Boro tasted defeat for the first time in 2024/25 as Derby County battled to a 1-0 win at Pride Park.
A first half goal from Kayden Jackson separated the sides, with Boro unable to find an equaliser despite knocking on the door for much of the game.
Possession
70%Shots
19Shots On Target
4Corners
8Fouls
53
0
Cards
1
0
Derby scored the opener shortly before the half-hour as they broke from a Boro corner and Jackson raced through before rounding Seny Dieng and slotting into an empty net.
Boro’s response was immediate as we went in search of an equaliser.
Finn Azaz was particularly prominent and he forced a save from Josh Vickers before Lukas Engel flashed a strike just wide from 25 yards.
A period of Boro dominance ultimately did not produce a goal, with Azaz narrowly off target from distance, Aidan Morris denied by a brave block and Azaz seeing another shot kept out by Vickers.
Isaiah Jones’ effort on the stroke of half-time was also saved by Vickers as the visitors went in at the break a goal behind.
Derby: Vickers, Wilson (Nyambe 25'), Nelson, Cashin (Bradley 20'), Elder, Goudmijn (Adams 62'), Ozoh (Forsyth 76'), Osborn, Jackson, Collins (Thompson 76'), Méndez-Laing (Barkhuizen 76')
Subs: Widell Zetterström, Forsyth, Bradley, Barkhuizen, Thompson, Ward, Nyambe, Adams, Brown
Middlesbrough: Dieng, Ayling, van den Berg, Clarke, Engel, Hackney (Coburn 90'), Morris (Barlaser 68'), Jones (Hamilton 68'), Azaz (Conway 78'), Burgzorg, Latte Lath
Subs: Barlaser, Gilbert, Dijksteel, Hamilton, Coburn, Conway, Brynn, McCormick, Hunt
Derby posed a threat at the start of the second half, with Hayden Hackney forced into a block from Ben Osborn, before Boro got on top again.
Emmanuel Latte Lath headed wide from a Luke Ayling cross, Azaz hit one narrowly wide from the edge of the box and Hackney saw a brilliant strike from 30 yards tipped over by Vickers.
Burgzorg had a header ruled out for offside and was kept off the scoresheet again when his powerful drive from the right of the area took a deflection and crashed against the post.
The chances kept coming, with Burgzorg sending another one wide and Hackney curling wide from the edge of the box after a flowing move, but an equaliser continued to elude Boro.
There would ultimately be no breakthrough for Michael Carrick's men, who will aim to bounce back against Portsmouth at the Riverside next Saturday.
