Southampton defender Francis Benali was sent off for the 11th time in his
career as Derby recovered from two defeats in the last week.
Benali was shown the red card by Leeds referee Mike Riley in the 55th minute
for retaliation after he had been fouled by Derby striker Dean Sturridge.
Sturridge needed treatment and when he returned to his feet he had a yellow
card brandished at him by busy Mr Riley.
Riley booked five players from Derby including Sturridge and also cautioned
Southampton's Matthew Le Tissier.
All this action happened in the second-half after a tepid first 45 minutes in
which Derby and Southampton played as if there was nothing at stake.
Southampton believed they had a penalty in the 28th minute when Carlton Palmer
appeared to be brought down by Derby goalkeeper Mart Poom.
But the match exploded into life in the second-half when Christian Dailly put
Derby ahead in the 50th minute.
Gary Rowett took a corner on the right and as goalkeeper Paul Jones appeared
to hesitate Dailly headed against the bar and then snapped up the rebound.
Reilly booked Lee Carsley and Jacob Laursen for fouls before the Benali
incident and then added three more in quick succession as the match threatened
to boil over.
Derby's Robert Kozluk and Paulo Wanchope were booked for fouls and Le Tissier
for dissent before the match quietened down.
Derby sustained heavy pressure but Poom did not have a direct save to make all
afternoon.
It was Derby who always looked most likely to add to their total and in the
76th minute Ken Monkou cleared off the line after an intended clearance by Jones
struck Wanchope and was heading goalwards.
Jones was named Southampton's player of the year by fans before the start but
was badly at fault with the second goal two minutes from the end.
He had plenty of time to clear a backpass from Jason Dodd but his clearance
hit Sturridge and trickled over the line.
Southampton manager Dave Jones sent on Steve Basham and Andy Williams in a bid
to make a breakthrough but with Le Tissier struggling for form in midfield Derby
had an easy afternoon compared with those at Coventry last weekend where they
let in four and at Arsenal in midweek where they lost 1-0.
Derby manager Jim Smith also made changes as the match wore on sending on
Chris Powell, Robin Van der Laan and Deon Burton as Derby held out for their
fourth away win of the season.
Teams:
Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Benali, Palmer, Monkou, Lundekvam,
Le Tissier, Oakley, Hirst (Basham 69), Ostenstad,
Gibbens (Williams 78).
Subs Not Used: Richardson, Warner, Moss.
Sent Off: Benali (55).
Booked: Le Tissier.
Derby: Poom, Delap, Kozluk (Powell 66), Rowett, Dailly, Laursen,
Carsley, Solis (Van Der Laan 66), Bohinen, Wanchope (Burton 82),
Sturridge.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Hoult.
Booked: Carsley, Laursen, Sturridge, Kozluk, Wanchope.
Goals: Dailly 50, Sturridge 88.
Att: 15,202
Ref: M A Riley (Leeds).
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