Derby 1-0 Bournemouth: Bielik’s first-half strike lifts Rams out of the drop zone

Krystian Bielik’s instinctive finish provided Wayne Rooney with a first win since becoming permanent Derby manager and some rare cheer for those involved at Pride Park.

Derby are a club currently clouded by uncertainty: players went unpaid last month and the takeover deal ‘near completion’ for two months has not happened.

However, things took a turn for the better on the field when they added the scalp of promotion-chasing Bournemouth to previous ones of the Championship’s top two Norwich and Swansea.

Wayne Rooney picked up his first win as permanent Derby County manager on Tuesday night

Bloodied in an aerial challenge with Jefferson Lerma earlier in the contest, Bielik emerged in un-numbered shirt to prod in the decisive goal just after the half-hour.

Failing to get a proper connection on his initial header due to the attention of Lloyd Kelly, the Polish midfielder had the presence of mind to poke the rebound through the crowd and beyond Asmir Begovic.

Following the weekend defeat to Rotherham, in his full-time dugout debut, Rooney said the blueprint for the division’s lowest scorers was for composure in their attacking movements rather than in the high-octane style of last year’s Championship winners Leeds.

Derby’s Krystian Bielik scored the only goal of the game midway through the first half

He would have liked what he saw, as Begovic made smart saves from an early Kamil Jozwiak header and Lee Buchanan’s surge into the area, and Matt Clarke had a header kicked off the line by Lewis Cook on the hour.

Despite Bournemouth top scorer Dominic Solanke missing the game’s best chance with the goal gaping from Jack Stacey’s cross as early as the ninth minute, a team now four points behind the automatic promotion places only came to life as Jason Tindall flooded the forward areas late on.

The changes included a 12-minute cameo from Jack Wilshere, the ex-England midfielder who agreed a short-term deal this week, but they were consigned to back-to-back defeats for the first time this season when Kelle Roos spectacularly clawed out Kelly’s header 10 minutes from time. 

Derby midfielder Bielik swept a shot in from the edge of a crowded six-yard box in 32nd minute