Alfie Devine strike earns Preston victory at Derby

A brilliant strike from Alfie Devine was enough to give Preston a 1-0 victory at Derby in the Championship.

The on-loan Spurs midfielder finished superbly in a first half controlled by the visitors with the Rams fortunate to go in only one goal behind.

It was a different story in the second half as County finally came to life with the United States international Patrick Agyemang posing a threat up front.

He was denied by the reflexes of Daniel Iversen and caused Preston problems but the visitors defended well and held on for an impressive victory.

Former Derby winger Lewis Dobbin made a couple of dangerous runs but both teams cancelled each other out in a tight opening 20 minutes.

The game got the goal it needed in the 29th minute with Dobbin involved in the build-up that led to Devine unleashing a shot from just outside the area that whistled into the top right corner.

Derby were giving the ball away too often and they were lucky not to concede a second in the 42nd minute when Pol Valentin played in Milutin Osmajic and his low shot struck the legs of Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.

The home side had their first effort on target with Ben Brereton Diaz making room for a shot from the edge of the area but it lacked the power to trouble Iversen and Preston were deservedly ahead at the break.

Not surprisingly, Derby made a change at the start of the second half with Agyemang coming on up front as John Eustace switched to a back four.

Agyemang certainly breathed some life into the game and he had a great chance to score in the 65th minute when Lewis Travis found him unmarked in the box but Iversen made an instinctive save with his right leg.

Preston were coming under concerted pressure for the first time and after an Agyemang shot was deflected behind, the corner was headed narrowly wide.

Iversen was booked for time wasting but Preston had a chance to put the game away in the 89th minute but Daniel Jebbison’s low shot was tame and Zetterstrom saved easily.

Derby pressed hard for an equaliser and had strong penalty claims waved aside when Agyemang went over but they could not break through a well-drilled defence.

Preston had one last anxious moment in the sixth minute of stoppage time when the ball fell to Carlton Morris but the striker could not get any power in his shot and that was the end of Derby’s challenge.