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THERE was no homecoming gift for Steve McClaren as battling Boro beat his Derby side 1-0.
The former manager was given a warm reception before the game but once the whistle went Boro went out of their way to spoil his return.
It was a close fought game with both sides missing chances before Boro grabbed victory with a well worked second half strike by Nathaniel Chaolbah.
Boro made one change as Chalobah returned in an anchor role in place of banned Dean Whitehead.
Local left winger Mark Kitching, 17, made his first appearance on the bench.
There was a generous and lengthy pre-match round of applause for former boss Steve McClaren who guided Boro to Carling Cup victory in 2004 and the 2006 UEFA Cup final and now manager of Derby.
That was followed by a minute's silence in memory of the 20 anniversary of the tragedy at Hallgarth School.
Boro showed first in the third minute as a fine cross field ball from Albert Adomah sent George Friend storming down the left to cut inside but his angled shot screamed high over.
Then after a cagey spell Boro won a corner that led to a sustained spell of probing passes before Grant Leadbitter chipped in for Danny Graham to head wide.
Derby almost broke through on 14 minutes as Martin burst towards the box onto a Bryson pass but then he fell after as he jumped over a challenge from Ben Gibson that never arrived and then Kenneth Omeruo cleared the danger.
Boro then swept forward and a neat reverse pass by Lee Tomlin sent Graham into the box but he fired over.
Boro threatened again on 16 minutes as a Luke William cross into the box glanced a defender's head then Friend nodded it goalwards but it was deflected wide for a corner that was easily cleared.
Straight down the other end Derby threatened as full-back Wisdom over-lapped and sent a cross skidding through the box before Friend collected and cleared the danger.
Derby carved out a good chance on 27 minutes when a quick ball from Bamford picked out a good run that took Martin to the edge of the box but his shot was blocked by a sliding challenge from Gibson then looped up kindly into the arms of keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos.
Boro pressed on 31 minutes as a Leadbitter cross picked out Friend who lost then won back the ball and headed towards the box but when he tried to pick out Tomlin's run into the box it was cut out by the stretching Buxton.
Then Boro went close on 33 minutes as Williams fired a half cleared corner into the crowd and it fell to Omeruo but as he turned to shoot it was blocked by Wisdom on the ground.
And on 35 minutes Graham slotted a ball into the feet of Tomlin and he turned his man and darted clear to the edge of the box then with the goal gaping he fired a weak shot straight at the keeper.
On 36 minutes Leadbitter was booked for a foul on Bryson.
Derby then had a good spell as first a Forsyth cross was whipped into the box for Martin to flick wide of the far post then another cross bounced across the face of goal and clipped Omeruo before being hooked away at the far post by Chalobah.
And on 43 minutes they threatened again as Bamford squared into the box for Martin but Omeruo arrived with a crunching tackle as he shaped to shoot then when the loose ball was touched on to Thorne he cracked in a 30 yard shot that Konstantopoulos palmed down then gathered.
HALF-TIME: BORO 0 DERBY 0
The first chance of the half came as Bryson carried the ball forward and as the defence backed off he slammed in a 22 yard effort that was well held by Konstantopoulos.
Then Bamford got to a deep cross to the far post but put his looping header high over.
Boro probed on 49 minutes as neat slotted pass from Tomlin found Friend's run into the box but his attempted angled effort was charged down.
Then Williams did well to wriggle into the box from the left but as he tried to play a close one-two with Tomlin he was muscled out as he went for the return.
On 57 minutes Bamford was booked for a foul on Adomah wide on the right and from the free kick Tomlin headed over at the far post.
On 58 minutes Emmanuel Ledesma came on for Tomlin with Williams switching inside into the role behind the striker.
A minute later Derby put on Sammon for Russell.
Derby went close on 62 minutes as Bamford cut in from the right and skipped past Friend then drilled in a low shot that was cleared and if fell for Wisdom lurking outside the box but his first time effort curled just outside the far post.
Straight up the other end Chalobah knocked a ball over the top for Adomah to chase into the box to stab just wide under pressure.
But Boro broke the deadlock on 69 minutes with a well worked opener.
Ledesma cut down the right then slotted a low diagonal ball to the far side of the box where NATHANIEL CHALOBAH to take a touch then drill a low shot beyond the diving keeper and just inside the far post, his first goal for the club.
They had a great chance for a second on 75 minutes when a good move took Friend into the box from the left to square to Adomah but the ball was too strong and the winger failed to control an dthe losoe ball was cleared.
On 77 minutes Friend was booked for a hefty challenge on Wisdom.
On 78 minutes Derby brought Hughes on for Bamford and Boro put on Jacob Butterfield for Williams.
On 81 minutes Derby's Thorne was booked for bringing down Adomah as he raced clear.
Derby should have levelled on 85 minutes when Sammon sent a free-kick bouncing at the far post for defender Buxton to stretch and somehow poke it high and wide from three yards out
Derby put Naylor on for Thorne on 86 minutes. In stoppage time Curtis Main came on for Adomah.
There were some nervous moments in the five minutes of stoppage time as Derby piled bodies forward but Boro did well to head and block and scramble clear.
BORO: Konstantopoulos, Varga Omeruo, Gibson Friend, Chalobah, Leadbitter (c), Adomah (Main 90+2), Tomlin (Ledesma 58), L Williams (Butterfield 78), Graham. Subs: Steele,Kamara, Atkinson, Kitching
DERBY: Grant, Wisdom, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Thorne (Naylor, 86), Hendrick, Bryson, Russell (Sammon 59), Bamford (Hughes 78), Martin. Subs: Legzdins, Whitbread, Eustace, O’Brien
Ref: Andy Haines (Tyne and Wear)
Att: 15,234 (1108)Match report starts here
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