Craig Mackail-Smith fired a 13th-minute winner as Albion beat Derby 1-0 at Pride Park tonight.

Mackail-Smith scored his first goal late September with a superb right-foot drive from the edge of the box after Inigo Calderon had got forward to supply the initial cross.

It was a dream start for Albion, who had failed to score in their three previous away games.

Derby almost drew level with the clean through Tamas Priskin seeing his shot half blocked by Casper Ankergren and then hacked behind by the back-tracking Lewis Dunk as the ball threatened to loop gently into the net.

Dunk and Gordon Greer made important blocks and Jeff Hendrick shot inches wide from the edge of the box.

But Albion ended the half strongly and Greer shot just over as they forced a series of corners.

The Seagulls, for whom Adam El-Abd made a long-awaited comeback from injury as substitute right-back on 49 minutes, had plenty of defending to do in the second period.

But they did it well and almost added a second on two notable occasions.

Sub Craig Noone cut inside and curled just wide of the post and later crossed for Mackail-Smith, whose close range header hit the upright.

Callum Ball had the Rams' best effort but his drive in the closing stages was well blocked by the outstanding Greer.