Cardiff's Peter Thorne scored the only goal to secure the Bluebirds Coca-Cola Championship victory over Derby at Pride Park.

The Rams succumbed after gifting the Ninian Park frontman a free header in the first half, but the hosts will have counted themselves unfortunate not to have at least shared the points after Inigo Idiakez struck the woodwork twice.

The visitors threatened first after Idiakez mis-kicked the ball into his own penalty area and Lee Camp was forced to save at the feet of Richard Langley with seven minutes gone.

The Rams responded on the quarter-hour when Ian Taylor spread the ball to the left wing.

Striker Tommy Smith, operating in a wide role, took possession and bore down on the Cardiff goal but could only ripple the side netting with his shot.

Another Bluebirds attack ended with Camp plucking a Jobi McAnuff shot out of the air.

Morten Bisgaard was guilty of blazing a glorious opportunity wide after being set up on the edge of the box by Smith.

Idiakez demonstrated how shots should be struck with the Spaniard launching a spectacular 25-yard curler which rebounded off the post as 'keeper Tony Warner looked on.

But with 26 minutes gone - and much against the run of play - Cardiff took the lead after Tom Huddlestone and Michael Johnson failed to deal with Rhys Weston's long throw from the Bluebirds' right wing.

And an unmarked Thorne accepted the chance to nod home a free header from six yards.

As half-time approached, Paul Peschisolido cleared Cameron Jerome's effort off the line following Kavanagh's corner.

Idiakez again hit the woodwork, this time with a long-range free-kick.

Junichi Inamoto went close to doubling Cardiff's lead in the second half when he narrowly failed to apply a telling touch to Kavanagh's cross.

The Grzegorz Rasiak connected with an Idiakez left-wing free-kick, only for the Polish international's header to flash wide.

But in the 52nd minute Rasiak forced Warner into a save after heading a Smith cross goalwards.

Five minutes later McAnuff got forward for the Bluebirds after cutting out a square cross-field pass from Idiakez.

The Rams escaped punishment as the shot was driven left to right across Camp's goal and wide.

Another Idiakez free-kick was swept marginally wide shortly after the hour but the Rams were otherwise struggling to make a dent in the Cardiff rearguard.

In the 67th minute manager George Burley made a positive move by introducing winger Marco Reich for right-back Jeff Kenna.

And with Reich on the left, Smith went to the right wing with Bisgaard retreating from midfield to fill the defensive vacancy.

Rasiak teed up Reich for a 20-yard drive collected by Warner in the 74th minute but the hosts created little more of note despite Marcus Tudgay replacing Peschisolido in the 85th minute.

Teams:

Derby: Camp, Kenna (Reich 67), Huddlestone, Johnson, Jackson, Bisgaard, Taylor, Idiakez, Smith, Peschisolido (Tudgay 85), Rasiak.

Subs Not Used: Grant, Mills, Bolder.

Booked: Rasiak.

Cardiff: Warner, Weston, Gabbidon, Collins, Barker, McAnuff (Parry 80), Kavanagh, Langley, Inamoto, Thorne, Jerome (Lee 84).

Subs Not Used: Alexander, Bullock, Vidmar.

Booked: Langley.

Goals: Thorne 27.

Att: 22,800

Ref: A Kaye (W Yorkshire).