Jerry Yates inspires Derby to first away win of the season

Derby earned a first away win since their return to the Championship by beating Coventry 2-1 at the CBS Arena.

Jerry Yates opened the scoring for the Rams before supplying the cross that Bobby Thomas turned into his own net.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto halved the deficit for the Sky Blues with 13 minutes left but they were unable to grab a late equaliser.

Jack Rudoni gifted the Rams the opening goal in the 11th minute when his back pass was latched on to by Yates and the striker calmly rounded Oliver Dovin and tucked in his second of the season.

Derby had come to frustrate and did just that, epitomised by Eiran Cashin’s 34th-minute yellow card for delaying the restart.

Paul Warne made five changes as the Rams reverted to a 3-5-2, with Nathaniel Phillips coming into a back three while Callum Elder replaced Craig Forsyth.

There were also starts for Kenzo Gougmijn and Liam Thompson in midfield while Dajaune Brown started next to Yates in attack.

Coventry struggled to get to grips with Derby’s change of approach and looked far different to the team who had beaten Middlesbrough 3-0 at the Riverside on Saturday, which followed a dramatic 3-2 comeback against Luton in their last home outing.

It took the Sky Blues 41 minutes to register a shot on goal through Haji Wright, who blazed over after a corner dropped to him on the edge of the six-yard box.

Mark Robins introduced Ephron Mason-Clark and his energy almost got the hosts level, but his cross was met by a last-ditch tackle to prevent Sakamoto tapping in at the back post.

Derby had brought on Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to threaten Coventry with his pace, and his cross was almost perfect for the flying Yates to tap in a second.

The Rams snatched a second in the 73rd minute when Yates drove down the left and crossed towards Mendez-Laing, but Thomas’ outstretched leg diverted the cross into the far corner in front of the rapturous away following.

The frustrated Sky Blues had a goal back less than five minutes later through Sakamoto, who wriggled free on the edge of the box and fired a low effort beyond Jacob Zetterstrom in the Derby goal.

Coventry sniffed an equaliser and piled the pressure on in the final 10 minutes as Eccles lifted his effort over the top.

Wright then met a dangerous ball from the right but did not get the connection he wanted as his attempted header bounced safely wide.