91Èȱ¬

Ebou Adams scored his first goal for Derby to boost their automatic promotion hopes with a win over Blackpool.

Derby went with an attacking formation but the first clear chance fell to the away side in the 29th minute, with George Byers scuffing a shot wide from 15 yards.

It brought an instant response from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, whose curling shot was touched behind by Daniel Grimshaw and the corner was almost forced in at the near post.

But Grimshaw could do nothing in the 40th minute when a cross was half cleared to Adams, who scored with a quality first-time shot from the edge of the area.

Derby should have added a second in the 55th minute when Mendez-Laing put Conor Washington through on the right but he failed to beat Grimshaw.

The Seasiders almost took advantage in the 71st minute through a Sonny Carey free-kick which Rams keeper Joe Wildsmith clawed away.

There was another late scare for the Rams when Kyle Joseph twice had goalbound shots blocked by Curtis Nelson and Eiran Cashin.

Match report supplied by PA Media.