The Hawthorns
Derby County claimed three Sky Bet Championship points for the first time in the 2025/26 season after a gritty performance saw them claim a win 1-0 at The Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts maintained possession for the majority of the contest, but neither side were able to trouble the scoresheet in the first hour of play, despite chances for Isaac Price for West Brom and debutant Ben Brereton Díaz for Derby in the first half.
Substitute Andi Weimann broke the deadlock in the 84th minute for Derby, netting his first goal since re-joining the club in the summer to secure the Rams' first league success and clean sheet of the campaign just minutes after coming off the bench.
The win means the Rams are now unbeaten in three Championship matches, following draws against Bristol City and Ipswich Town before the two-week international break.
Derby's side showed one change from the 2-2 draw at Ipswich a fortnight ago with forward Rhian Brewster missing out with a groin issue, so Brereton Díaz came into the side in his place. Midfielder Lewis Travis took the captain's armband, a role he previously held under Head Coach John Eustace at Blackburn Rovers, for the first time.
West Brom had the first chance of the match in the fifth minute when Jed Wallace hooked a hip-high cross into the box that Price connected with on the half-volley - but Rams goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström caught the effort to deny the hosts.
A tight opening 15 minutes saw limited chances for both sides, with Derby defending well against the hosts' possession.
Brereton Díaz came close in the 19th minute for Derby after he met Callum Elder’s bending cross from the left with a glancing header, but the ball curled away from goal wide of the mark.
A powerful swerving strike looked to be heading near the target for West Brom in the 34th minute when Callum Styles struck a rebound on the bounce, but his effort was blocked by the body of Matt Clarke in the Derby penalty area.
Northern Ireland international Price’s attempted dink in the 39th minute for the Albion was the closest either team had come for an extended spell, with the attacker’s effort landing on the roof of the net.
Neither side could notch a goal, though, and the contest was goalless at the break.
Sharp defending from Dion Sanderson blocked Mikey Johnston's shot wide for a corner, which was also cleared, early in the second period as the home side started the second period strongly.
Down the other end, Brereton Díaz’s effort in the 49th minute appeared to be a strong contender to open the scoring but it was blocked by the Baggies defence after a well-worked move saw Max Johnston cross to the Chilean attacker, who was emerging on the edge of the penalty area.
Former Derby defender Nat Phillips forced a save from Zetterström in the 62nd minute after a fizzed long-range effort by the defender which the goalkeeper caught well, which came moments after Albion skipper Jed Wallace fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
Striker Patrick Agyemang came on to make his debut for the club following his arrival from Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC in July, and recovering from hernia surgery, when he came on to replace Brereton Díaz in the 69th minute, while Weimann joined ten minutes later by replacing Bobby Clark.
It didn’t take long for the Austrian international to have an impact, as he took down a knock-on from Agyemang, following a cross from skipper Travis, and fired a low strike goalwards which found the bottom corner.
His tenacity in holding the ball and waiting for a gap saw him squeeze the ball low and into the back of the net from close range proved to be crucial, and his strike send the travelling Rams fans wild.
The hosts thought they had equalised when Jayson Molumby hit a thunderous strike that clattered the crossbar just minutes after Derby’s goal and rebounded away to safety.
The Rams had to stand firm against a barrage of attacks in
six minutes of added time, but determined defending saw them claim a
hard-fought win.
West Bromwich Albion: Griffiths (GK), Mepham, Phillips, Styles, Campbell, Wallace (C) (Illing Junior 73), Molumby, Johnston (Maja 83), Heggebø, Price, Mowatt (Collyer 74).
Unused Substitutes: Wallis (GK), Wildsmith (GK), Gilchrist, Diakate, Taylor, Bostock.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Forsyth, Clarke, Morris, Elder, Johnston, Brereton Díaz (Agyemang 69), Travis (C), Sanderson, Adams, Clark.
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Batth, Salvesen, Ozoh, Jackson, Ward, Nyambe.
The Rams will host Preston North End at Pride Park Stadium in Sky Bet Championship action next Saturday (3pm kick-off).
