CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Derby v Everton 16/12/96 8.00

Derby                   (0) 0 Everton                 (0) 1 FT
                              Barmby 86

Nick Barmby pounced for a late winner as Everton maintained their impressive record at Derby with a 1-0 victory at the Baseball Ground.

The England striker reacted quickly to head home after Joe Parkinson's 25-yard effort had rebounded off the crossbar four minutes from time.

Everton's victory, their eighth in 11 visits to this ground, put them above Chelsea in seventh place and left Derby cursing their first defeat in six games.

Derby were left to rue their missed chances - most notably an Ashley Ward header which flashed just over the bar midway through the second half.

Everton boss Joe Royle made one change from the side which drew 2-2 at Chelsea with Nick Barmby returning from flu at the expense of Tony Grant.

Derby were unchanged from their 2-2 draw with leaders Arsenal at Highbury. Marco Gabbiadini recovered from a knee operation to win a place on the bench.

Dean Sturridge posed problems for the Everton defence in the early stages with his blistering pace. A darted run from Derby's five-goal leading scorer was halted by Parkinson's tackle on the edge of the visitors area.

And when Sturridge sped clear of David Unsworth to release Aljosa Asanovic into space on the left, Neville Southall had to get down quickly at his near post. to cut out the resulting cross.

Michael Branch raced on to Duncan Ferguson's ninth minute flick-on and almost fired Everton ahead against the run of play but steered his shot narrowly wide of Russell Hoult's right hand post.

Gary Speed was booked in the 13th minute for clattering into the back of Sean Flynn and that was the cue for a spell of Derby pressure. Asanovic's neat pass released Sturridge down the right end of the Everton box but Unsworth read the danger and intercepted his low cross. Ward produced a neat turn with his back to goal that took him past Dave Watson but the Everton skipper recovered well to win the ball with a sliding tackle.

Derby lost their way before the half-hour and Everton dominated the latter part of the half although Branch was continually frustrated by the off-side flag as he attempted to latch onto Ferguson's flick-ons.

Andrea Kanchelskis dragged a low shot across the face of the Derby goal with Speed only a yard away from supplying a far post finish.

Derby suffered a blow seven minutes from the break when skipper Igor Stimac was booked by referee Mike Reed, who decided the Croatian had deliberately handled Barmby's attempted through ball.

The caution left Stimac facing a two-match ban just three games after returning from a three match suspension. Stimac had been booked in his first two games back - against Coventry and Arsenal.

Branch was booked for kicking the ball away two minutes from the break and Joe Royle brought on Graham Stuart for the second half.

Unsworth became the third Everton booking for holding Ward back in the 50th minute and the Merseysiders had an escape when Sturridge's low drive deflected off Watson to leave Asanovic with only Southall to beat - the Croatian snatching at his shot and lifting it high over the bar.

Everton appealed in vain for a penalty when Paul McGrath appeared to hold back Barmby as he tried to sweep home a Ferguson nod down from Speed's right wing cross.

Derby responded with a Ward volley which thudded into the side netting - Asanvoic supplying the cross from the left - and the Derby striker saw his bullet header from Jacob Laursen's cross flash a foot over the crossbar.