Pearson strikes to send Derby into the Premiership

13 April 2012

Stephen Pearson scored his first goal for Derby County to earn them a place back in the Barclays Premiership - and a £50million jackpot - for the first time in five years.

Pearson, signed from Celtic for £650,000 in January, scored the only goal against West Brom after 61 minutes from a cross by substitute Giles Barnes who had only been on the pitch three minutes.

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Champagne moment: Derby celebrate their promotion to the Premiership

It continued a remarkable turn-around in fortunes for the Rams who 12 months ago finished 20th in the Coca-Cola Championship and flirted with relegation for much of the 2005-2006 campaign.

Manager Billy Davies has transformed the club since arriving from Preston last summer in place of Phil Brown.

And Davies had more reason than most to celebrate after losing out in a play-off semi-final and final in his last two seasons at Deepdale.

He has put the pride back into a club which won the league title twice in four years in the mid 1970s under Brian Clough and Dave Mackay respectively.

Albion were the better side in the opening 45 minutes but it was a different story in the second half with the Rams inspired by skipper Matt Oakley.

Now the Baggies must try and lift themselves for what is sure to be a rebuilding programme in the summer under Tony Mowbray with question marks hanging over the future of Premiership targets Curtis Davies, Diomansy Kamara and Jason Koumas.

Albion made a purposeful start and Rams keeper Stephen Bywater was called into meaningful action after only 40 seconds to parry away a left-footed drive from Kamara.

Calming influence: retiring referee Poll (third left) moves in to defuse a late melee

The Rams were indebted to a superbly timed tackle from Tyrone Mears to halt a mazy run into the area by Koumas after he had skipped past three challenges.

The Baggies appealed strongly for a penalty but television replays showed Mears had just nicked the ball away from the Welsh international before making contact and referee Graham Poll was spot on with his decision.

Derby defender Jay McEveley did well to block a far post volley from Zoltan Gera following a deep cross from Kamara but there was little to choose between the sides in the opening half hour.

Peschisolido became the first player to be yellow-carded after 31 minutes after a late lunge at West Brom stand-in skipper Paul Robinson.

I've done it: Stephen Pearson celebrates his goal

Koumas began to see more of the ball and he carved out a shooting chance for himself but after cutting back inside but could not keep his effort down.

The nearest either side came to a goal in the opening half was when veteran Albion striker Kevin Phillips hit the bar from 15 yards out after Gera had laid the ball into his path two minutes before the interval.

Baggies' barrier: West Brom's Paul Robinson (left) and Jonathan Greening hold off Derby County's Craig Fagan (right)

The second half began at a frantic pace with Kiely doing well to save at the feet of Peschisolido while Bywater held onto Koumas' first-time drive.

Mears became the fourth player to be cautioned for fouling Koumas while a cross shot from Derby skipper Matt Oakley was not far off target.

Derby boss Davies brought on the less than fully fit but potential match-winner Barnes for Peschisolido after 58 minutes.

And seconds later it needed a superb reflex save from Kiely to turn over a powerful close range effort from Oakley.

But the Rams were not to be denied and Barnes set up the opener for Pearson after 61 minutes.

Barnes supplied an inviting low ball across the box after beating the offside trap - and Pearson got in front of McShane to slide the ball past Kiely.

Albion lost their composure for a while before rallying but Bywater was equal to anything thrown at him as he denied Jonathan Greening and Robinson.

The final whistle was the signal for scenes of great joy from Davies, his players and the 30,000 Derby fans.

MATCH FACTS

DERBY COUNTY (4-4-2): Bywater; Mears, Leacock, Moore, McEveley; Fagan (Edworthy 82min), Oakley, Johnson (Jones 87), Pearson; Peschisolido (Barnes 58), Howard. Booked: Peschisolido, Mears, Jones, Oakley. Scorer: Pearson 61.

WEST BROMWICH (4-4-2): Kiely; McShane (Ellington 71), Perry, Sodje (Clement 81), Robinson; Gera (Carter 71), Greening, Koren, Koumas; Kamara, Phillips. Booked: Sodje, McShane, Perry.

Man of the match: Matt Oakley.

Referee: Graham Poll.

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