Albion v Derby from The Amex (From The Argus)

4:59pm

There was one last chance for Derby to thump the ball into the goalmouth. But Albion stepped forward en masse as the free-kick was taken and caught a host of Rams players offside. Poyet and Taricco applauded the obviously pre-planned ploy - and the final whistle went seconds later.

4:56pm

Full-time

4:55pm

Legzdins hammered a long free-kick deep into the home box and Kuszczak opted not to come. But the ball flicked off a head and the Pole was able to gather under his own crossbar.

4:52pm

Fans chorused their approval of Bridcutt's display - and moments later he was confirmed as the sponsors' man of the match as play entered four added minutes.

4:50pm

David Lopez was replaced by Crofts in the 89th minute after a brilliant moment of play by Bridcutt had won back possession and earned Albion a free-kick. Top scorer Robinson was on for Derby in place of O'Brien.

4:48pm

The hosts enjoyed a welcome bit of possession on 85 minutes which eventually led to LuaLua skipping inside a challenge but firing well wide from 25 yards.

4:46pm

4:46pm

Derby were piling players forward and Albion had everyone bar Barnes back.

4:45pm

Hendrick won a right-wing corner for Derby and Ward's delivery was dangerous - but the ball bounced off a couple of bodies and dropped imto Kuszczak's arms.

4:42pm

4:41pm

4:40pm

Att: 25,464 (1,173 away fans)

4:40pm

4:39pm

What had looked like a stroll in the rain for Albion not too long previously had now turned into a cliffhanger - but beneath clear skies.

4:38pm

Albion sent on Dicker and LuaLua for Orlandi and Buckley in the 76th minute.

4:37pm

The hosts showed good invention at the subsequent right-wing flag kick. Orlandi lofted the ball to David Lopez centrally placed outside the penalty area, he cushioned a pass to Greer and the defender shot low but straight at Legzdins.

4:36pm

Albion fans were suddenly a bit more nervous - and maybe wondering whether their side had let Derby off the hook. But there were nerves among the Rams defence too as they struggled to turn Orlandi's free-kick from the left behind for a corner. 

4:27pm

Orlandi, who had been upended by Freeman for the first yellow card of the game a few minutes earlier, then followed him into the book for a foul.

4:26pm

Orlandi, following in a shot by Buckley, saw his first effort saved by Legzdins at point blank range and then his attempt to bundle home the rebound scrambled off the line by Coutts when a goal seemed certain.

4:23pm

Derby had an amazing escape in the 63rd minute.

4:21pm

4:20pm

The  corner was delivered too deep and Albion won the ball back before David Lopez, on the right, released Buckley with a perfectly timed and angled pass. Buckley homed in on goal but his close range shot was blocked by Legzdins.

4:18pm

Derby gave their fans something to shout about with a nice move which saw Coutts make ground and feed Sammon, whose shot on the turn was blocked for a corner by El-Abd. But the flag-kick almost led to Albion increasing their lead.

4:16pm

Buckley, on the left, replied in style by nicking the ball off Keogh and making tracks down that side. He looked up and tried to slide the ball across to Barnes at the far post but the busy Roberts did superbly to slide in and divert the ball behind at full stretch as Barnes waited for his second tap-in of the afternoon just behind him.

4:14pm

Ward has had a productive season for the Rams when his troublesome hamstring has allowed. He got the ball with his back to goal just outside the box in the 52nd minute, turned and decided to have a go himself. His effort flew a yard or so above the bar.

4:12pm

4:11pm

4:11pm

Then a strong run by Barnes was only halted by the last defender Roberts as Buckley to his right hoped for a through ball.

4:09pm

Roles for the second goal could easily have been reversed in the third minute of the second half. Orlandi's left-wing corner was delivered perfectly into the run of Calderon. But the full-back who scored with a header from a Vicente corner in this fixture last season, this time failed to make proper contact and the ball glanced off his head and yards wide.

4:06pm

4:06pm

Second half is in progress

3:49pm

Half-time

3:48pm

Hughes and the physio thought for a moment as the player waited to go back on, then decided the wiser option was to call it a day. Ward replaced him as the game moved into three minutes of added time.

3:45pm

Derby's teen star Hughes took a knee in the back in an aerial tussle just before half-time and required quite lengthy treatment before hobbling gingerly to the touchline

3:42pm

Derby hinted at danger when they won a corner on the left in the 40th minute. They worked it short and Roberts' cross was inches too high for central defender Keogh as he rose at the far post.

3:40pm

Chants of "Gus Poyet's blue and white army" were bouncing around the stadium - and one suspected potential new signing Leonardo Ulloa, watching from the directors' box, would have been impressed by every aspect of the afternoon except the weather.

3:38pm

3:37pm

When Derby attacked down their right, El-Abd had to stretch to cut out a dangerous low cross at the expense of a corner. But Davies headed well over from the flag kick.

3:36pm

3:36pm

3:35pm

3:34pm

Albion were playing with a swagger.

3:34pm

Albion then looked to pounce on the counter attack. Barnes threaded a pass into the path of Buckey but last defender Roberts did a good job getting across the home player's run. As they both tumbled, ref Williamson ruled Buckley had done the tugging with home fans and Poyet claiming a foul by the defender..

3:28pm

Moments later, Albion had doubled their lead with a goal made in Spain.

3:27pm

Sammon had shown a few signs of promise up front for Derby. He made a very dangerous run in behind the defence but Buckley, of all people, was there to get alongside him and usher the ball to safety. 

3:23pm

Tackles were flying in at times on the wet surface. Roberts slid in to flatten Buckley but ref Williamson kept his card in his pocket.

3:22pm

Just posted a picture taken and tweeted by the BBC's Johnny Cantor earlier. Sorry I wasn't smiling for the camera! I was more fed up about the lack of internet connection than the weather - honest!

3:21pm

3:20pm

3:20pm

3:20pm

Vicente received a rapturous welcome back from the North Stand when he emerged for a jog along the touchline on 16 minutes.

3:19pm

There were no further chances in the first 15 minutes although both sides looked keen to zip the ball around on the wet surface.

3:18pm

It was just the start to cheer a crowd who were cold and, in the first ten rows or more, wet as well as rain swirled around the stadium.

3:15pm

Apologies for the late start. This was down to technical reasons - not the rain! Thanks to Albion IT crew for connecting me.