Tom Ince’s 40th minute goal saw Derby County to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. Town took the game to the Rams in the second half but rarely looked like getting on terms with the visitors, who have climbed to second.

Boss Mick McCarthy named unchanged XI for the fifth successive game, while Luke Varney, who signed a contract to the end of the season yesterday, was on the bench replacing Jonny Parr, who missed out having picked up a knock. Former Blue Darren Bent was on the bench for the Rams.

Freddie Sears, fresh from his 16th second goal at Fulham on Tuesday, struck the game’s first shot in the fifth minute, cutting in from the left and hitting a low effort which Derby keeper Lee Grant, in for the injured Scott Carson, saved down to his right.

The Blues were starting the game positively and on eight Brett Pitman profited from Stephen Warnock’s slip on the Town right and sent over a cross which was just too long for strike partner Daryl Murphy.

Derby gradually began to see more of the ball but without creating a chance until the 12th minute when former Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson shot wide from just outside the area having been teed up by Johnny Russell.

The Rams continued to see the majority of the possession but didn’t create another opportunity until the 21st minute when Tom Ince escaped in space on the right and laid the ball across to Chris Martin, whose shot was superbly blocked by Tommy Smith.

Town threatened on 25 when Murphy nodded the ball down to Sears who was breaking down the left. The former Colchester man might have cut across to an unmarked Pitman earlier and his eventual cross was blocked.

Following the resultant corner, Christophe Berra picked up the game’s first yellow card for catching Warnock with a high boot as he tried to get a touch on a bouncing ball.

On 29 Pitman found Sears on the edge of the area with a pass from wide on the right but the ex-West Ham man’s first touch let him down and George Thorne was able to close him down and block. At the other end, Gerken saved Jacob Butterfield’s effort without fanfare.

A minute later, after Cole Skuse had collided with referee Keith Hill, the ball broke to Sears, who screwed a left-footed strike well wide.

Referee Hill gave Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Johnson a talking to on 34 after the on-loan Arsenal man had taken umbrage to the former Canary had diving in at him after he had already been tripped by one of his team-mates, leading to a short spell of pushing and shoving involving a handful of players.

Berra cut out a Warnock cross from the left on 38 after a swift Derby break, referee Hill having failed to spot a blatant handball during the build-up.

The half had been evenly balanced with few chances at either end but on 40 the visitors went in front.

Russell ran onto Martin’s knockdown midway inside the Town half and Berra’s challenge deflected straight to Ince, who took the ball into the area before hitting a shot which caught Jonas Knudsen’s studs and beat Gerken. It was Ince's seventh goal of the season and his fourth this week after his hat-trick in Tuesday's 4-0 home victory over Bristol City.

The Blues were unable to find a response before referee Hill, whose somewhat erratic decision-making was increasingly infuriating the Town support, blew his whistle to signal half-time.

There had been little in a not overly entertaining game up to the Derby goal, which as so often this season was one that Town really ought to have been able to defend, even if there had been an element of good fortune for the Rams.

When Town had been in good positions all too often they had been let down by a poor final ball or a bad first touch and Derby keeper Grant had never seriously been tested.

Gerken similarly hadn’t been forced into a significant save prior to the visitors taking the lead.

The Blues made a strong start to the second half, Skuse seeing an early strike blocked just inside the area.

On 50 Knudsen found Sears with a short throw on the left and crossed to Murphy, who flicked a difficult header over the bar.

Four minutes later, after Pitman’s header had been nodded behind by Cyrus Christie, the Danish international shot over after a corner on the left had been played to him on the edge of the box.

A minute before the hour mark Pitman was replaced by Ryan Fraser with the Scotland U21 international making his first appearance since suffering a knee injury in October. The on-loan AFC Bournemouth man took up his usual role on the left of midfield with Sears joining Murphy up front. Kevin Bru replaced Maitland-Niles on 63.

Jonathan Douglas had his named added to referee Hill’s book in the 68th minute for a foul on Russell, the Scotland international appearing to make an awful lot out of very little contact.

The Blues continued to take the game to the Rams but Grant was still to be seriously tested. On 75 the keeper failed to deal with a corner from the left but the ball wouldn’t fall to a Town player.

Derby were lucky not to be reduced to 10 men in the 77th minute when Butterfield hauled down Skuse, then pushed the Blues’ midfielder in the face with the flat of his hand.

Referee Hill showed only a yellow card which the Rams midfielder still protested at length, at one point grabbing the referee’s arm. Three minutes later, Andreas Weimann replaced Russell.

Town continued to press for an equaliser and on 81 Douglas wasn’t far away when his header from a Fraser cross was cleared off the line by Butterfield at the post. The Scottish winger reached the loose ball on the edge of the area on the right but was caught by Ince’s very high boot and the former Blackpool man picked up a yellow card.

Moments later, after his corner on the right had been cleared, Fraser brought the ball back in and fed Sears with a clever pass, the striker hitting a powerful shot across the face of goal.

Butterfield made way for Derby to boos from the home support, Jeff Hendrick taking over, before Varney was handed his second Blues debut against one of his former clubs replacing Douglas.

Town were unable to get on terms during injury time and Johnson’s 20-yard strike which Gerken pushed past his right post was the game’s final significant action.

The Blues had taken the game to the visitors in the second half and had had most of the ball but had been prevented from creating too many notable chances by a resolute Derby defence, Douglas’s header which was cleared off the line - one of only two Blues shots on target all game - perhaps the nearest Town came to an equaliser.

The result sees the Blues, who have now recorded only one home win in nine, remain sixth in the table but again having fallen short when up against one of the division’s top sides. Town next face QPR at Portman Road on Boxing Day.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas (Varney 84), Maitland-Niles (Bru 63), Sears, Pitman (Fraser 59), Murphy. Unused: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Coke, Oar.

Derby: Grant, Christie, Keogh, Martin (c), Russell (Weimann 80), Shackell, Johnson, Butterfield (Hendrick 83), Ince (Baird 90), Thorne, Warnock. Unused: Mitchell, Hendrick, Bent, Pearce, Shotton. Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire). Att: 20,161 (Derby: 1,313).

Photo: Action Images

Garv added 18:13 - Dec 19 Frustrations today include the referee who seemingly couldn't bare to see the game flow whatsoever, AMN's inability and constant selection, attacking thr*ow i*s that cause more threat to our goal than the opposition...and finally the one that's always been there - our complete lack of invention and quality and ideas other than 'give it to Fraser/Sears' when we're chasing a game.

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neillrumsey added 18:14 - Dec 19 For me Derby weren't that much better than us however we had no quality in the middle of the park. Skuse did well but not forward thinking. Sears was excellent but was the only striker to turn up today with Murph and Pitman both poor. For me MM seems to approach home games talking up the opposition and appears to setup the team to get a point. I feel with Bru in the centre we could have taken the game to Derby and won. Why bring Bru on wide left ? Great to see Frase and Varney back and both showed well. We need a left back for sure. Knudsen had a couple of decent games when he arrived but is well out of his depth and must be rested. Ref was just as bad as last time...incompetent buffoon. So Mick please be more positive at home as we can beat these teams. Still in top 6 so can't knock that. Happy Christmas

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warktheline added 18:22 - Dec 19 Put the humble pie ingredients away chaps, and believe me, no one would have been more happier to have been gorging on it all evening than me! McCarthy had worked minor miracles up until tail end of last season, but here's hit a wall, the combination of his stubbornnness and lack of investment being the main causes. Personally shudder at thought of what ME intentions are towards OUR club! That's not to say, I'm expecting him to totally empty his pockets, but what an opportunity the club had in summer to push on and continue the upward trend of progression. Needless to say, nowt of significance happened, and that's why we sit outside of top five. Try to enjoy your evening all! Merry Christmas.

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bluefeast added 18:22 - Dec 19 Mick has been in the game for years , yet in the summer he signed a player he had never watch play in Knudsen , why did we not sign a player who had been scouted 6 times by3 different people including ,mick. Why does mick continue with his long throws ,its ridiculous. I feel for the lad , new country new team etc , he's young , its just painful.When Mick arrived his first job was to bring in a right back on loan to cover for our previous captain , square peg in a round hole he said ,so why for so long have chambers at right back. MM is a work horse manager , for me its wrong and stinks of horrible football , nothing to enjoy and i question him as being the person to bring the fans back

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HackneyBlue added 18:29 - Dec 19 Decent first 20 minutes,felt we were in their faces,AMN to me is more of an impact sub when we need to chase a game ,i find he can be a liability when he has the ball in defensive areas easily being dispossessed,needs a few weeks out now we have Fraser or Orr back. What i found most disappointing and this is evident in every game is when the defence have the ball they pass it from side to side always looking stretched and then finally a long ball ,why not just hoof it up there earlier if your not going to use the midfield,we lost possession so easily and after a lot of effort at the back its far to frustrating.

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blueboy1981 added 18:47 - Dec 19 Surprised at the result ........ have to say - not in the least. We are only 'flirting' with the top six - and proved comprehensively when we come up against any of them. We just aren't in the same quality niche - our style (particularly at home) of play, has to change otherwise only the really hard core will continue to turn out to watch this. I hate Xmas shopping, but was very tempted to accompany the wife today instead of taking up my seat.. Wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all - and that's a the first time I have said that in decades.

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rinkydinkpanther added 18:50 - Dec 19 This is a non-loss. Nobody needs lose any sleep over this. We just need to stay top of the division that doesn't include any of the top 5, as we are currently. That's our only hope of going up. Then we need to pray we actually bloody beat a couple of the top 5 in the play-offs (technically we don't have to of course, we could win on pens in the semis and final (again, our best hope)).

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MrDiddle added 19:25 - Dec 19 The game could have gone either way today. Derby didn't exactly set the world on fire to say they invested heavily in the summer. A goalless draw would have been more to the point but there you go. Stupid comments all over the park again about how ME is tight, isn't investing, management clueless etc. Seriously guys we get the picture, you don't like the owner or the manager. Funny how you all are quiet when we win!

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Langdon_Blue added 19:25 - Dec 19 R.I.P Jimmy Hill. Merry Christmas to all Ipswich Town supporters.
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WashbrookBlue added 19:36 - Dec 19 Mr Diddle calls it well. This is a well managed site but is now sadly too heavily weighted in favour of a group of bandwagon carpers for whom balance and perspective are alien concepts. Nothing personifies this more than the treatment of Knudsen who is the latest player to be fashionable to criticise. An objective assessment would recognise who he is following and the danger of being judged against such lofty expectations ( mind you , Mings copped it as well) and it would also recognise that no one in the club is pretending he is the finished article. I thought he was very decent today , both in his defensive work and in his willingness to combine with Sears going forward, especially in first half. Yes, his final ball etc may not be great but if you want to go criticise - which is clearly how many here see their only role in life - other observations would be more worthy. Derby - a whinging diving team that are hard to like - played a classic away game today with rock solid , well organised defence ( Thorne as holding midfielder did a masterclass) and frightening speed to buzz off martins hold up play. Once in front , they squeezed the life out of us and the game. But there was much to be positive about in terms of our persistence and attitude, even if we found ourself second best , which lets face it is a not inaccurate summary of where we're at. It's the home games to the bristols and huddersfields that have you spitting teeth. I will still use this site for the articles and interviews etc but the negative drivel even after winning forth away game on trot) becomes as boring as it is uninformed.

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essex57 added 19:39 - Dec 19 Sorry no canaries allowed meant to push agree button agree with everything you said
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bonamassablue added 19:41 - Dec 19 I thought that Town worked hard today and a draw would have been a fair result, but .... we let ourselves down again by not keeping the ball, you cannot afford to keep losing possession it undoes all the hard work. Also, did we really look like scoring? The final ball is lacking again. We were beaten by a good finish, but only after we had given the ball away again. Derby were not the best I have seen this season (Boro were) but having lost again to a side higher than us, we have found our level at 6th. AMN is struggling but on the positive front, it's good that Fraser, Bru and Varney back. They should add a bit of sparkle going forward, but we need a Russell or Johnson type of player in our midfield.

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Kikapu added 19:53 - Dec 19 The comments have been a lot more reasoned this time. Altogether much more readable. I agree with Mr Diddle too about the comments against the owner and manager. If you think that a successful business owner is going to splash the cash and take a gamble you must be delusional. These guys are long term builders and strategists and MM is working to a plan. Next year we'll have a stronger team and each after it will be stronger still. It's called building for success. They're also good at ignoring rubbish comments from so-called supporters who don't know the first thing about money and business.

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bluefeast added 20:10 - Dec 19 There is no plan , its expensive to watch football as a family man , i can't spend 100 quid only to be left non entertained ,i don't like hard work only football ,i would like us to play like bournemoth and watford did last season ,or norwich or boro or brentford or derby , i don't like the way we play. Its easy to smash a glass bottle ,its difficult to make a glass bottle ,one requires skill the other brute force. MM is a smash bottle merchant , other managers are creative forward thinking visionaries.

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warktheline added 20:13 - Dec 19 @mrdiddle, is that all you can come up with, 'quiet when we win '. Playground talk! You've got to come to terms with the fact that not everyone sees our current position as you do! The big picture looks rosier than the finer details, for example we've lost at HOME recently to two clubs in top five, without scoring a single goal! IF you're happy with maybe making 6th spot this season, something presently I don't think we will, that's fine, but others including myself, have noticed the gap widening between our club, and others above in league, whom show ambition on and off field.

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essex57 added 20:13 - Dec 19 Would of been happy with a point but on balance not to disappointed with result we competed well they scored with a large element of luck something that we seem to be short of at home . We are not that far off and with fraiser and Varney back feel they could be the missing link that can power us forwards Hull and Brighton are starting to wobble so let's get behind the boys I've seen most matches this season and none of the teams I've seen are that much ahead of us bring on rangers Happy Xmas to you all

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Jimmy86 added 20:25 - Dec 19 I think the game was similar to the Boro game, in that it came down to fine margins, yet again. I have to say that despite their heavy investment I was not impressed with Derby 1 bit... other than the goal they only had 1 shot on target in the whole match. Don't usually criticise Knudsen, but I thought he wasn't up to it today. Large parts of the game passed Douglas by, without him having much effect on the game. AMN wasn't great either and blows hot and cold, which is to be expected for an 18 year old. Thought the referee was absolutely diabolical, with his decision making. He fell for all of Derby's diving, gamesmanship and time wasting. How he never booked Johnson for clearly bringing AMN down is not on, if Butterfield raised his hand and then grabbed the arm of the ref he should have gone, as should have Ince for taking off Fraser's head on the edge of the area. Very poor referee in my book, but not why we lost the game today. Thought Derby were bang average, despite shelling out at least 16 million on fees in the summer and expensive wages, to boot. Hope we beat them at the Ipro

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wayway added 20:45 - Dec 19 Decent investment 1 Lack of investment from absent owners 0 Ambition 1 Don't give a monkeys 0
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DerryfromBury added 20:50 - Dec 19 Didn't think there was that much between the 2 teams today, certainly not the £15-20m everyone goes on about. The goal came about by an unfortunate bounce of the ball, which could have gone anywhere, but unfortunately for town it fell to Tom Ince. I was a bit intrigued with the first substitution, taking off Pitman seemed a bit strange when we were still in the game and the momentum was with us, surely it would have made more sense to take off AMN who wasn't his normal self today, rather than Pittman who is always a threat. What a difference Fraser made when he came on, head and shoulders above everyone else in a blue shirt. I'd go as far to say next to Ince he was the best player on the pitch when he came on. This can only boad well for the remainder of the season. Top 6 at Christmas in spite of a disastrous October things could be worse, a lot worse. I think ME & MM should do whatever it takes to keep Fraser at the end of the season, and if at all possible add a creative midfielder in January, be it a purchase or loanee on good wages. Ever the optimist.... COYB

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Gazelle added 20:53 - Dec 19 Wasn't Knudsen's fault we failed to score.
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DerryfromBury added 20:56 - Dec 19 PS. Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy and Prosperous 2016 to you all
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adeblueboy added 21:03 - Dec 19 We might not be as good as the top five but we are the next best and that means play offs.
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BrettenhamBlue added 21:03 - Dec 19 Thought it was a good game, we just lacked some quality in midfield. Derby have spent heavily and you can tell. As MM said before the match, they are serious contenders for the title. We are top 10 contenders, and hopefully will sneak that 6th spot. Thought everyone played ok but usual scapegoating here. Let's remember that many of the players we have are frees, loans or were cheap (Knudsen) initially. MM is doing well with the team we have. Happy Xmas everyone. Nowhere near relegation and a chance at sneaking 6th spot. It's certainly not all doom and gloom.

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Dissboyitfc added 21:07 - Dec 19 sorry bluefeast, i meant to up mark you
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billlm added 21:22 - Dec 19 Enjoyed the game, I used to play at left back Knudsen was woeful positioning awful heaped pressure on us not good enough at this time
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