Tom Ince opened his account for the 2015/16 season with the winning goal as Derby County recorded a 1-0 win over 10 man Reading on Tuesday evening.

Tom Ince opened his account for the 2015/16 season with the winning goal as Derby County recorded a 1-0 win over 10 man Reading on Tuesday evening.

The wideman converted Chris Martin’s pass beyond Jonathan Bond with just over 20 minutes remaining to ensure Paul Clement’s side built on their win over Preston North End at the weekend.

The winning goal after the Royals had been reduced to ten men after Orlando Sa was sent off for an off the ball incident as Reading’s three-game winning streak came to an end.

For large periods of the game, Derby remained resolute at the back and frustrated the home side to very little sight of Scott Carson’s goal.

Reading only had an early effort from Nick Blackman to show for all their first half dominance with the ball, the forward sending a dipping left shot towards goal, which Carson was equal to.

That aside, the better openings presented themselves to Derby with Jeff Hendrick first sending a low left drive wide of goal, although it did seem to take a slight deflection on its way past Bond’s far post.

Richard Keogh headed into the arms of Bond from Tom Ince’s inswinging corner soon after, whilst Jacob Butterfield saw two clean efforts blocked by two determined blocks by the Royals’ backline.

Steve Clarke’s side passed the ball with zest and creativity as they tried to unlock Derby’s stubborn defence.

Every cross, pass and dangerous run was snuffed out, leaving the home side to efforts from range.

Oliver Norwood, who scored from 35-yards against Ipswich Town last Friday, tried his luck again, but Carson was alert to the danger to palm his low drive away for a corner.

With three minutes of added time shown, the home side were reduced to ten men after Sa was sent off for an off the ball incident with Jason Shackell, with the centre half also being booked by the referee Andy Davies in the process.

With their man advantage, Derby began to get a grip of the ball, but failed to test Bond in the Reading goal.

Cyrus Christie whipped a left foot effort over the bar after a quick exchange of passes with Ince, whilst Hendrick and Johnson both scuffed first time efforts well wide.

Clarke’s side continued to hold a certain degree of control with their unwavering work ethic leaving Derby frustrated and limited.

They also continued to create chances of their own as Blackman drove a low effort into the arms of Carson at his near post.

Clement’s side continued to persist and rewarded with 21 minutes remaining as Ince scampered into the area to chase after a clever pass behind the defence Martin to poke the ball beyond Bond.

Looking for a quick response, Norwood drove another long-range effort narrowly wide of Carson’s far post, but with their goal lead the Rams had an air of calm about their play and were content to patiently try and add to their lead.

Craig Forsyth, after breaking the offside trap, lashed an effort over the top of Bond’s crossbar from a tight angle.

It proved to be the last chance for the visitors as Reading piled pressure on Carson’s goal.

Hal Robson-Kanu, the substitute, headed over, whilst the Rams’ backline stood firm against the several dangerous crosses that was whipped into their six-yard area to record their second consecutive victory.

Reading: Bond, Gunter, Obita, McShane, Hector, Norwood, Tshibola (McCleary, 80), Quinn (Robson-Kanu, 67), Blackman, Sa, Vydra (Williams, 63)

Substitutes not used: Al-Habsi, Piazon, John, Cooper

Derby County: Carson, Christie, Keogh, Shackell, Forsyth; Johnson, Hendrick (Bent, 62), Butterfield (Hanson, 74); Ince (Weimann, 84), Russell, Martin (C)

Substitutes not used: Grant, Dawkins, Pearce, Warnock

Attendance: 15,697 (1,293 Derby fans)

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