner on 82 minutes for the home side after both Paul Green and Kris Commons cancelled out strikes from United's Gary Hooper.

Paul Green and Jay McEveley returned to the Rams starting line-up at Glanford Park, with Ben Pringle and the injured Steven Davies the two outgoing players after the midweek Carling Cup defeat at Rotherham United.

On the bench, Kris Commons, Rob Hulse, Shaun Barker and Dean Leacock ensured Manager Nigel Clough had plenty of options to choose from.

With a simply magnificent support of just over 2,000 Rams fans piled into the away end, there was a cracking atmosphere at Glanford Park as Derby got the game underway attacking towards the terrace where the noisy Scunthorpe fans were situated.

After early-afternoon rain, the match kicked off in delightful sunshine and Derby had some early defending to do as the Championship new-boys began brightly.

Rising Highest: Miles Addison Wins A Header

Derby's first serious attack came on ten minutes when Gary Teale burst away down the right and delivered a cross to the far post that a stretching Jay McEveley could only turn back across goal and into Murphy's arms inside the six-yard box.

Both sides were displaying battling qualities on a tight pitch at Glanford Park with some meaty challenges flying in during the early stages.

The Iron marked the return of Championship football to Scunthorpe on 17 minutes when striker Gary Hooper was first to react inside the six-yard box with a goal-poachers effort to draw first blood.

On the break Woolford found space on the edge of the area to blast a shot towards goal which Bywater could only palm into Hooper's path and the frontman made no mistake from a few yards out.

Goal Getter: Paul Green Makes It 1-1

But Derby quickly showed their character by quickly getting back on level terms. It took just three minutes in fact for the Rams to draw level, Pearson picked out the midfield run of Paul Green and he stepped by his marker to curl a low shot beyond Murphy from just inside the box.

Addison almost put Derby ahead a few minutes later with a diving header from Green's corner but his effort whistled just over the crossbar.

Derby survived a major scare on twenty-six minutes when Hooper burst clear on goal with just Bywater to beat, but he dragged his shot inches wide when the home faithful were on their feet ready to celebrate a goal.

Equally his strike partner Paul Hayes should have done better just after the half-hour when he shrugged off Buxton's attentions to get a shot away but his effort was also wide of the target.

Hooper had the chance to redeem himself ten minutes before the break when he got another clear run at goal, but Bywater was the Rams hero with a superb block inside his six-yard box to keep the scores locked at 1-1.

At the other end Derby could have easily taken the lead when they hit the home side on the break but Green rushed his shot when well placed and he dragged his shot wide

Just a minute before the break though Hooper finally got his second of the match, bursting clear to lash a low shot beyond Bywater and in off the far post to make it 2-1.

Both sides were unchanged as the second-half got underway - and the tempo remained high from both sides but there was little goalmouth action to report on.

On 53 minutes Nigel Clough made his first change of the game, introducing Kris Commons into the action in place of Jay McEveley.

Derby were beginning to get on top by the hour and home side were dropping deeper and deeper and were beginning to look nervous.

Spot On: Paul Green Is Brought Down

And their nerves showed when goalkeeper Murphy came rushing out of his goal to bring down Green, leaving Referee Mr Horwood given no other option than to point to the penalty spot.

Commons - who had only been on the pitch for 7 minutes - did the rest from the penalty spot, calming slotting the ball home in front of the huge Rams support.

The Derby pressure continued and a Commons cross - with Murphy way out of his goal - was somehow cleared off the goal-line by Rob Jones with Green and Croft in the area waiting to pounce.

Action Man: Lee Croft On The Ball

It was gripping stuff and the momentum was with Derby, but Scunthorpe were always looking dangerous on the break which was always a concern after long spells of pressure.

Commons had a header saved by Murphy from Croft's ball in from the right - and Derby's hopes were bolstered even more in the final fifteen minutes with the introduction of Rob Hulse after recovering from a groin injury.

But with eight minutes to go Scunthorpe edged back in front when Woolford burst away down the right wing and found enough time and space in the box to crash a low shot beyond Bywater.

Derby pushed forwards in search of a late equaliser and Shaun Barker was introduced from the bench in an unfamiliar attacking role alongside Hulse as the minutes ticked away.

In the end - despite four minutes of added time - the Rams were unable to hit back again and Scunthorpe's lively crowd celebrated at the final whistle like they had won promotion all over again.

The Rams are back on the road again on Tuesday evening at Blackpool, where they will aim to get back on track.

Scunthorpe United: Murphy, A Wright, Williams, Byrne, Sparrow, McCann (J Wright 80), Hayes, Hooper (Forte 85), Jones, Woolford, O'Connor (Togwell 88)
Subs: Lillis, Thompson, May, Canavan
Goals: Hooper (17 & 44) Woolford (82)

Derby County: Bywater, Connolly (Barker 89), Moxey, Buxton, Addison, Croft, McEveley (McEveley 53), Green (Hulse 72), Savage, Pearson, Teale
Subs: Deeney, Leacock, Varney, Pringle
Goals: Green (20), Commons (60)

Referee: Mr G Horwood

Attendance: 7,352 (2,092 Derby County Fans)